On 14 July, "Hatsukaze" and Desdiv 16 were reassigned to Desron 10, Third Fleet. On 16 August, Desron 10 departed Kure, escorting a fleet towards Truk. On 24 August, Desron 10 escorted Admiral Nagumo's Striking Force in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. During September and October, the squadron escorted the fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomon Islands. On 26 October, in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the squadron escorted the Striking Force, then escorted the damaged carriers and into Truk on 28 October. On 4 November, Desron 10 escorted from Truk to Kure, then engaged in training in the Inland Sea, and then escorted "Zuikaku" from Truk to the Shortland Islands in January 1943.