Recently the NHK News
On-line reported the following:
戦艦「大和」とともに沈んだ駆逐艦「磯風」発見か
2月7日 23時38分
太平洋戦争末期、戦艦「大和」とともに沖縄に向かいアメリカ軍の攻撃によって沈んだ旧日本海軍の駆逐艦「磯風」と見られる艦船が鹿児島県沖の海底で見つかっていたことがわかりました。専門家は、大和以外の艦船の調査は行われておらず、貴重な発見だと評価しています。
駆逐艦「磯風」は昭和１５年に就役して真珠湾攻撃やミッドウェー海戦などに参加しましたが、戦艦大和とともに特攻作戦で沖縄に向かっていた昭和２０年４月７日、鹿児島県の枕崎沖でアメリカ軍の攻撃によって沈みました。
大和について広島県呉市とともに潜水調査を行った大阪市の海洋調査会社によりますと、おととし５月の調査の中で、大和が沈んだ場所から北東に９．５キロ、深さおよそ４５０メートルの海底で、艦船１隻が沈んでいるのが見つかったということです。
これについて専門家は、撮影された映像や戦闘の記録などから「磯風」の可能性が高いとしています。
映像には４つの砲身をもつ魚雷発射管のほか、爆発でめくれ上がった艦尾や横倒しになった主砲も映し出されていて、当時の戦闘の激しさがうかがえます。
旧日本海軍の歴史に詳しい広島県呉市の大和ミュージアムの戸高一成館長は、「記録に残る被害状況や沈没場所をつきあわせると磯風でほぼ間違いない。大和以外の艦船の調査は行われておらず貴重な発見だ」と話しています。
磯風は数多くの作戦に参加
旧日本海軍の駆逐艦「磯風」は、長崎県佐世保市の旧海軍工廠で建造され昭和１５年に就役しました。全長はおよそ１２０メートル、基準排水量は２０００トン余りです。
広島県呉市の博物館「大和ミュージアム」によりますと、磯風は、真珠湾攻撃をはじめミッドウェー海戦やレイテ沖海戦など旧日本海軍の数多くの作戦に参加しました。
昭和２０年４月、戦艦「大和」など、ほかの９隻とともに特攻作戦で沖縄に向かいましたが、アメリカ軍の攻撃によって大和や磯風を含む６隻が鹿児島県枕崎沖で沈みました。
大和は戦後、呉市や民間団体が潜水調査を行ったため沈没した位置が判明していますが、磯風など５隻については、沈没した場所は特定されてきませんでした。今回、大和以外の艦船の沈没位置がわかったのは、初めてだということです。
磯風の調査にあたった「深田サルベージ建設」の花戸忠明中国支社長補佐は、「磯風以外にも見つかっていない艦船があるので可能であれば調査したい」と話しています。
My translation
It was found out that
during the last years of the Pacific War the destroyer "Isokaze” of the old
Japanese navy which was sunk together
with the battleship "Yamato" by the offensive of the U.S. forces that
moved towards Okinawa were discovered at the bottom of the sea off the coast of Kagoshima prefecture. As ships besides Yamato had not been investigated so far, a specialist estimated
that it was a valuable discovery.
Destroyer
"Isokaze" was commissioned in 1940 and had participated in the Pearl
Harbor attack and the Battle of Midway, but was sunk by the U.S offensive forces
at the Makurazaki offing at Kagoshima-ken
on April 7, 1945 together
with the battleship Yamato while going to Okinawa on a special attack
operation.
Regarding Yamato,
according to Kure-shi of Hiroshima and also one oceanographic investigation company from Osaka-shi that did a diving investigation, it was said that in
the investigation in May two years ago one ship was found sunk at the bottom of the sea at depth of 450 meters
at about 9.5 km northeast from the place where Yamato was sunk.
About this, based on
the photos taken and records of the battle, specialists assumed that there was
a high possibility it was the "Isokaze".
In addition to a
torpedo launching tube with 4 tubes, the stern that got curled up by an
explosion, and the main gun that was lying down were also projected in the
picture, all these told about the violence of the battle in those days.
Todaka Kazushige the
director of Yamato museum in Kure-shi of Hiroshima who was conversant with
history of the old Japan Navy said that "When compared with the damage as
put down on the record and also the sinking location, most apparent it is the
Isokaze. Ships besides Yamato have not been investigated, it is a valuable
discovery."
Isokaze had participated in a large number of
battles
As a destroyer of the
old Japanese Navy "Isokaze" was built at an old dockyard in Sasebo-shi,
Nagasaki, and went into commission in 1940. The full length was approximately
120 meters and the standard displacement was about 2000 tons.
According to the "Yamato
Museum" in Kure-shi of Hiroshima, Isokaze had participated in a large number of battles in
the old Japanese Navy starting with the Pearl Harbor attack, then the Battle of
Midway and the naval battle at Leyte offing.
In April, 1945 nine ships including the battleship
"Yamato" moved towards Okinawa for a special operation, but 6 ships
including Yamato and Isokaze were sunk by the offensive conducted by the U.S.
forces at the Kagoshima-ken’s Makurazaki
offing.
After the war Kure-shi
together with a non-governmental organization conducted diving investigation
and as a result the location where Yamato was sank was revealed, but the place of
sinking for other five ships including Isokaze could not be ascertained. It was
said that that this time was the first occasion to know the sinking position of
ships besides Yamato.
Hanato Tadaaki the Chinese
branch manager assistant of the "Fukada Salvage Construction" that
investigated Isokaze said that "when it is possible, apart from Isokaze I
would like to investigate the ships which are not found yet."
So, more historical facts about the sea
battles will come to light in due course.
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