I te wā o te whakaekenga ki Pearl Harbor i te 7 o Tihema 1941, i whakaritea a "Asanagi" ki te Rōpū Whakangaromanga 29 o te Rōpū Whakangaromanga 6 o te 4th Fleet, i Truk. Ko te kaipuke whakangaromanga i whakamarumaru i te ope whakaekenga o ngā Motu Gilbert
mai i te 8 ki te 10 o Tihema 1941, ana i muri mai ka tohaina ki te mana whakaeke tuarua o Wake Island i te Tihema 23.