Japanese destroyer Kawakaze (1936)

Kawakaze (江風, ”River Wind”) was the ninth of ten Shiratsuyu-class destroyers, and the third to be built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the Circle Two Program (Maru Ni Keikaku). Completed in April of 1937, Kawakaze took part in the battle of the Java Sea, where she assisted in sinking the destroyer HMS Encounter and escorted carriers at the battles of the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz. During the Guadalcanal campaign, Kawakaze torpedoed and sank the destroyer USS Blue and after bombarding Henderson Field she took part in the battle of Tassafaronga, where she probably torpedoed and sank the heavy cruiser USS Northampton.

On Patrol duty off Guadalcanal, Kawakaze helped to sink the torpedo boat PT-44, then took part in the evacuation of Guadalcanal, during which she sank the torpedo boats PT-37 and PT-111. After a large variety of escorting and transport missions, Kawakaze was sunk by a torpedo attack from US destroyers at the battle of Vella Gulf, August 7, 1943.