Kuroshio was the third of the nineteen Kagerou-class destroyers. She was built under the 3rd Naval Armaments Supplement Program (Circle 3 Program) of 1937. She was laid down at Fujinagata Shipyard, Osaka on August 31, 1937; she was launched on October 28, 1938 and was commissioned in service on January 1, 1940. She has 2,033 tons standard displacement, she's equipped with three Kampon water tube boilers, two Kampon impulse turbines with two shafts capable of producing 52,000 shaft horsepower, and her speed could reach up to 35.5 knots. Her initial armanets were three 12.7cm (5 inch) 3rd Year Type ‘Type C’ Dual Purpose main guns, two 25mm Type 96 auto-cannons, two quadruple 61cm (24 inch) torpedo tubes with eighteen depth charges and two paravanes for antisubmarine warfare.
Shortly after commissioning, she was assigned to participate for the 16th Annual Maneuvers of the Combined Fleet. On June 23, 1941, at 18:00, she collided with Natsushio and Minegumo within the Bungo Channel which resulted for a month of repairs in the Kure Naval Arsenal. Kurushio was assigned to DesDiv 15 of DesRon 2, commanded by CO. Sato Torajiro, together with Natsushio, Oyashio and Hayashio. On November 26, 1941, DesDiv 15 steamed with the DesRon 2 from Terashima Strait, they arrived on Palau on December 1, 1941. On December 6, 1941, they sortied from Palau and escorted the Southern Philippines Attack Force; she initially escorted Ryuujou during the attack on Davao. On December 10, 1941, she escorted minelayer Itsukushima lying mines in the San Bernardino Strait together with Oyashio. On December 12, 1942, DesDiv 15 escorted the invasion force to Legaspi. On December 20, 1941, DesDiv 15 escorted invasion force to Davao; her crew members took part in the invasion together with Jintsuu’s crew. On December 23, 1941, she was strafed by a B-17; she received minor damage with four casualties. On December 25, 1941, DesDiv 15 escorted the invasion force to Jolo.
From January 11 to January 31, 1942, DesDiv 15 escorted several invasion forces to Mendano, Kendari and Ambon in order. On February 8, 1942, DesDiv 15 escorted the invasion force to Makassar; Natsushio was torpedoed by USS S-37 SS-142, Kuroshio removed the survivors from Natsushio including CO. Nagai and attempted to tow the damaged destroyer, DesDiv 15 flag was transferred to Oyashio. Natsushio sunk due to flooding on February 9, 1942. On February 20, 1942, DesDiv 15 escorted invasion force to Timor. On February 26, 1942, she sortied from Timor and escorted supply group supporting the operations in Java. On March 5, 1942, she assisted Oyashio in sinking a British minelayer; then they proceed to Staring Bay on March 11, 1942. On March 15, 1942, she escorted Kaga from Staring Bay to Sasebo; they arrived at Sasebo on March 22, 1942. During the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, Kuroshio fired 31 rounds of her anti-aircraft guns and 10 rounds of her main cannon, and then she departed from Kure in pursuit of the Doolittle task force but failed afterwards. After that, she steamed to Panay via Formosa; she arrived at Panay on April 28, 1942. On May 1, 1942, she assisted in the occupation of Cagayan Islands then she proceeds to Manila on May 9, 1942. On May 10, 1942, she assisted the damaged Shoukaku from Manila to Kure; they arrived at Kure on May 17, 1942.
On May 21, 1942, she steamed with the DesRon 2 from Kure to Saipan. Kuroshio and Oyashio were assigned to escort the Midway Occupation Force commanded by Rear Admiral Tanaka Raizo together with other several destroyers from DesDiv 16, and DesDiv 18, Hayashio was detached to escort the 11th Seaplane Tender Division. On June 3, 1942, they departed from Saipan to execute the operation. During the operation, the Occupation Force was spotted by a PBY flying boat 500 nautical miles, west-southwest of Midway. Then nine B-17 heavy bombers from Midway attacked the Occupation Force; the aircraft dropped their bombs but didn't inflict any significant damage due to heavy presence of anti-aircraft guns. The landing of the Occupation Force in Midway was aborted due to the American air supremacy present in the area. The Occupation Force headed for Japan via Guam afterwards.
July 16, 1942, she escorted Kumano and Suzuya from Kure via Singapore to Burma for Indian Ocean raiding operations; the operation was aborted due to Guadalcanal, they arrived in Burma on July 30, 1942. On August 8, to August 21, 1942, she escorted Kumano and Suzuya from Burma to the north of the Solomon Islands via Balikpapan. On August 24, 1942, she escorted the Advance Force commanded by Vice Admiral Kondo and participated in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. Kuroshio was assigned to escort the fleet patrolling out between Truk and the northern Solomons by September. On October 3, 1942, she was assigned to her first Tokyo Express mission to Guadalcanal. She participated in two troop transport missions to Guadalcanal on October 6 and October 9, 1942. On October 10, 1942, she departed from Shortland Islands and escorted Kongou and Haruna for the bombard Henderson Field. On the night of October 13, 1942, Haruna and Kongou bombarded Henderson Field that lasted for 80 minutes; the bombardment destroyed 48 aircraft and killed 41 men. On October 26, 1942, she escorted Jun’you for the Battle of Santa Cruz Island. On Orcober 30, 1942, she proceeds to Truk for repairs and returned to Shortland Islands on November 15, 1942.
