Ashizuri-class combat support ship

Class overview
Ashizuri in 1943
Name:	Ashizuri-class combat support ship
Builders:	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Built:	1941–1943
In commission:	1943–1944
Planned:	2
Completed:	2
Lost:	2
General characteristics
Displacement:	7,951 long tons (8,079 t) standard
Length:	133.0 m (436 ft 4 in) overall
Beam:	16.8 m (55 ft 1 in)
Draught:	6.0 m (19 ft 8 in)
Propulsion:	2 × Mitsubishi/MAN Model 60 diesels, 2 shafts, 6,000 bhp (4,500 kW)
Speed:	16 knots (18 mph; 30 km/h)
Range:	5,500 nmi (10,200 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Capacity:	2,350 tons for gasoline 880 tons for ammunition and food
Complement:	192
Armament:	Ashizuri, 1943 4 × 127 mm (5.0 in) L/40 AA gun 4 × Type 96 25mm AA guns

The Ashizuri-class combat support ship (足摺型給油艦, Ashizuri-gata kyūyukan) was a class of two support ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during World War II.

Construction

In 1940, the IJN planned two support ship classes to help their aircraft carriers. One was the 4,500-ton Sunosaki class, the other one the 8,000 ton Ashizuri class. The Ashizuri was planned to support for two large-sized carriers (Akagi, Kaga and Shōkaku class) in the battlefield. The thought is the same as USS Sacramento.

Service

Not joining the IJN till mid-1943 when the Japanese navy was well and truly on the back foot, the ships participated in convoy duties delivering fuel oil around Southeast Asia. Their top speed of 16 knots meant that they would not have been capable of keeping up with the fast carrier battle groups.

Ashizuri was sunk by the USS Puffer on 5 June 1944, and Shioya was lost to USS Rasher three days later.

Ships in class

Ship #	Ship	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
219	Ashizuri (足摺)	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki Shipyard	08-07-1941	16-05-1942	30-01-1943	Sunk by USS Puffer at Sulu Sea 06°33′N 122°55′E / 6.550°N 122.917°E / 6.550; 122.917 05-06-1944.
220	Shioya (塩屋)	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki Shipyard	01-04-1942	08-03-1943	09-11-1943	Sunk by USS Rasher at west of Manado 08-06-1944.

References

"Rekishi Gunzō". , History of Pacific War Vol.62 "Ships of The Imperial Japanese Forces, Gakken (Japan), January 2008, ISBN 978-4-05-605008-0
Ships of the World special issue Vol.47, Auxiliary Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha". , (Japan), March 1997

Japanese auxiliary ship classes of World War II

Colliers and oilers	Notoro Ondo Sunosaki Ashizuri Kazahaya^S Hayasui^S Hario^S Muroto Teiyō Maru^S Ōse (ex-Dutch tanker Genota)^SC

Food supply ships	Mamiya^S Nosaki^S Kinesaki Irako^S Kurasaki^SC

Landing ships	No.1 No.101 Shinshū Maru^S (Army) SS (Army)

Armed merchant cruisers	Aikoku Maru^S Kongō Maru^S Noshiro Maru^S

Minelayers and cable layer	Tokiwa^SC Itsukushima^S Yaeyama^S Okinoshima^S Tsugaru^S Minoo^SC Shirataka^S Hatsutaka Tsubame Natsushima (1933) Sokuten (1938) Hirashima Ajiro^S Kamishima Hashima Sokuten (1913) Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-HMS Barlight)^SC

Minesweepers	No.1 (1923) No.5 (1928) No.13 No.17 No.7 (1938) No.19 No.101 (ex-HMS Taitam and HMS Waglan)^C Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-HNLMS DEFG-class) Aux. No.104 (ex-HNLMS DEFG-class)

Patrol boats	No.1^C No.31^C No.46^SC No.101 (ex-HMS Thracian)^SC No.102 (ex-USS Stewart)^SC No.103 (ex-USS Finch)^SC No.104 (ex-Dutch East Indies Valk and Arend)^C No.105 (ex-Philippine customs Arayat)^SC No.106 (ex-HNLMS Banckert)^SCI No.107 (ex-USS Genesee)^SC No.109 (ex-Dutch East Indies Fazant)^SC Aux. No.1

Repair ships	Asahi^SC Akashi^S Hayase (ex-Chinese passenger Chin Kiang)^SC Hitonose (ex-ROCN Min Sheng)^SC

Seaplane tenders	Notoro Kamoi^SC Chitose Mizuho^S Nisshin^S Akitsushima^S Kamikawa Maru

Submarine chasers	No.1 No.3^S No.4 No.13 No.28 No.60 Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-HNLMS Tjerimai)^SC Aux. No.102 (ex-HNLMS Ardjoeno class)^C Aux. No.103 (ex-HNLMS B1 class)^C Aux. No.111 (ex-HNLMS P13 or P14)^SC Aux. No.112 (ex-HNLMS A class)^C Aux. No.117 (ex-HNLMS Bantam)^C Aux. No.251 Aux. No.253^S

Submarine tenders	Komahashi^SC Jingei Taigei^S

Survey ships	Tsukushi^S Katsuriki^SC Hakusa (ex-China customs Fu Hsing)^SC

Target ships	Settsu^SC Yakaze^SC Hakachi^S Ōhama^S

Training ships	Fuji^SC Shikishima^SC Asama^SC Azuma^SC Kasuga^SC Atada (ex-ROCN Yat Sen)^SC

Others	Sōya (freighter)^SC Kashino (turret transporter)^S Ōtomari (icebreaker)^S Tategami (salvage tug) Kasashima (salvage tug) Miura (salvage tug) Kaiyō No.1 (oceanographic research ship) Asuka (traffic ship, ex-ROCN Yung Chien)^SC

S Single ship of class C Converted to ship type I Incomplete until the end of war

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