Mutsuki-class destroyerW
Mutsuki-class destroyer

The Mutsuki-class destroyers were a class of twelve destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. All were given traditional poetic names of the months of the year by the Lunar calendar or phases of the moon. Some authors consider the Kamikaze and Mutsuki-class destroyers to be extensions of the earlier Minekaze class.

Japanese destroyer Fumizuki (1926)W
Japanese destroyer Fumizuki (1926)

Fumizuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Philippines Campaign in December 1941 and the Dutch East Indies Campaign in early 1942. In March, she was assigned to convoy escort duties in and around Malaya and the Dutch East Indies until she was transferred to Rabaul in early 1943 to ferry troops around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Japanese destroyer Kikuzuki (1926)W
Japanese destroyer Kikuzuki (1926)

The Japanese destroyer Kikuzuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Battle of Guam in December 1941 and the New Guinea and Solomon Islands Campaigns in 1942. Kikuzuki was destroyed during the invasion of Tulagi in May.

Japanese destroyer Kisaragi (1925)W
Japanese destroyer Kisaragi (1925)

Kisaragi was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. Retreating after the sinking of destroyer Hayate by American coast-defense guns during the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941, Kisaragi was sunk with all hands by American aircraft. She had the distinction of being the second major Japanese warship lost during the war . She should not be confused with an earlier World War I-period Kamikaze-class destroyer with the same name.

Japanese destroyer Mikazuki (1926)W
Japanese destroyer Mikazuki (1926)

The Japanese destroyer Mikazuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. At the beginning of the Pacific War, she served in home waters as the plane guard for those aircraft carriers that were training or working up. In mid-1942, the ship played a minor role in the Battle of Midway and was then assigned to convoy escort duties between Formosa and Japan for the next year. Mikazuki was then transferred to the Solomon Islands in mid-1943 and was destroyed by American bombers after running aground.

Japanese destroyer Minazuki (1926)W
Japanese destroyer Minazuki (1926)

Minazuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Philippines Campaign in December 1941 and the Dutch East Indies Campaign in early 1942. In March, she was assigned to convoy escort duties in and around Malaya and the Dutch East Indies until she was transferred to Rabaul in early 1943 to ferry troops around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Japanese destroyer Mochizuki (1927)W
Japanese destroyer Mochizuki (1927)

The Japanese destroyer Mochizuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941 and the occupations of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in early 1942.

Japanese destroyer MutsukiW
Japanese destroyer Mutsuki

The Japanese destroyer Mutsuki was the name ship of her class of twelve destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941 and the occupations of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in early 1942. Mutsuki was one of the escorts for the invasion force during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May and then participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign later that year. The ship was sunk by American bombers during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August.

Japanese destroyer Nagatsuki (1926)W
Japanese destroyer Nagatsuki (1926)

Nagatsuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Philippines Campaign in December 1941 and the Dutch East Indies Campaign in early 1942. In March, she was assigned to convoy escort duties in and around Malaysia and the Dutch East Indies until she was transferred to Rabaul in early 1943 to ferry troops around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Japanese destroyer Satsuki (1925)W
Japanese destroyer Satsuki (1925)

Satsuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. Advanced for their time, these ships served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, but were considered obsolescent by the start of the Pacific War.

Japanese destroyer Uzuki (1925)W
Japanese destroyer Uzuki (1925)

Uzuki was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941 and the occupations of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in early 1942.

Japanese destroyer Yayoi (1925)W
Japanese destroyer Yayoi (1925)

The Japanese destroyer Yayoi was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941 and the occupations of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in early 1942.

Japanese destroyer YūzukiW
Japanese destroyer Yūzuki

The Japanese destroyer Yūzuki was the last of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. During the Pacific War, she participated in the Battle of Guam in December 1941 and the occupations of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in early 1942.