Samidare (五月雨, "Early Summer Rain")[1] was the fifth of ten Shiratsuyu-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the Circle One Program (Maru Ichi Keikaku).

From January 1942, Samidare participated in operations in the Netherlands East Indies, including the invasions of Tarakan, Balikpapan and eastern Java.

However, she was still combat-capable and conducted a "Tokyo Express" high speed transport run to Guadalcanal and a gunfire support mission as well as participating briefly in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October under Admiral Takeo Kurita.

After repairs at Truk, Samidare was assigned to the Bombardment Force of Rear Admiral Abe Hiroaki, participating in the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on the night of 12–13 November 1942.

During the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, on the night of 14–15 November, with her squadron flagship Nagara Samidare assisted in sinking the destroyers USS Benham, Walke, Preston and damaging Gwin.

In May she returned to Yokosuka as part of the escort for the battleship Yamato, and was then assigned to northern waters with the cruisers Myōkō and Haguro to cover the evacuation of Japanese forces from Kiska.

In September, Samidare escorted the aircraft carriers Taihō and Chūyō to Truk, and subsequently covered troop evacuations from Kolombangara, escaping an attack by American destroyers on 2 October with minor damage.