Akishimo

History: Akishimo (秋霜, "Autumn Frost") was a Yūgumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf of 23–26 October 1944, assigned to the 1st Diversion Attack Force. On 23 October, she rescued 769 survivors of the cruiser Maya. On 24 October, she assisted the torpedoed cruiser Myōkō. The next day she suffered minor damage in a collision with the destroyer Shimakaze. On 26 October she rescued 328 survivors from the cruiser Noshiro.

On 10 November 1944, Akishimo was escorting troop convoy TA No. 4 from Manila to Ormoc, Philippines. She suffered heavy damage in an air attack by U.S. Army B-25 Mitchells during the withdrawal; the ship took a direct bomb hit and lost her bow with 20 killed and 35 injured. The destroyer returned to Manila at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph), then to Cavite Navy Yard on 11 November for repairs.

On 13 November, a U.S. air raid on Manila struck Akishimo, then alongside the destroyer Akebono at Cavite pier (14°35′N 120°55′ECoordinates: 14°35′N 120°55′E). Direct bomb hits set both ships ablaze. The following day a large explosion on Akishimo further damaged both ships; Akishimo rolled over onto her starboard side. There were 170 survivors, 15 crewmen killed and 25 wounded.

Class: The Yūgumo-class destroyers (夕雲型駆逐艦 Yūgumo-gata kuchikukan) were a group of 19 destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The IJN called them Destroyer Type-A (甲型駆逐艦, Kō-gata Kuchikukan) from their plan name. No ships of the class survived the war.

Nationality: Japan is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean with dense cities, imperial palaces, mountainous national parks and thousands of shrines and temples. Shinkansen bullet trains connect the main islands of Kyushu (with Okinawa's subtropical beaches), Honshu (home to Tokyo and Hiroshima’s atomic-bomb memorial) and Hokkaido (famous for skiing). Tokyo, the capital, is known for skyscrapers, shopping and pop culture.

Although legend has it that Japan was founded in 660BC, archaeologists agree that settlement in the Japanese archpelago dates back as far as 100,000 years. The Jomon Period (8000-c.300BC) is the earliest that has been studied. It is named after the 'jomon' or cord-marked pattern style of pottery of the period.