Name Translation: "Early Spring"

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Makino Hiroshi [51] (prev. C.O. KASASAGI). Assigned to Desdiv 21 (WAKABA, HATSUHARU, NENOHI, HATSUSHIMO), Desron 1, First Fleet.

December 1941:
Desdiv 21 remained in Japanese home waters, guarding battleships and conducting antisubmarine patrols.

18-23 December:
Desdiv 21 departed Tokuyama to meet returning Pearl Harbor Striking Force, then escorted it into Hashirijima.

14-22 January 1942:
Desdiv 21 escorted tanker convoy from Tokuyama to Davao.

24 January:
Desdiv 21 with Kendari invasion force.

25 January:
Action:
- 0558: Off Kendari due to rain and poor visibility ran into 1st Base Force flagship light cruiser NAGARA's starboard midship at 21 knots. Destroyer's bow was crushed up to forward turret. However, the only injuries were two men aboard NAGARA. 1st Base Force Cdr. RADM Kubo Kyujii had to shift his flag to the fourth ship of Desdiv 21 HATSUSHIMO. The HATSUHARU departed with the cruiser escorted by NENOHI and WAKABA to Davao on 29 January for repairs.

11 February:
Repairs completed, then escorted tankers between Davao, Balikpapan and Tarakan.

23-26 February:
Escorted tanker AKEBONO MARU from Davao to Makassar, rejoining Desdiv 21.

28 February-1 March:
In Bali Strait, Desdiv 21 engaged but failed to intercept four U.S. destroyers escaping from the Java Sea.

16-25 March:
Desdiv 21 steamed from Makassar to Sasebo, then docked for maintenance.

29 May:
With ABUKUMA, Desdiv 21 departed Ominato, escorting Adak-Attu Attack Force in Aleutians operations. Attu occupied on 7 June; Adak occupation cancelled.

7-12 June:
Patrolled in Attu-area.

1-12 July:
Patrolled in Kiska-area, then to Saeki on 19 July.

21 July-4 August:
Docked at Yokosuka for maintenance.

4-6 August:
Steamed from Yokosuka to Ominato, then resumed Northern Area patrol/escort duties.

12-16 September:
Transport run from Shimushu to Kiska.

6-8 October:
Steamed from Ominato to Yokosuka.

11-17 October:
Escorted OBORO on transport run from Yokosuka via Shimushu to Kiska. Heavy damage: on 17 October in air attack by U.S. Army B-26s near Kiska; direct bomb hit on stern wrecked the rudder; four dead and 14 injured. Rescued 17 survivors of OBORO, sunk in same attack. Reached Paramushiro under own power on 25 October.

6 November 1942-30 September 1943:
Docked at Maizuru for repairs: “X” turret removed/replaced by triple 25mm machine gun mount; two others replace single 40mm guns amidships; twin 25mm machine guns added on bandstand forward of bridge; Type 22 radar mounted on foremast. Command rotated among various officers while under repair.

15 November 1942:
Lieutenant Commander Makino (later C.O. OKINAMI) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Yamana Hiroo [55] (prev. C.O. OBORO).

1 April 1943:
Desron 1 reassigned to Fifth Fleet.

20 May:
Lieutenant Commander Yamana (to C.O. KASUMI) relieved by Commander Hitomi Toyoji [50] (C.O. MAKINAMI with additional duty as C.O. HATSUHARU and SHIRANUHI, all under repair).

10 September:
Commander Hitomi relieved by Lieutenant Commander Tobita Kiyoshi [56].

11 October-5 November:
With HATSUSHIMO, escorted RYUHO and CHITOSE from Saeki to Singapore (19-26 October) and back to Tokuyama.

24 November-3 December:
Desdiv 21 (WAKABA, HATSUHARU, HATSUSHIMO) escorted HIYO from Kure via Manila to Singapore.

10-22 December:
Desdiv 21 escorted HIYO from Singapore via Tarakan and Palau to Truk.

