Pair Of WWII Japanese Navy Flags From Destroyer Yakaze

A pair of Japanese naval flags which are inked on each heading, in Kanji, reading YAKAZE. The rising sun flag measures 64″ X  106″, constructed of hand stitched wool bunting with heavy cotton heading and heavy rope hoist. The flag displays bright colors, but exhibits a few areas of small holes. The national flag measures 65″ X  98″, constructed of machine sewn wool bunting with heavy cotton heading and rope hoist. Also with bright colors and with some small scattered holes.

The Yakaze, built at the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki, was laid down on August 15, 1918, launched on April 20 1920 and completed on July 19 1920.  On commissioning, Yakaze was assigned to the Kure Naval District under the Japanese 2nd Fleet.  In 1931, Yakaze was teamed with sister ships Minekaze, Okikaze and Sawakaze at Sasebo Naval District to form Destroyer Division 2 under the 1st Air Fleet as part of the escort of the aircraft carriers Akagi and Hosho to assist in search and rescue operations for downed aircraft.  At the time of the First Shanghai incident of 1932, Yakaze was engaged in river patrol duties along the Yangzi River in China.

Soon after the start of the Pacific War, Yakaze was withdrawn from combat service and stripped of most of its weaponry at Kure Naval Arsenal for conversion into a target ship. The Yakaze  was officially removed as a destroyer from the navy list on July 20, 1942. The Imperial Japanese Navy rethought its plans to use Yakaze as a target vessel, and re-commissioned it as a patrol boat on March 6, 1943. It was used as a guard vessel at Yokosuka port until the end of World War II At the time of the surrender, the Yakaze was bottomed at Yokosuka due to damage and flooding incurred during the air raid on July 18 1945 and was scrapped in 1948.