On November 20, 1942, she escorted transport ship Kamo Maru to Munda. On November 27, 1942, she escorted a convoy to Munda. She participated in the Battle of Tassafaronga on November 30, 1942. She was assigned in a supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal; they were ambushed by a USN Task Force 67, commanded by Rear Admiral Carleton H. Wright, which consisted of 4 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser, and 4 destroyers. The IJN lost Takanami during the engagement as the USN ships were focus at her, the IJN destroyers countered with their torpedoes, they sank 1 destroyer and damaged 3 heavy cruisers. Kuroshio possibly torpedoed and damaged USS Pensacola CA-24. The IJN destroyers managed to escape from the USN ships and successfully resupplied the troops in Guadalcanal.
On December 3, 1942, she participated in another supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal. On December 7, 1942, she was assigned to another supply-drum transport but was aborted due to PT-boat attack. On December 11, 1942, she participated in another supply-drum transport to Guadalcanal. On December 16, 1942, she participated in a troop transport run from Rabaul to Munda, she participated another troop transport run to Munda on December 24, 1942. Then on January 2, 1943, she participated to another drum-transport run to Guadalcanal. On January 10, 1943, she was assigned flagship of ComDesRon 2 Rear Admiral Koyanagi Tomji and led a supply-drum transport to Guadalcanal. On January 14, 1943, she covered a troop transport run to Guadalcanal. On January 22, 1944, she escorted Tsugaru and Hiyodori on a troop transport run to Rekata. On January 24, 1943, she participated in a transport run to Rekata. On January 28, 1943, she covered a troop transport run to Russell Island. On February 1, 1943, she covered troop evacuation from Guadalcanal. On February 4, 1943, she covered another evacuation run from Guadalcanal, she received minor damaged from the operation due near-misses from an air attack. On February 7, 1943, she covered another evacuation run from Guadalcanal; this was her last mission in Guadalcanal.
On February 10, 1943, she departed from Shortlands via Rabaul for Truk, she arrived in Truk on February 15, 1943. On February 16, 1943, she escorted Jun’you and departed from Truk for Kure. She arrived at Kure on February 21, 1943; she was docked for repairs afterwards. On April 4, 1943, she escorted Choukai, Chuuyou and Taiyou together with Hibiki and Sazanami for Truk. She arrived at Truk on April 10, 1943. On April 24, 1943, she steamed from Truk via Rabaul to Shortland Islands, and then participated in a troop transport to Kolombangara, she participated another troop transport run to Kolombangara on May 3, 1943.
On May 7, 1943, she was assigned on another troop transport run to Kolombangara. On May 8, 1943, DesDiv 15 arrived into the coast of Vila and began off-loading troops and cargo at 01:00. At 03:30, the destroyers leaved the coasts and proceed to Buin while steaming through the Blackett Strait which filled with naval mines laid by USN minelayers USS Gamble DM-15, USS Breese DM-18, and USS Preble DM-20. At 03:49, Oyashio was struck by a naval mine, the rest assumed that they were under attacked by a submarine and formed an anti-submarine formation. Kuroshio and Kagerou dropped their depth charges. Then Kagerou was struck by a naval mine around 04:00. Kuroshio assisted the damaged destroyers. Then at 05:06, a naval mine struck her and wrecked her with five explosions, the first two or three were from the mines and the others were from her magazines. She was torn apart and immediately sunk with 83 of her crew. CO. Sugitani was among of her survivors.
Kuroshio sunk on May 8, 1943, southwest of Rendova Island. Kuroshio participated for a total of ten Tokyo Express missions.
Kuroshio, supply transport next!Attack on Phillipines, Battle of Midway, Battle of Guadalcanal, and many other battles.Kuroshio is tasked in the first and third supply and personnel transport shipment from Munda to Kolombangara.
But because they always used the same route, their move are predictable and she's set up on the route with torpedoes.Kuroshio is built in Fuji Nagata shipyard, a civilian shipyard in Osaka.
She's assigned to the 15th Destroyer Division (Oyashio, Kagerou, Hayashio) and operates in many places.3rd ship of Kagerou class destroyerFleet support
Escort the carriers!Unlike that light carrier, her gentle Kansai-ben is refreshingASW alert!On April 1942, she spotted B-25 bombers returning from the Doolittle Raid. Although without any result, she did open fire.During her fifth transport mission with Oyashio and Kagerou, Oyashio is struck by torpedo. Kuroshio and Kagerou launched depth charges, but eventually Kagerou is sunk by torpedo and Kuroshio followed after.