Name Translation: "Early Summer Rain"

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Commander Matsubara Takisaburo [52] (prev. C.O. SHIOKAZE). Assigned to Desdiv 2 (MURASAME, HARUSAME, YUDACHI, SAMIDARE), Desron 4, Second Fleet.

26-29 November 1941:
Desdiv 2 steamed with Desron 4 from Terashima Strait to Mako (Pescadores).

7-11 December:
Desdiv 2 departed Mako, then with Vigan (Philippines) invasion force.

22 December:
Desdiv 2 with Lingayen invasion force.

12 January 1942:
Desdiv 2 with Tarakan invasion force.

23 January:
Desdiv 2 with Balikpapan invasion force.

27 February:
Desdiv 2 with Eastern Java invasion force.

27 February: Battle of the Java Sea:
Engaged Allied cruiser-destroyer group.

March-April:
Desdiv 2 arrived in Subic Bay from Tarakan on 16 March, then assisted in operations to secure the Philippines, including the blockade of Manila and occupation of Cebu.

3-6 May:
Desdiv 2 steamed from Mako to Yokosuka, then docked for repairs.

4-6 June: Battle of Midway:
Desdiv 2 escorted Admiral Kondo's Occupation Force Main Body.

16-30 July:
Desdiv 2 steamed with Desron 3 from Kure via Singapore to Mergui (Burma) for Indian Ocean raiding operations, aborted due to Guadalcanal.

8-21 August:
Desdiv 2 steamed from Mergui via Balikpapan to Truk.

24 August: Battle of the Eastern Solomons:
Escorted MUTSU.

8-24 September:
Escorted seaplane carrier KUNIKAWA MARU, searching Solomons-Santa Cruz Islands for potential seaplane base-sites; on 19 September scouted Ndeni Island, looking for U.S. seaplane base.

24-28 September:
Steamed from Truk to Palau.

30 September-8 October:
Escorted troop convoy from Palau to the Shortlands.

9-10 October:
Carried Comdesron 4 (Rear Admiral Takama Tamotsu [41]) from Shortlands to Rabaul.

12-16 October:
Escorted troop convoy to Guadalcanal, then returned to Shortlands. Minor damage: in air attacks on 14 October due to near-miss.

13 October:
Commander Matsubara (later Staff, Desron 2; final Comdesdiv 17) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Nakamura Noboru [52] (prev. C.O. FUYO).

17 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

25 October:
Gunfire support mission to Guadalcanal (Hyakutake offensive), aborted. Assisted bombed YURA.

26 October: Battle of Santa Cruz:
Briefly joined Admiral Kurita's Support Force, then to the Shortlands same day.

28 October-9 November:
Steamed from Shortlands to Truk for repairs, then returned.

1 November:
Lieutenant Commander Nakamura promoted to Commander.

11 November:
Departed Shortlands to join Admiral Abe's Bombardment Force.

12-13 November: First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal:
Escorted Admiral Abe's Bombardment Force. Entered fighting late, but assisted in sinking of USS MONSSEN (DD-436) and damaging USS HELENA (CL-50). Rescued 207 survivors from YUDACHI and attempted to scuttle with torpedo, then to Shortlands to unload passengers.

14-15 November: Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal:
Departed Shortlands, then joined Admiral Kondo's Emergency Bombardment Force. With NAGARA in assault on enemy destroyers, assisted in sinking USS BENHAM (DD-397), USS WALKE (DD-416) and USS PRESTON (DD-379) and damaging USS GWIN (DD-433). Assisted sinking KIRISHIMA and helped remove survivors, then to Truk on 18 November.

22-27 November:
Escorted TAKAO and NISSHIN from Truk to Yokosuka, then docked for repairs.

19-24 December:
Escorted TAKAO from Yokosuka to Truk.

15-25 January 1943:
With ASAGUMO, escorted JUNYO out of Truk covering troop convoys (HEI No. 1, lifting elements of 20^th Division from Pusan) from Palau to Wewak; following JUNYO's return to Truk on 19 January, joined escort of the convoys.

31 January-4 February:
Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons to cover the Guadalcanal evacuation, then to Shortlands to augment evacuation forces.

4 February:
Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover).

7 February:
Troop evacuation run to Guadalcanal (cover).

11-16 February:
Steamed from Shortlands to Palau.

19-26 February:
With ASAGUMO, escorted troop convoy (2nd section of HEI No. 3: AIKOKU MARU, GOKOKU MARU and KIYOZUMI MARU, lifting elements of 41st Division from Tsingtao) from Palau to Wewak and back. On 19 February assisted aircraft in damaging of submarine USS Runner (SS-476).

6-18 March:
With KAZAGUMO, YUGUMO, AKIGUMO and SATSUKI, escorted troop convoy (Hansa No. 1: No. 1 Shinsei Maru, Momoyama Maru, Yasushima Maru, Oyo Maru, Aso Maru, Teiryu Maru, Sydney Maru, lifting units of 20th Division) from Palau to Hansa Bay and back.

