December 6, 1943
Location: Kwajalein
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: Await further orders
---
Here is a summary of
Hibiki’s second year of the war, 7 December 1942 to 6 December 1943 (the first year summary was back on
post 943).
IJN Destroyer
Hibiki, tabular record of movement:
7 December 1942 – 10 January 1943:
At Kwajalein
11 January:
Hibiki is ordered west as escort to
Kido Butai, destination unknown.
22 January:
Arrives at Kendari to contest Allied attack on Timor.
30 January:
Kido Butai escorts Japanese reinforcement division towards Timor.
2 February:
First carrier battle of Timor leaves
Wasp sunk and two other American fleet carriers sunk or badly damaged.
3 February – 15 February:
Kido Butai operates between Kendari and Koepang, covering incoming Japanese convoys and watching for Allied relief forces.
16 February:
Second naval battle of Timor begins. Two American escort carriers are sunk and a third is damaged.
17 February:
Second naval battle of Timor continues. At night Allied battleships almost intercept
Kido Butai in the Savu Sea. Day brings a carrier engagement that sees US carrier
Yorktown sunk and Japanese carrier
Soryu is damaged.
18 February:
Allied evacuation of Timor begins.
Kido Butai departs for Balikpapan.
21 February:
At Balikpapan. Benzaiten joins the crew.
23 February:
Hibiki escorts carriers
Akagi,
Zuikaku, and
Hiryu towards the Indian Ocean via Lombok Strait.
1 March:
Arrives off Exmouth Bay, Australia, hoping to intercept Allied ships returning from the Timor operation.
4 March:
Battle of Exmouth Bay. HMS
Victorious heavily damages Japanese carrier
Hiryu.
14 March:
Arrives at Tjilitjap.
21 March:
Escorts carriers
Akagi and
Zuikaku to Palau.
24 March:
Hibiki engages SS
Grayling in the Java Sea. The submarine escapes.
29 March:
Arrives at Palau.
1 April:
Arrives at Truk.
Hibiki is detached from escort duty and sent to Rabaul.
4 April:
Arrives at Rabaul and joins a bombardment task force based around battleships
Hiei,
Kongo, and
Haruna.
15 April:
Task force sorties from Rabaul for eastern end of New Guinea.
16 April:
Hibiki engages and sinks a submarine in the Solomon Sea. The task force shells enemy positions at Gili Gili.
17 April:
Task force returns to Rabaul.
18 April – 25 April:
Hibiki remains in Rabaul, now assigned to surface combat TF 36.
26 April:
Task force sorties after enemy transports are reported at Gili Gili.
27 April – 2 May:
Task force remains in the Bismark Sea.
5 May:
Arrives at a fleet rendezvous east of the Solomon Islands.
7 May:
Task force moves through the Solomons to launch attacks against Gili Gili.
10 May:
Hibiki sinks two enemy PT boats in Milne Bay as the task force screens the bombardment group from enemy attack. Two American sailors are among the men
Hibiki pulls from the water following the battle.
12 May:
Arrives at Lunga.
13 May:
Departs for Truk, escorting ships damaged in the battle at Gili Gili.
17 May:
Arrives at Truk.
18 May – 22 May:
In port at Truk.
23 May:
Hibiki departs Truk for Rabaul.
24 May – 31 May:
At Rabaul, now assigned to DesDiv 36.
1 June:
DesDiv 36 escorts bombardment task force to Gili Gili.
2 June:
Hibiki again engages enemy PT boats in Milne Bay.
3 June – 23 June:
At Rabaul.
24 June:
Desdiv 36 again escorts bombardment group to Gili Gili.
25 June:
DesDiv 36 is badly damaged by mines and PT boats.
Hibiki is the only ship to avoid sinking or major damage.
26 June:
Arrives back at Rabaul.
27 June:
Departs along with the other survivors of the battle for Truk.
29 June:
Arrives at Truk.
30 June:
Other damaged ships join the task force, which departs for Japan.
9 July – 1 August:
Hibiki undergoes repair and refit in Okayama.
2 August:
With the work complete
Hibiki moves to Tokyo.
11 August – 31 August:
Escorts a convoy of tankers to and from Truk.
1 September – 10 September:
In port at Tokyo.
11 September:
Sails for Kwajalein as part of the escort for carrier
Akagi.
19 September:
Arrives at Kwajalein.
27 September:
Departs Kwajalein as part of
Kido Butai’s screen to engage enemy forces attacking Noumea.
7 October:
At Luganville.
11 October – 26 October:
Kido Butai operates in the New Caledonia area, covering the Japanese evacuation from Noumea.
29 October:
Returns to Kwajalein.
10 November:
Kido Butai sorties from Kwajalein to engage enemy forces attacking Efate.
19 November:
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. Five Japanese carriers are lost in exchange for one Allied carrier.
Hibiki escorts damaged
Zuikaku from the area.
25 November:
Arrives safely back at Kwajalein.
26 November – 6 December:
In port at Kwajalein.
