▁most ▁powerful ▁classes ▁of ▁destroy ers ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁their ▁completion , ▁none ▁surv ived ▁the ▁Pacific ▁War . ▁K aw ak aze , ▁built ▁at ▁the ▁F uj in ag ata ▁Sh ip y ards ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁launched ▁on ▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁and ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁K aw ak aze ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁Dest roy er ▁Division ▁ 2 4 ▁of ▁Dest roy er ▁Squadron ▁ 4 ▁of ▁the ▁I J N ▁ 2 nd ▁Fle et , ▁and ▁had ▁sort ied ▁from ▁Pal au ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁invasion ▁force , ▁covering ▁land ings ▁at ▁Leg as pi ▁and ▁Lam on ▁Bay . ▁From ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁K aw ak aze ▁participated ▁in ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁East ▁Ind ies , ▁including ▁the ▁invas ions ▁of ▁Tar ak an ▁Island , ▁Bal ik p apan ▁and ▁Mak ass ar . ▁After ▁covering ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Java , ▁K aw ak aze ▁engaged ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Al lied ▁destroy ers ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Java ▁Sea , ▁and ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁assist ing ▁in ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁destroy er ▁, ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁cru iser ▁▁ ▁and ▁destroy er ▁, ▁res cu ing ▁