The "Mutsuki" class formed the 5th and 6th Destroyer Squadrons. "Mutsuki" and "Kisaragi" participated in the Battle of Wake Island at the start of the war, during which time "Kisaragi" was lost due to aircraft bombardment. The remaining eleven vessels participated in the invasions of the Philippines and Netherlands East Indies. In the subsequent Solomon Islands campaign surviving ships were exposed to considerable danger as fast transports in “Tokyo Express” missions in trying to re-supply island garrisons. "Mutsuki", "Nagatsuki," "Kikuzuki", "Mikazuki" and "Mochizuki" were lost due to air attack in various battles in the Solomons.