Commissioned on 29 December 1943 "Yahagi" saw action in the Marianas in May/June 1944, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. After the US invasion of Okinawa on 1 April 1945, she was ordered to accompany the battleship on its suicide mission against the American fleet at Okinawa. "Yahagi" was hit by some seven torpedoes as well as a dozen bombs, and sank on the afternoon of 7 April 1945.