Hashidate in Osaka Bay, June 1940
History
Japan
Name	Hashidate
Namesake	Japanese cruiser Hashidate
Ordered	1937
Builder	Osaka Iron Works
Laid down	February 20, 1939
Launched	December 23, 1939
Completed	June 30, 1940
Stricken	July 10, 1944
Fate	Sunk by USS Picuda, May 22, 1944
General characteristics
Type	Gunboat
Displacement	993 long tons (1,009 t)
Length	78.5 m (258 ft)
Beam	9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)
Draught	2.45 m (8 ft 0 in)
Propulsion	>4,600 hp (3,400 kW) geared turbine
Speed	19.5 knots (22.4 mph; 36.1 km/h)
Range	2,500 nmi / 14 kn
Complement	158
Armament	3 × Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval gun (1 × 2, 1 × 1) 2 × Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns

Hashidate (橋立, Standing Bridge) was the lead vessel in the Hashidate-class gunboats in the Imperial Japanese Navy, that operated in China during the 1940s.

History

Hashidate was authorized under the Maru-3 Naval Expansion Budget of 1937. She was laid down at Osaka Iron Works on February 20, 1939 and launched on December 23, 1939, and was commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy as on June 30, 1940.^[1]

She was intended initially for support of combat operations by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War off the coast of China. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hashidate was assigned to the China Area Fleet as part of the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet's 15th Escort Group. With the start of the Pacific War, she was assigned to ”Operation C” – the invasion of Hong Kong.^[1] She remained based at Hong Kong for most of the war. At some point in 1943, five additional Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Guns were added, along with depth charges in 1944.

On May 22, 1944, she was torpedoed by USS Picuda (SS-382) in the South China Sea off Pratas Island while towing the crippled merchant passenger/cargo ship Tsukuba Maru at position 21°08′N 117°20′E / 21.133°N 117.333°E / 21.133; 117.333.^[1][2]