Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Yamashita Shizuo. Assigned to Desdiv 11, Desron 3, First Fleet.

20-26 November 1941:
Steamed with Desron 3 from Kure to Samah (Hainan).

4 December 1941-30 January 1942:
Escorted KUMANO, SUZUYA, MOGAMI and MIKUMA out of Samah and Camranh Bay in support of Malaya, British Borneo and Anambas Islands invasion operations; also briefly escorted troop convoys during this period.

10 January:
Assisted ASAKAZE and HATAKAZE in rescuing survivors of torpedoed transport AKITA MARU.

27 January: Battle off Endau
Assisted in sinking of HMS THANET.

13-18 February:
With Bangka-Palembang invasion forces; took part in attacks on Allied shipping fleeing from Singapore: assisted in sinking or capture of at least seven vessels.

27 February:
With Western Java invasion force.

1 March: Battle of Sunda Strait
Assisted in sinking of HMAS PERTH and USS HOUSTON (CA-30). Has been accused of launching torpedo spread that accidentally sank four Japanese transports and a minesweeper, but recent research indicates MOGAMI the more likely agent.

12 March:
Escorted Admiral Ozawa's cover force for Northern Sumatra invasions.

23 March:
Escorted Admiral Ozawa's cover force for Andaman Islands invasion; then patrol/escort duties out of Port Blair during Japanese raids into Indian Ocean.
13-22 April:
Steamed from Singapore via Camranh Bay to Kure, then docked for maintenance.

4-5 June: Battle of Midway
Escorted Admiral Yamamoto's Main Body.

30 June-2 July:
Escorted troop convoy from Kure to Amami-O-Shima, then antisubmarine patrolling there.

17-31 July:
Steamed from Amami-O-Shima via Mako, Singapore and Sabang to Mergui (Burma) for Indian Ocean raiding operations, aborted due to Guadalcanal.

8-17 August:
Steamed from Mergui via Makassar to Davao.

19-23 August:
Escorted troop convoy from Davao to Truk.

25-27 August:
Steamed from Truk to Rabaul.

27-29 August:
Escorted transport SADO MARU from Rabaul to Shortlands, then troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

31 August:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

2 September:
Attack mission to Guadalcanal (cover for TSUGARU troop transport run).

5 September:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

8 September:
Attack mission to Guadalcanal.

12 September:
Gunfire support mission to Guadalcanal (Kawaguchi offensive).

13 September:
Gunfire support mission to Guadalcanal (Kawaguchi offensive).

16 September:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

1 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

4 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

7 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

11 October: Battle of Cape Esperance
Sunk: by gunfire of U.S. cruiser-destroyer group, off Cape Esperance (09-06 S, 159-38 E); 109 survivors later rescued by USS McCALLA (DD-488), USS HOVEY (DMS-11) and USS TREVER (DMS-16). Lieutenant Commander Yamashita killed in action.

15 November 1942:
Removed from Navy List.