20-25 March:
Steamed from Palau to Rabaul.

30-31 March:
Steamed from Rabaul to Shortlands, then led troop transport run to Kolombangara, aborted due to air attack.

1 April:
Led troop transport run to Kolombangara.

5 April:
Led troop transport run to Kolombangara.

7-8 April:
Steamed from Shortlands to Rabaul.

10 April:
Led troop transport run to Finschhafen, aborted due to air attack.

13 April:
Led troop transport run to Tuluvu.

13-16 April:
Steamed from Rabaul via Kavieng to Truk.

8-13 May:
With NAGANAMI, USHIO, and YUGURE, escorted YAMATO, CHUYO, UNYO, MYOKO and HAGURO from Truk to Yokosuka.

15-19 May:
Escorted MYOKO and HAGURO from Yokosuka to Paramushiro.

1 July:
Desdiv 2 deactivated; assigned directly to Desron 4, Second Fleet.

7-17 July:
Initial troop evacuation run to Kiska, aborted due to weather.

20 July:
Reassigned to Desron 2, Second Fleet.

22 July-1 August:
Second troop evacuation run to Kiska (cover), successful on 29 July. With WAKABA, HATSUSHIMO, NAGANAMI and SHIMAKAZE, assigned to screening unit.

3-6 August:
Escorted MAYA from Paramushiro to Yokosuka, then docked for repairs.

13 August:
Commander Nakamura (to Instructor, Torpedo School) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Sugihara Yoshiro [57] (prev. C.O. HATSUYUKI).

7-11 September:
Escorted TAIYO and CHUYO from Yokosuka to Truk.

14-19 September:
Escorted convoy from Truk to Rabaul.

28 September:
Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara (cover).

1 October:
Assigned to Desdiv 27 (SHIGURE, SHIRATSUYU), Desron 2, Second Fleet.

2 October:
Troop evacuation run to Kolombangara (cover). Engaged U.S. destroyers. Minor damage: due to three dud shell hits.

6-7 October: Battle of Vella Lavella:
Troop evacuation run to Vella Lavella (cover). Has been credited with torpedoing USS SELFRIDGE (DD-357).

8 October:
Troop transport/evacuation run to Tuluvu.

21 October:
Out of Rabaul to assist damaged (by mine) TAMA and inbound troop convoy.

23 October:
Transport run to Garove Island and Iboki.

26 October:
Troop transport run to Qavuvu.

2 November: Battle of Empress Augusta Bay:
Attack mission to Bougainville; engaged U.S. cruiser-destroyer group. Has been credited with torpedoing USS FOOTE (DD-511). Medium damage: in collision with SHIRATSUYU, bow stove in; also two shell hits.

11-14 November:
Escorted MAYA and CHOGEI from Rabaul to Truk, then docked for repairs.

13-19 December:
Steamed from Truk to Yokosuka, then again docked for repairs. (“X” turret probably removed/replaced by triple 25mm mount during this refit.)

27 January 1944:
Lieutenant Commander Sugihara (to C.O. ASASHIMO) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Nishimura Tokuta [60] (prev. C.O. ASAKAZE).

31 March-11 April:
Led escort of troop convoy from Yokosuka to Saipan.

11-25 April:
Escorted convoys from Saipan to Truk and Palau.

26-27 April:
Accompanied YUBARI on troop transport run from Palau to Sonsorol, helped YUZUKI rescue survivors from torpedoed YUBARI, then to Davao.

1-18 May:
Escorted convoys from Davao via Balikpapan to Tawitawi.

30-31 May:
Desdiv 27 escorted Crudiv 5 from Tawitawi to Davao to take part in Biak troop transport operations.

2 June:
Troop transport run to Biak (cover), aborted due to early enemy detection; then to Sorong on 4 June.

8 June:
Troop transport run to Biak (cover), aborted due to enemy interception. Engaged Allied cruiser-destroyer group; then via Batjan to Balikpapan on 13 June.

14-18 June:
Escorted 3rd Supply Force from Balikpapan to join Admiral Ozawa's fleet in the Philippine Sea.

19-20 June: Battle of the Philippine Sea:
Escorted Admiral Joshima's Force B.

2 July:
Lieutenant Commander Nishimura relieved (due to illness, hospitalized) by Lieutenant Commander Okuma Yasunosuke [60] (prev. C.O. FUYO).

8-16 July:
Escorted fleet on troop transport mission from Kure to Okinawa, then to Lingga.

7-18 August:
Accompanied KINU on transport mission from Singapore via Brunei and Manila to Palau.

18-25 August:
Sunk: after grounding on Velasco Reef near Palau (08-10 N, 134-38 E), was torpedoed by USS BATFISH (SS-310), broke in two with stern-section sinking, bow-section later destroyed by Japanese; two killed, 28 missing; survivors included Lieutenant Commander Okuma (to C.O. HATSUHARU).

10 October 1944:
Removed from Navy List.