© 1998 Allyn D. Nevitt
Name Translation:"Clear/Pure Waves"
15 October 1943:
25 January 1943:
Completed at Tokyo. Ship's captain: Commander Arima Tokiyoshi [50] (prev. C.O. OYASHIO).
25 February:
Assigned to Desdiv 31 (NAGANAMI, MAKINAMI, ONAMI), Desron 2, Second Fleet.
28 February-8 March:
With UMIKAZE, escorted auxiliary cruisers BANGKOK MARU and SAIGON MARU (carrying elements 7th Sasebo SNLF to Tarawa) from Yokosuka to Truk.
12-17 March:
With ONAMI, continued escort of BANGKOK MARU and SAIGON MARU from Truk to Tarawa.
20-25 March:
Steamed from Tarawa via Kwajalein (visiting TOKIWA on 22 March) to Truk.
14-20 April:
Escorted convoys from Truk to Kavieng and back.
3-13 May:
Escorted convoys from Truk to Rabaul and Kavieng and back.
5-21 June:
Escorted UNYO and CHUYO from Truk to Yokosuka (10-15 June) and back.
8-10 July:
Escorted JINTSU from Truk to Rabaul.
12 July: Battle of Kolombangara
Troop transport run to Kolombangara (cover). With YUKIKAZE, HAMAKAZE and YUGURE, contributed torpedoes to spreads that sank USS GWIN (DD-433) and damaged USS HONOLULU (CL-48) and USS ST. LOUIS (CL-49).
19-20 July:
Troop transport run to Kolombangara (cover). Sunk: by U.S. Army B-25s while rescuing crew of YUGURE, 42 miles north-northwest of Kolombangara (07-13 S, 156-45 E).[Note 1] Apparently only 1 survivor from among the entire combined KIYONAMI and YUGURE crews of 468 men. [Edit-1]
Removed from Navy List.
[Note 1] Reinforcement mission of 19-20 July 1943 O.B.: Main Body (Cover) under Comcrudiv 7 Rear Admiral Nishimura Shoji [39]: Crudiv 7 (KUMANO, SUZUYA), CHOKAI; Escort/Torpedo Force under Comdesron 3 Rear Admiral Ijuin Matsuji [43]: SENDAI, Desdiv 16 (YUKIKAZE), HAMAKAZE, KIYONAMI, YUGURE; Transport Force under Comdesdiv 30 Commander Orita Tsuneo [49]: Desdiv 30 (MIKAZUKI, MINAZUKI), MATSUKAZE. Anticipated enemy surface interference never materialized. Transport force succeeded in landing about 300 men and munitions on Kolombangara, but cover forces lost YUGURE and KIYONAMI and suffered damage to KUMANO in U.S. air attacks.
[Edit-Note 1 - Report to CinC 8th Fleet at 1300 6 August 1943 reported rescuing on 5 August a single survivor of Kiyonami. The man said Kiyonami had found and picked up about 20 Yugure survivors. About an hour later she herself was attacked by bombers; bombs hit aft disabling the ship. After three or more bombs in quick succession Kiyonami herself promptly sank, leaving some 60 men in the water. But only this one survived to be rescued. (Allied record of the 42nd Bomb Group gives the time as 0701 (local?) and last attack as by eight B-25s of the 390th Squadron. They reported a magazine had exploded, and two minutes later the target - thought a cruiser - sank. A photograph taken by them appears to show a steep final plunge bow first.) - (Tully)