31 March 1944:
Completed at Nagasaki; assigned same date to Desron 11, Combined Fleet, for training. Ship's captain: Lieutenant Commander Hatano Kenji (prev. C.O. HAGIKAZE).

3 April:
Arrived Kure, then training in Inland Sea.

10-14 June:
Assigned to Desron 10, Third Fleet, then steamed from Sasebo to Guimarras to join fleet.

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

8-20 July:
Escorted fleet from Kure via Okinawa and Manila to Lingga.

15 July:
Assigned to Desdiv 41, Desron 10, Third Fleet.

4-15 August:
Escorted Convoy HI-70 from Singapore to Moji. Primary escort/planeguard to SHINYO.

17-24 August:
Docked at Yokosuka, then training.

15 October:
Lieutenant Commander Hatano promoted to Commander.

25 October: Battle of Leyte Gulf
Escorted Admiral Ozawa's Northern Force in Battle off Cape Engano. Assisted ISUZU rescuing CHITOSE survivors, then escorted ISE-HYUGA surface attack force.

8-16 November:
Escorted ISE and HYUGA on transport mission from Kure to Manila, but diverted to Spratly Islands instead.

19-22 November:
Escorted fleet from Spratlys to Lingga.

24 November:
Became flagship of Escort Squadron 31 (Rear Admiral Edo Heitaro) at Singapore, then departed with MOMO for Brunei.

25 November:
Sunk: torpedoed by USS CAVALLA (SS-244) 220 miles east-northeast of Singapore (2-21 N, 107-20 E) with heavy loss of life, including Commander Hatano, Comdesdiv 41 (Captain Wakida Kiichiro), and Admiral Edo. MOMO returned to rescue survivors.[1]

10 January 1945:
Removed from Navy List.

[1] Editorial Note - The sinking of Shimotsuki is one of the less known disasters of the IJN destroyer fleet. USS Cavalla's report claims four torpedo hits in the starboard side; target blowing up and sinking in pieces inside two minutes. IJN records note the Desron 31 flagship was hit at 0448 and Momo said "sank instantaneously". The wreck of Shimotsuki was discovered 6 July 2002. The information confirms three of the torpedo hits and that Shimotsuki was blasted apart (though her torpedoes did not explode)and plummeted to the bottom so fast she landed on the opposite side.- (Tully)

For more details, see: Shipwrecks of the IJN