Destroyer Akatsuki

Akatsuki (暁, "Dawn") was laid down at Sasebo Naval Arsenal on 17 February 1930, launched on 7 May 1932, and commissioned on 30 November 1932. She was the lead ship of the Akatsuki class — the Type III variant of the Fubuki-class destroyers — representing the final evolution of the Fubuki design with improved machinery and slightly modified hull form.

At the outbreak of the Pacific War, Akatsuki was assigned to Destroyer Division 6. She covered landing operations in Malaya, the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines, and in mid-1942 served in the Aleutians campaign around Kiska and Attu. From October 1942, she was employed on "Tokyo Express" high-speed transport runs to Guadalcanal.

On the night of 12-13 November 1942, during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, Akatsuki was part of Vice Admiral Abe's bombardment force. In the close-range night battle off Savo Island, Akatsuki turned on her searchlight and illuminated the anti-aircraft light cruiser USS Atlanta (CL-51). This brave but fatal act made her an immediate target: American cruisers and destroyers poured gunfire into the illuminated Akatsuki at close range. She is often credited with torpedoing Atlanta, but her surviving torpedo officer, Michiharu Shinya, stated that she was overwhelmed before she could launch any torpedoes. The destroyer was disabled within minutes and sank near Savo Island with the loss of all but 18 of her approximately 197 crew members; the survivors were taken prisoner by U.S. forces.

Ironically, Atlanta herself was also destroyed in the same battle — hit by Japanese torpedoes and friendly fire from USS San Francisco.