Kisaragi (如月, "February") was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s.

The turbines were designed to produce 38,500 shaft horsepower (28,700 kW), which would propel the ships at 37.25 knots (68.99 km/h; 42.87 mph).

They did so with great effect, sinking Hayate, near-missing Kajioka's flagship Yubari, and causing to him to order his forces to disengage.

What happened next is unclear as sources disagree: older American accounts attribute her loss to a bomb dropped by Captain Henry Elrod that landed amongst her depth charges on Kisaragi's stern, which detonated and sank the destroyer;[5][page needed] a more recent account says that Elrod dropped a bomb that penetrated belowdecks and started a fire and that she blew up later just as another pilot was preparing to attack.

[7] Japanese accounts say that one bomb demolished the ship's bridge and that she blew up five minutes later, with the blast originating from amidships.

[5][page needed] She sank with the loss of all 157 crewmembers about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Wake Island at coordinates 18°55′N 166°17′E / 18.917°N 166.283°E / 18.917; 166.283, the second major Japanese warship to be sunk during the war (after Hayate).

[5][page needed] The sinking of Kisaragi would contribute to Elrod being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.