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:
Minor damage: near Kendari in collision with NAGARA; escorted by NENOHI 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.