▁well ▁as ▁particip ating ▁briefly ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Islands ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁October ▁under ▁Admir al ▁Nob ut ake ▁K ond ō . ▁During ▁the ▁First ▁Naval ▁Battle ▁of ▁Gu adal can al ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 1 2 – 1 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁K aw ak aze ▁res cu ed ▁ 5 5 0 ▁surv iv ors ▁from ▁the ▁tor ped o ed ▁transport ▁Br is b ane ▁Mar u . ▁For ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁month , ▁K aw ak aze ▁pat rolled ▁between ▁Short land ▁Island , ▁B una ▁and ▁R aba ul . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁T ass af ar ong a ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁November , ▁tor ped o es ▁from ▁K aw ak aze ▁possibly ▁hit ▁the ▁American ▁cru iser ▁. ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁and ▁through ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁K aw ak aze ▁continued ▁in ▁transport ▁operations ▁to ▁Gu adal can al ▁and ▁to ▁Kol omb ang ara , ▁sh ifting ▁to ▁tro op ▁ev acu ation ▁miss ions ▁from ▁Gu adal can al ▁from ▁February . ▁ 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁while ▁pat rolling ▁off ▁Gu adal can al , ▁she ▁s unk ▁motor ▁tor ped o ▁boat ▁P T - 3 7 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 9 ▁February , ▁she ▁suffered ▁significant ▁damage ▁in ▁a ▁collision ▁with ▁cargo ▁ship ▁T oun ▁Mar u ▁and ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁to wed ▁by