(the invasion of northern Sumatra) on 12 March and "Operation D" (the invasion of the Andaman Islands on 23 March. On 6 April during the Indian Ocean raids, Shirakumo, together with and sank the British steamships Silksworth, Autolycus, Malda and Shinkuang and the American steamship Exmoor. From 13–22 April Shirakumo returned via Singapore and Camranh Bay to Kure Naval Arsenal, for maintenance. During the Battle of Midway, Shirakumo was part of "Operation AL" - the diversionary invasion of the Aleutian islands. In July 1942, Shirakumo sailed from Amami-Ōshima to Mako Guard District, Singapore, Sabang and Mergui for a projected second Indian Ocean raid. The operation was cancelled due to the Guadalcanal campaign, and Shirakumo was ordered to Truk instead. In August, Shirakumo was used for “Tokyo Express” high speed transport missions in the Solomon Islands. On 28 August, after having aborted a troop transport mission to Guadalcanal, Shirakumo suffered heavy damage in an attack by American dive bombers, and was left dead in the water with a direct hit to her engine room, although only two crewmen were wounded. She was towed by the destroyer , followed by the minelayer to Shortland Island, and by the tanker Koa Maru back to Truk for emergency repairs, which enabled her to limp back to Kure by 8 October. After repairs were completed by 1 April 1943, Shirakumo was reassigned to Destroyer Division 9 of Destroyer Squadron 1 in the IJN 5th Fleet, for patrols and escort missions off Hokkaidō and the Chishima Islands. On 6 June 1943, she collided with the destroyer in heavy fog off Paramushiro, and was forced to put into Hakodate for repairs, which were not completed to the end of September, when she resumed her patrol and escort duties. On 16 March 1944, after departing Kushiro in northern Hokkaidō with a troop convoy for Uruppu Island, Shirakumo was torpedoed by the US submarine east of Muroran at position . She sank instantly; there were no survivors. On 31 March 1944, Shirakumo was struck from the navy list. Notes References External links Shirakumo in Naval History of World Wars Fubuki-class destroyers 1927 ships Second Sino-Japanese War naval ships of Japan World War II destroyers of Japan Ships sunk by American submarines World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean Maritime incidents in March 1944 Ships lost with all hands Ships built by Fujinagata Shipyards