This early WWII ‘RESTRICTED’ recognition chart is titled ‘Japanese Destroyers’. This chart is dated as being issued on July 1943. This poster served as an identification tool issued by the Naval and aerial pilots of Pacific Fleet. The chart itself shows six Japanese destroyers with a 3-D drawn representation (left) as well as a blackened silhouette (right). These illustrations and images as well as the specs and information located in the center and backside of the chart help the U.S.N. and pilots denote and identify these Japanese destroyers in battle and recon missions throughout the Pacific Theater.

Asashio-class destroyer:

The Asashio-class destroyers (朝潮型駆逐艦, Asashio-gata kuchikukan) were a class of ten destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy in service before and during World War II. During the war the Asashio class was used extensively in the protection of the Combined Fleet. Arare was attacked and sunk off Kiska Island during the Aleutian Islands Campaign by USS Growler on 5 July 1942. Kasumi was also heavily damaged along with one other destroyer. Asashio and Arashio escorted the 7th Cruiser Division at the Battle of Midway, where both were damaged by air attack. Although repaired and returned to service, both were sunk in 1943 when a large Japanese transport force was destroyed by American planes in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Michishio, Asagumo, and Yamagumo were lost in 1944 in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Kasumi, last of the class to be laid down, served as escort on the attack on Pearl Harbor and joined the battleship Yamato during Operation Ten-Go against the American fleet at Okinawa. None of the Asashio-class ships survived the Pacific War.