“First Wind”) [1] was the seventh vessel to be commissioned in the 19-vessel Kagerō-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late-1930s under the Circle Three Supplementary Naval Expansion Program (Maru San Keikaku).

She survived four major fleet actions against the Allies, helping to sink the Dutch submarine K X and the US torpedo boats PT-43 and PT-112 throughout her career but, after being damaged through a collision with the Japanese heavy cruiser Myōkō.

she was sunk by an American destroyer flotilla led by Captain Arleigh Burke aboard USS Charles Ausburne at the battle of the Empress August Bay, November 2 1943.

[2] On 27–28 February, Hatsukaze and Desron 2 participated in the Battle of the Java Sea, taking part in a torpedo attack on the Allied fleet.

Hatsukaze only fired a single salvo against the submarine which missed before the enemy ship crashed dived, but she managed to join Amatsukaze in furiously depth charging the surrounding area, mortally wounding K X.

[2] On 10 January, while providing cover for a supply-drum transport run to Guadalcanal, Hatsukaze along with the destroyer Tokitsukaze assisted in sinking the American PT boats PT-43 and PT-112.

She suffered heavy damage when struck by a torpedo (possibly launched by PT-112) in the port side; her best speed was 18 knots as she withdrew to Truk, for emergency repairs.

Between these two missions, Hatsukaze sortied briefly from Truk in early October 1943 to assist the fleet oiler Hazakaya, which had been torpedoed by an American submarine.

[2] On 2 November 1943, while attacking an Allied cruiser-destroyer task force off Bougainville in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, Hatsukaze collided with the cruiser Myōkō.

Burke's ships promptly opened fire, and a barrage of 5-inch (127 mm) gunfire blasted Hatsukaze, stopping her dead in the water as any remaining guns were silenced and flooding began to quickly overwhelm damage control.