Mochizuki was the eleventh of the twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers which were constructed several years after World War 1. Mochizuki was launched on April 28, 1927 and was commissioned on October 31, 1927 under the name of Dai-33-Gō Kuchikukan (Destroyer No. 33). She was renamed as Mochizuki on August 1, 1928. Her speed is 37.5 knots while armed with four Type 3 120 mm (4.72 inch) 45 caliber naval guns, two Type 92 7.7mm machine guns, two triple Type 12 torpedo tubes, and carries eighteen depth charges and sixteen naval mines.
During her early service she participated on several operations during the Second Sino-Japanese war which she covered several landings on mainland China. During the Attack of Pearl Harbor, she was part of the DesRon 30 together with Mutsuki, Kisaragi, and Yayoi under the Destroyer Division 6 of the IJN 4th Fleet. She on the invasion of Wake Island, which at first they were repulsed but somehow successful on their second attempt. She also escorted troop landings from Kwajalein atoll to Truk, and to Guam.
Her next assignment was on Southern Pacific where she covered troop landings from several operations in the Southern Pacific such as the invasion of Rabaul, New Ireland, New Britain, Lae, Salamaua, and Admiralty Island. She's was also present during the Battle of the Coral Sea, she was a part of the Tulagi Assault Force together with the destroyers, Kikuzuki, Minazuki, and Yuuzuki, for the planned invasion of Port Moresby (Operation Mo) which was cancelled afterward due to the results in the Battle of the Coral Sea. After the cancellation of the operation, she returned to Truk and escorted airfield construction convoy from Truk to Lae and Guadalcanal.
She was later recalled to Japan for maintenance, she stayed at Sasebo Naval Arsenal. After her repairs she was assigned at the IJN 8th Fleet. She rescued survivors from Destroyer Yayoi on Normanby Island together with Isokaze. Escorted Kinugasa and Choukai for the bombardment of Henderson Field. She also escorted the Tokyo Express where she was hit by a dud torpedo from a PT boat during one of her runs. She rescued 1500 survivors from Nagara Maru and Canberra Maru along with Destroyer Amagiri.
She also escorted the cruisers Kumano and Suzuya during the Admiralty Island operation and several troop landings, she received minor damage from enemy aircraft. She resumed assisting the Tokyo Express afterwards. Mochizuki participated in the Battle of Kula Gulf which she engaged the USN destroyers, USS Radford DD-446 and USS Nicholas DD-449 that fired several shells at her and damaged one of her turret and her torpedo launchers. She returned to Sasebo for repairs and refitted with new weapons and equipments.
She suffered minor damages from near misses from another air attack in Rabaul. While she was en route from Rabaul to Jacquinot Bay in New Britain Island, she was attacked by PBY Catalinas, she suffered one bomb which hit directly on her engineering spaces, 10 of her crew died, she sunk afterwards. Her survivors where rescued by the Destroyer Uzuki.
Mochizuki was sunk October 24, 1943, 90 miles away south-southwest of Rabaul.
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Old Type ShipNice isn't it. During night battle, she seems to get fired up a bit, but quickly gone back to her usual self, missed, and heavily damaged.
Night battle: Fine...! It's about time I get serious!!
Night attack: Firing course... oh well, whichever is fine...Mochizuki, constructed from October 1927, is the 11th ship of the Mutsuki class. Her name during construction is Destroyer number 33, but in 1928 she's given the name that means "Full Moon".In Kantai Collection, she's an important bespectacled character. Even as their number increase one after another, Mochizuki is still one among the only two destroyers with glasses.*
* On April 2014
** The other destroyer is Makigumo.Among her lines, my favourite is the "Going to sleep~!" when she's docking. That defeatism feel of her is cute isn't it.Jacquinot Bay Supply OperationFinally in October 1943, Mochizuki and Uzuki received supply mission from Rabaul to Jacquinot Bay in east of New Britain (now Papua New Guinea). During that mission, they're attacked by land based airplanes and sunk.
She doesn't have any standing out war records and even in KanColle her status are nothing special. But please, try to use this Mochizuki in expeditions. Even if it seems like she thinks of it as a bother, she did her job dilligently.Compared to Fubuki and the classes that followed after, Mutsuki class is of old design. But they have enough speed and are the first destroyers in Japan equipped with 61 cm torpedo. From the beginning of the war, Mochizuki operates with Mutsuki and Kisaragi in the 30th Destroyer Division and participate in the southern front such as Rabaul.
Mostly it's supply and escort mission, but as explained in KanColle's profile she often got damaged and repaired so she did have part in war operations too.