2 4 ▁December . ▁Two ▁weeks ▁training ▁there ▁were ▁followed ▁by ▁further ▁training ▁at ▁Bal boa , ▁Canal ▁Zone , ▁and ▁H ack le back ▁sa iled ▁for ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁ 2 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁The ▁new ▁sub marine ▁participated ▁in ▁still ▁more ▁training ▁exer cis es ▁at ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁before ▁depart ing ▁for ▁her ▁first ▁war ▁pat rol ▁ 6 ▁March . ▁ ▁Japanese ▁merchant ▁sh ipping ▁had ▁been ▁dec im ated ▁by ▁the ▁Pacific ▁sub marine ▁fleet , ▁and ▁H ack le back ▁was ▁to ▁encounter ▁no ▁suitable ▁targets ▁in ▁any ▁of ▁her ▁pat rol s . ▁But ▁on ▁this ▁first ▁pat rol , ▁she ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁of ▁Japan ' s ▁super - b att les hips , ▁the ▁Yam ato . ▁ ▁Pat rolling ▁the ▁B ung o ▁Su ido ▁area ▁late ▁in ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 6 ▁April , ▁H ack le back ▁made ▁rad ar ▁contact ▁on ▁a ▁fast ▁group ▁of ▁ships ▁at ▁about ▁. ▁She ▁sent ▁a ▁steady ▁stream ▁of ▁location ▁reports ▁back ▁to ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁attempting ▁to ▁close ▁with ▁the ▁task ▁group . ▁H ack le back ▁three ▁times ▁came ▁to ▁within ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁Yam ato ▁force , ▁but ▁destroy ers ▁forced ▁her ▁out ▁of ▁range ▁before ▁she ▁could ▁get ▁in ▁position ▁to ▁fire ▁tor ped o es . ▁ ▁Yam ato ▁was ▁not ▁to ▁escape , ▁however . ▁The