24-29 December 1943
Desdiv 21 escorted ZUIHO and UNYO from Truk to Yokosuka.

1 January 1944:
Desdiv 21 reassigned directly to Combined Fleet Headquarters.

4-9 January:
With NOWAKI and MAIKAZE, Desdiv 21 escorted ATAGO, ZUIHO, and UNYO from Yokosuka to Truk.

18-23 January:
Desdiv 21 departed Truk escorting ZUIHO and UNYO. (UNYO torpedoed on 19 January and detached to Saipan with HATSUSHIMO.) Continued with ZUIHO to reach Yokosuka.

29 January-16 February:
With WAKABA, escorted ZUIHO and CHIYODA from Yokosuka to Truk and back.

20-26 February:
At Sasebo for maintenance.

27-29 February:
With WAKABA, steamed from Sasebo to Ominato, then resumed Northern Area patrol/escort duties.

1 April:
Lieutenant Commander Tobita (to C.O. NAGANAMI) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Nagakura Yoshiharu [60] (prev. C.O. FUMIZUKI).

13-22 April:
At Kure for maintenance: two single 25mm machine guns added abreast bridge bandstand mount. Then resumed Northern Area patrol/escort duties.

13 June:
Departed Paramushiro, escorting TAKASHIMA MARU towards Otaru. Same day assisted the torpedoed transport and rescued survivors.

24 June:
Arrived in Yokosuka from Ominato.

24-26 June:
At Yokosuka for maintenance and refitting: ten single 25mm and four 13mm machine guns added along length of ship.

28-30 June:
With WAKABA, transport run from Yokosuka to Iwo-jima.

10-19 July:
Escorted convoy from Yokosuka via Iwo-jima to Chichi-jima and back.

20 July-11 August:
At Yokosuka for maintenance and refitting: Type 13 radar mounted on mainmast.

12-13 August:
With WAKABA, escorted YAMASHIRO and UNYO from Yokosuka to Kure.

16 August-21 September:
With WAKABA, escorted convoys from Kure to Formosa and Luzon and back.

21 September-1 October:
At Kure for maintenance.

1 October:
Lieutenant Commander Nagakura relieved by Lieutenant Commander Okuma Yasunosuke [60] (prev. C.O. SAMIDARE).

12-15 October:
At Kure for maintenance and refitting: another five 25mm machine guns believed added.

14-21 October:
Desdiv 21 escorted NACHI and ASHIGARA from Kure via Amami-O-Shima to Mako (Pescadores), then was detached to Takeo, Formosa.

21-23 October:
Desdiv 21 performed aircrew (ground-support units of 2^nd Air Fleet) transport run from Takeo to Manila, then departed to join Admiral Shima's 2nd Diversion Attack Force.

24 October:
Assisted HATSUSHIMO in rescuing survivors of sunken WAKABA, including Comdesdiv 21 (Captain Ishii), then returned with HATSUSHIMO to Manila.

1-2 November:
Escorted troop convoy TA No. 2 from Manila to Ormoc. For details see TA Operations to Leyte, Part 1

3-5 November:
With HATSUSHIMO, detached from TA No. 2 to escort naval transport T.9 towing damaged T.131 back to Manila.

9-11 November:
Escorted troop convoy TA No. 3 from Manila towards Ormoc; on 10 November HATSUHARU and TAKE replaced by NAGANAMI, ASASHIMO and WAKATSUKI from TA No. 4, so returned to Manila with that convoy. For details see TA Operations to Leyte, Part 2

13-14 November:
Sunk: in U.S. air raid on Manila; near-misses led to flooding and fires, sank upright in shallow water in Manila Bay (14-35 N, 120-50 E); twelve dead, 60 injured; 218 survivors including Lieutenant Commander Okuma (to C.O. YANAGI) and Comdesdiv 21 (Captain Ishii).

10 January 1945:
Removed from Navy List.