Japanese destroyer Momi

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Image: http://www.combinedfleet.com/matsu01.jpg

Career
Ordered:	1944
Laid down:	February 2, 1944
Launched:	June 16, 1944
Completed:	September 3, 1944
Fate:	Sunk by air attack west of Manila (14ºN, 120º20'E) 5 January 1945
General Characteristics
Displacement:	1,262 tons (standard), 1,506 tons (trial)
Length:	328 ft 1 in (100.0 m)
Beam:	30 ft 8 in (9.35 m)
Draft:	10 ft 10 in (3.3 m)
Speed:	27.8 knots (51.5 km/h)
Complement:	210
Armament:	3 × 5 in ( 127 mm) / 40 caliber DP guns, 24 × 25 mm AA guns, 4 × 13 mm AA guns, 4 × 24 in torpedo tubes, 36 depth charges

The Momi (translation: "white pine") was a Matsu class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy, sunk on January 5, 1944 by an American air attack west of Manila, in the South China Sea.

On September 27, 1944 off Etoforu in the Kurile Islands (45º44'N, 148º41'E), Momi was damaged by a torpedo from the submarine USS Searaven (SS-196). Between October 25 and November 2, together with the destroyer Hinoki, she escorted the Ryuho and Kaiyo on a transport mission from Sasebo to Keelung, then returned to Kure.

The Momi set sail from Kure on December 16, 1944 as part of the escort for the aircraft carrier Unryu. The remainder of the escort consisted of the destroyers Shigure and Hinoki. Because an American invasion fleet had been spotted approaching the Philippine Islands, the Unryu was intended to deliver a squadron of 30 Ohka kamikaze planes to Manila.

The task force sailed west through the Shimonoseki Straits to avoid American submarines, then turned south. But on December 19, the task force encountered the USS Redfish (SS-395), which sank the Unryu, then submerged deep to escape the charging Hinoki.

Shigure remained in the area to pick up survivors from the Unryu and attempt to track down and sink the American submarine, while Hinoki and Momi set sail for Japanese occupied China. From there, they escorted the Ikutagawa Maru to Manila, arriving on January 4, 1945.

The two destroyers were then ordered to withdraw to Taiwan, but were caught by American destroyers, including the USS Bennion (DD-662), on the afternoon of January 5. They escaped, but were then caught by carrier-based aircraft from Task Force 77. A 1,000-lb (454kg) bomb from an SBD Dauntless dive bomber crippled the Hinoki at 5:17 PM; then, at 7:10 PM, a torpedo from a TBF Avenger torpedo bomber struck the Momi and she sank with all hands. The Hinoki managed to get under way again and briefly escaped under cover of darkness, but was caught and sunk by American destroyers on January 7.

Commanding Officers

Chief Equipping Officer - Lt. Cmdr. Tsuneo Yonei - August 1944 - 7 September 1944

Lt. Cmdr. Tsuneo Yonei - 7 September 1944 - 5 January 1945 (KIA)