"Yūgumo" participated in the battles of Midway, the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz Islands. The destroyer made troop transport runs to Guadalcanal 7 and 10 November 1942. She then made troop transport run to Buna, Papua New Guinea on 17 and 22 November. The ship then performed troop evacuation runs to Guadalcanal on 1 and 4 February 1943. 3 days later, "Yūgumo" took part in a troop evacuation run to the Russell Islands. The destroyer made Troop transport runs to Kolombangara on 1 and 5 April.