Name Translation: "March" (poetic), “Third Month of Lunar Calendar”

Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Kimotsuki Masaki [56] (prev. C.O. MINEKAZE). Assigned to Desdiv 30 (MUTSUKI, KISARAGI, YAYOI, MOCHIZUKI), Desron 6, Fourth Fleet.

29 November-3 December 1941:
Desdiv 30 steamed with Desron 6 from Truk to Kwajalein.

8-11 December:
Departed Kwajalein, Desdiv 30 with first Wake Island invasion force. Minor damage: due to shell hit by U.S. shore battery: one dead, 17 injured.

23 December:
Desdiv 30 with second Wake Island invasion force.

31 December 1941-3 January 1942:
Desdiv 30 escorted convoy from Kwajalein to Truk.

3-7 January:
While at Truk, sponson installed starboard forward side of bridge for additional 13mm machine guns.

13-15 January:
With YUBARI and Desdiv 29, escorted KIYOKAWA MARU, two transports and one auxiliary from Truk to join Rabaul invasion force near Mereyon (Woleai).

16-17 January:
During fleet rendezvous of Rabaul invasion forces at Mereyon (Woleai), twin 13mm machine guns mounted starboard forward side of bridge.

23 January:
Desdiv 30 with Rabaul invasion force, then patrol/escort duties out of that base.

9 February:
Desdiv 30 with Surumi/Gasmata (New Britain) invasion force.

8 March:
Desdiv 30 with Lae/Salamua invasion force.

28 March:
With Bougainville (Kieta and Shortlands) invasion force.

8 April:
Desdiv 30 with Manus (Admiralties) invasion force.

7-8 May: Battle of the Coral Sea
Desdiv 30 escorted Port Moresby troop convoy.

1-9 July:
Steamed from Truk to Yokosuka, then docked at Sasebo for refitting.

9 July-15 August:
During Sasebo refit, boiler-removal led to reduction in size of forward funnel. (Only unit of class so altered, but see also MIKAZUKI 26 March-10 June 1943); additional 7.7mm, 13mm, and 25mm machine guns also mounted; improved underwater sound detection equipment installed.

5 July:
Lieutenant Commander Kimotsuki (no further sea-duty thereafter) relieved by Lieutenant Commander Kajimoto Shizuka [56] (prev. C.O. YUKAZE).

10 July:
Desdiv 30 reassigned to 2nd Surface Escort Division, Fourth Fleet.

14 July:
Desdiv 30 reassigned directly to Eighth Fleet.

15 August:
Departed Sasebo (probably with MUTSUKI), escorting SANUKI MARU to Rabaul and the Shortlands.

24 August:
Departed Shortlands with MUTSUKI, ISOKAZE and KAWAKAZE, then joined KAGERO in bombardment of Henderson Field.

25 August: Battle of Eastern Solomons
Joined escort of Guadalcanal troop convoy. Removed MUTSUKI survivors, including Comdesdiv 30 (Captain Yasutake Shiro [47]), then escorted Patrol Boats Nos. 1 and 2 into Rabaul on 27 August.

28-31 August:
Troop transport run to Milne Bay.

4-5 September:
Troop evacuation run to Milne Bay: removed 224 casualties. (Captain Yasutake's report of untenable conditions ashore led to Eighth Fleet's decision to evacuate rather than reinforce Milne Bay landing forces.) Then joined and escorted Patrol Boat No. 39, carrying intended reinforcements, back to Rabaul.

10-11 September:
With ISOKAZE, departed Rabaul on troop evacuation run to Goodenough Island. Sunk: in attacks by Allied aircraft, eight miles northwest of Vakuta Island (08-45 S, 151-25 E). Direct bomb hit near stern disabled ship, then continued strafing and near-misses led to uncontrollable flooding; 68 dead. On 26 September ISOKAZE and MOCHIZUKI rescued 83 survivors from Normanby Island, including Lieutenant Commander Kajimoto (later C.O. KIYOSHIMO), but Comdesdiv 30 (Captain Yasutake) killed in action.

20 October 1942:
Removed from Navy List.