At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, "Usugumo" was still under repairs, and was not available for combat duty until the end of July 1942, when she was assigned to the IJN 5th Fleet, and sent to the Ōminato Guard District. From August to the middle of October, "Usugumo" was assigned to patrols off the coast of Hokkaidō and the Chishima islands and to escort duty between Paramushiro and Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands to the end of January 1943. In February 1943, she returned to Kure Naval Arsenal for repairs.