Hatsuzuki (初月) was an Akizuki-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "New Moon (in Autumn)" or "(another name of) August". In the Battle off Cape Engaño, to cover the escape of allied ships, Hatsuzuki single-handedly faced an overwhelming force of four cruisers and at least 9 destroyers for two hours before she was sunk with only 8 survivors.

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Hatsuzuki on trial run, December 1942.
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Hatsuzuki
Builder	Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Laid down	25 July 1941
Launched	3 April 1942
Completed	29 December 1942
Commissioned	29 December 1942 Yokosuka Chinjufu
Stricken	10 December 1944
Fate	Sunk on 25 October 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Akizuki-class destroyer
Displacement	2,700 long tons (2,743 t) standard 3,700 long tons (3,759 t) full load
Length	134.2 m (440 ft 3 in)
Beam	11.6 m (38 ft 1 in)
Draft	4.15 m (13 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	3 × Kampon type boilers 2 × Kampon geared turbines 2 × shafts, 50,000 shp (37 MW)
Speed	33 knots (38 mph; 61 km/h)
Range	8,300 nmi (15,400 km) at 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement	263
Armament	December 1942 : 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal Type 98 DP guns 4 × Type 96 25 mm (0.98 in) AA guns (2×2) 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes 8 × Type 93 torpedoes 56 × Type 95 depth charges October 1944 : 8 × 100 mm (4 in)/65 cal DP guns 29 × 25 mm AA guns (5×3 + 14×1) 4 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes 8 × Type 93 torpedoes 56 × Type 95 depth charges

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The Akizuki-class ships were originally designed as anti-aircraft escorts for carrier battle groups, but were modified with torpedo tubes and depth charges to meet the need for more general-purpose destroyer. Her crew numbered 300 officers and enlisted men. The ships measured 134.2 meters (440 ft 3 in) overall, with a beam of 11.6 meters (38 ft 1 in) and a draft of 4.15 meters (13 ft 7 in).^[1] They displaced 2,744 metric tons (2,701 long tons) at standard load and 3,759 metric tons (3,700 long tons) at deep load.^[2]

The ship had two Kampon geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Kampon water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 52,000 indicated horsepower (39,000 kW) for a designed speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph). The ship carried up to 1,097 long tons (1,115 t) of fuel oil which gave them a range of 8,300 nautical miles (15,400 km; 9,600 mi) at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).^[3]

The main armament of the Akizuki class consisted of eight Type 98 100-millimeter (3.9 in) dual purpose guns in four twin-gun turrets, two superfiring pairs fore and aft of the superstructure. They carried four Type 96 25-millimeter (1.0 in) anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts. The ships were also armed with four 610-millimeter (24.0 in) torpedo tubes in a single quadruple traversing mount; one reload was carried for each tube. Their anti-submarine weapons consisted of six depth charge throwers for which 72 depth charges were carried.^[4]

In October 1944 Hatsuzuki was part of the Northern Force commanded by Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, in the Japanese attack on the Allied forces supporting the invasion of Leyte.

On the 25 October, during the Battle off Cape Engaño, Hatsuzuki encountered a detachment of Halsey's Task Force 34 (TF.34) consisting of the four cruisers USS New Orleans, USS Wichita, USS Santa Fe and USS Mobile and at least 9 destroyers. Hatsuzuki single-handedly faced off against this overwhelming force for the next two hours while covering the escape of survivors of the aircraft carriers Zuikaku, Zuihō and Chitose by the Destroyers Wakatsuki, Kuwa and the Light cruiser Isuzu, eventually exploding and sinking at 2059. ENE of Cape Engaño (20°24′N 126°20′E).

The only survivors of her crew were 8 men in a lifeboat with 17 Zuikaku crewmen who made their way to Luzon by the 14th November, having been providentially cast off when Hatsuzuki got underway to engage the enemy.