Throughout the following months, Hagikaze departed on escorting and transport missions, being damaged by a bomb hit from B-17s which destroyed her X turret, forcing her into repairs for the rest of the year into February 22, 1943.

On August 2, she took part in a troop transport mission when her consort, the destroyer Amagiri, rammed and sank the US torpedo boat PT-109, commanded by future US president John F Kennedy.

[4][5] On 6 August 1943, Hagikaze along with the destroyers Arashi, Kawakaze, and Shigure were tasked with departing on a troop transport mission.

The mission was opposed by Captain Tameichi Hara of Shigure, as they had already done the same exact route 3 times, and was worried their repeated strategy would be realized by US forces.

Simultaneously, Arashi and Kawakaze were also sunk with the loss of 178 and 168 men respectively, while Shigure unleashed a spread of torpedoes, which failed to hit their targets, before retreating from the scene.

Among the survivors was Admiral Kajū, who swam to Kolombangara and spent over a week surviving in the wilderness before being rescued by Japanese forces.