The Kiyoshimo (清霜, namesake: Clear Frost) was the twelfth and final vessel of the Yūgumo class, the last destroyer of the IJN dedicated to the anti-ship role. She began her career in the 11th Destroyer Squadron in May 1944, being quickly deployed to active operations due to the deteriorating war situation. Kiyoshimo participated in various escort and transport missions, including Operations I-Go and Ro-Go in the Bonin Islands and Okinawa, as well as the evacuation of crew from the cruiser Natori near Palau. She joined the 2nd Destroyer Division with Hayashimo and Akishimo in August 1944, subsequently fighting at Leyte Gulf. She was then assigned to support the Musashi during the Battle of Sibuyan Sea on 24 October 1944, where she sustained heavy damage from air attacks, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic explosion. After limited repairs, she continued to Brunei, and in December 1944, she set out for the Leyte supply run during the critical Battle of Mindoro. On 26 December, while nearing Mindoro Island, Kiyoshimo was struck by a 250 kg bomb, resulting in uncontrollable fires that disabled her propulsion. She was finished off by a torpedo from PT-223. The crew attempted to abandon ship as the flames spread, and she ultimately sank at 23:15. Despite limited rescue operations, 263 survivors were recovered by Japanese and American forces, with 82 crew members killed in action.
Kiyoshimo was introduced as a premium pack in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy" and was removed from the store after the 2020 May sale. She features excellent torpedoes and fairly good anti-air armament, allowing her to protect friendly vessels from enemy bombers. However, her offensive capability is limited compared to other Japanese destroyers, as she lacks AP or SAP shells and has a somewhat slow turret rotation, making combat between islands challenging once the torpedoes are depleted.
Kiyoshimo has since been made available temporarily for purchase in-game with Golden Eagles for the 2022 "Day of Japan", 2023 "JSDF Day", and the 2023 and 2024 "National Foundation Day in Japan" mini-events.