æt ðə stˈɑːɹt ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ, hˈætsuːhˌɑːɹɹuː wʌz ɹˌiːɐsˈaɪnd dᵻɹˈɛktli tə kəmbˈaɪnd flˈiːt hɛdkwˈɔːɹɾɚz, ænd kəntˈɪnjuːd ɪn ˈɛskɔːɹt mˈɪʃənz bᵻtwˌiːn jˈɑːkəsˌuːkə ænd tɹˈʌk.
At the start of 1944, Hatsuharu was reassigned directly to Combined Fleet headquarters, and continued in escort missions between Yokosuka and Truk.