During the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, she was damaged by three bombs from a USAAF B-25C Mitchell bomber named "Chatter Box" on March 3, which damaged her rudder, causing a collision with Nojima. Yukikaze took off her 176 survivors, which did not include her captain, Lieutenant Commander Hideo Kuboki. Her abandoned hulk was sunk by United States Navy aircraft at position 07°15′S 148°30′E approximately 55 nautical miles (102 km) southeast of Finschhafen, New Guinea