Name Translation: “Sixth Month of Lunar Year” (June)

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Hirayama Toshio [55] (prev. C.O. NAMIKAZE). Assigned to Desdiv 22 (NAGATSUKI, FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, SATSUKI), Desron 5, Third Fleet.

26-29 November 1941:
Desdiv 22 steamed with Desron 5 from Terashima Strait to Mako (Pescadores).

7-10 December:
Desdiv 22 departed Mako, then with Aparri (Philippines) invasion force.

22 December:
Desdiv 22 with Lingayen invasion force.

January-February 1942:
Desdiv 22 escorted troop convoys from Formosa to Malaya and Camranh Bay.

27 February:
Desdiv 22 with Western Java invasion force.

10 March:
Desron 5 deactivated; Desdiv 22 reassigned to Second Southern Expeditionary Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet.

10 April:
Desdiv 22 reassigned to 1st Surface Escort Division, Southwest Area Fleet; then Southwest Area convoy escort duties.

18 August-30 September:
Arrived Sasebo, then docked for maintenance: improved underwater sound detection equipment believed installed.

25 September:
Lieutenant Commander Hirayama (to C.O. SHIRAKUMO) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Fukuyama Tsuyoshi [58] (prev. C.O. KARI).

4 October:
Departed Moji, then resumed Southwest Area convoy escort duties.

10 December:
Desdiv 22 deactivated; reassigned directly to 1st Surface Escort Division.

18 January-5 February 1943:
Escorted convoy from Sasebo via Palau to Manokwari (New Guinea); then returned to Sasebo.

6-23 February:
At Sasebo for maintenance and refitting: twin 13mm machine guns abaft funnels replaced by twin 25mm; twin 13mm machine guns mounted starboard forward side of bridge.

24 February:
Departed Sasebo for Rabaul.

25 February:
Assigned to reactivated Desdiv 22 (NAGATSUKI, FUMIZUKI, MINAZUKI, SATSUKI), Desron 3, Eighth Fleet.

6 March:
With FUMIZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

11 March:
With FUMIZUKI, troop transport run to Rekata.

14 March:
With FUMIZUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

29-30 March:
With FUMIZUKI, NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI, troop transport run from Kavieng to Finschhafen, aborted due to air attack.

8 April:
With SATSUKI and NAGATSUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

14 April:
Troop transport run to Garove Island.

4 May:
With YUBARI, SATSUKI and NAGATSUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

7-8 May:
With YUBARI, SATSUKI and NAGATSUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

11 May:
With SATSUKI and NAGATSUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

23 May:
With NAGATSUKI, troop transport run to Surumi/Gasmata.

28 May:
With NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI, troop transport run to Kolombangara, aborted when NAGATSUKI and SATSUKI grounded on reef.

29 May:
With NAGATSUKI, troop transport run to Kolombangara, aborted due to air attack. Returned to Buka rather than Buin.

31 May-1 June:
With NAGATSUKI, troop transport run from Buka to Kolombangara. Landed SE Area Detachment HQ (General Sasaki Noboru).

2 June:
With NAGATSUKI, troop transport run to Kolombangara.

28-29 June:
With NAGATSUKI and MIKAZUKI, troop transport run from Rabaul via Shortlands to Kolombangara, aborted due to heavy enemy air activity in region.

30 June:
Rendova bombardment mission with AMAGIRI, HATSUYUKI, NAGATSUKI and MIKAZUKI, aborted due to weather.

12 July: Battle of Kolombangara
Troop transport run to Kolombangara. Landed troops during battle so saw no action.

19-20 July:
Troop transport run to Kolombangara. [Note 1]

20 July:
Minor damage: in air attack near the Shortlands: cracked turbine-foundation, best speed 18 knots.

10 August-12 September:
Docked at Kure for repairs and refitting: included removal of No. 4 main gun in favor of two triple 25mm machine-guns, added twin 13mm abaft aft funnel, and replacement of single 7.7mm machine-guns abreast bridge by dual 25mm; radar-detecting device installed on bridge; then returned to Rabaul.

28 September:
Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara.

2 October:
Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara. Engaged enemy destroyers. Minor damage: hit by three dud shells.

6 October:
Troop transport run to Iboki.

8 October:
Troop transport run to Iboki.

12 October:
Minor damage: in U.S. air raid on Rabaul, due to near-miss: Nos. 1 and 2 guns temporarily disabled.

21-22 October:
With AMAGIRI, troop transport run to Buka and Kavieng.

25 October:
Lieutenant Commander Fukuyama (to C.O. HARUKAZE) relieved by Lieutenant (s.g.) Isobe Keiji [62].

1-2 November:
Troop transport run to Bougainville, aborted due to strength of enemy forces offshore, but completed solo run to Buka instead.

4 November:
Out of Rabaul to assist damaged transport KIYOZUMI MARU; removed 267 troops and carried to Rabaul.

6 November:
Troop transport run to Buka.

7 November:
Troop transport run to Buka, aborted due to air attack.

27 November:
With FUMIZUKI, troop transport run to Iboki.

29 November:
With FUMIZUKI, troop transport run to Iboki.

1 December:
With FUMIZUKI and AKIKAZE, troop transport run to Iboki.

3-8 December:
With FUMIZUKI, escorted YUBARI towing NAGANAMI from Rabaul to Truk.

17-19 December:
Steamed from Truk to Rabaul.

21 December:
With SATSUKI, troop transport run to Iboki.

23 December:
With MATSUKAZE, troop transport run to Garove Island. Damaged: cause and extent unknown.

25 December:
With FUMIZUKI, troop transport run to Garove Island.

17 January-7 February 1944:
At Truk for maintenance.

12-17 February 1944:
With YUZUKI and Subchaser No. 20, escorted Convoy No. 1123 (KOKAI MARU and KOWA MARU) from Truk to Rabaul (final convoy to successfully reach that port). Also carried 170 passengers and ammunition, and towed fuel-laden daihatsu.

18 February:
With YUZUKI, transport run to Qavuvu.

20 February:
With YUZUKI, transport run to Qavuvu (final destroyer transport run out of Rabaul).

25 February:
Arrived Palau, then patrol/escort duties out of that base.

23-29 April:
Escorted convoy from Saipan to Yokosuka.

1 May:
Desron 3 reassigned to Central Pacific Area Fleet.

2-14 May:
Escorted troop convoy from Yokosuka to Saipan.

16-19 May:
Attempted escort of convoy from Saipan to Yap, aborted when three of four ships sunk by submarines.

6 June:
Departed Davao, escorting tanker OKIKAWA MARU to Balikpapan. Sunk: torpedoed by USS HARDER (SS-257) off Tawitawi (04-05 N, 119-30 E). WAKATSUKI rescued 45 survivors, but Lieutenant Isobe killed in action.

10 August 1944:
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.