Japanese destroyer Teruzuki

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Career
Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:
Completed:	31 August 1942
Commissioned:
Fate:	Sunk
Struck:	15 January 1943
General Characteristics
Displacement:	2,700 tons standard; 3,700 tons full load
Length:	440 ft 3 in (134.2 meters
Beam:	38 ft 1 in (11.6 m)
Draft:	13 ft 7 in (4.5 m)
Speed:	33 knots (61 km/h)
Complement:	300
Armament:	8 × 100 mm / 65 cal DP guns, up to 51 × 25 mm AA guns, 4 × 610 mm Type 93 torpedo tubes, 72 depth charges

Teruzuki was a Akizuki-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "Pale or Lighter Moon, Shining Moon".

On 12–13 November 1942, Teruzuki was part of the Bombardment Force commanded by Rear Admiral Abe Hiroaki. In the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, she claimed hits on seven U.S. ships, including one sinking. The following morning, she assisted the crippled battleship Hiei.

On 14–15 November, she joined the Emergency Bombardment Force commanded by Admiral Kondō Nobutake. In the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, she and Asagumo provided close cover to the heavy ships. Afterwards, she assisted crippled Kirishima and helped remove survivors.

On the night of 11–12 December 1942, Teruzuki led a transport run to Guadalcanal. While patrolling close to shore at low speed, she was attacked by PT-37 and PT-40, torpedoed and left dead in the water. Fires spread over the next three hours until reaching depth charges, resulting explosions sinking the ship.