Nishizō Tsukahara

Nishizō Tsukahara
Admiral Nishizō Tsuhara
Born	April 3, 1887 Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Died	January 10, 1966(1966-01-10) (aged 78) Tokyo, Japan
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Service/branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Years of service	1908-1945
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Ōi, Akagi Chinkai Guard District, 11th Air Fleet, Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Bureau, Yokosuka Naval District
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) New Guinea campaign Guadalcanal campaign Solomon Islands campaign

In this Japanese name, the family name is "Tsukahara".

Nishizō Tsukahara (塚原 二四三, Tsukahara Nishizō^?, April 3, 1887 – January 10, 1966), was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Biography

Tsukahara was born in Fukui Prefecture, but his official residence was Kofu city, Yamanashi Prefecture, where he was raised. Tsukahara graduated from the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1908. He was ranked 20th out of 119 cadets, and noted Admiral Chuichi Nagumo was his classmate. He served his midshipman duty aboard the cruisers Soya, and Iwate and battleship Okinoshima. After he was commissioned as an ensign in 1910, he was assigned to the Shikishima, followed by destroyer Yudachi.

Tsukahara subsequently served on the Yamashiro and cruiser Aso. After his promotion to lieutenant in 1914, he was assigned to Umikaze', and was chief navigator on Mogami in 1916, followed by Chitose, repair ship Kanto, and battlecruiser Ibuki.

Tsukahara graduated from the Navy Staff College in 1920, and was promoted to lieutenant commander. He held a number of staff positions within the Yokosuka Naval District, particularly pertaining to naval aviation. He was sent to the United States and Europe from 1925–1926, and on his return was assigned as executive officer to the aircraft carrier Hōshō.

On November 29, 1929, Tsukahara was promoted to captain, and was also given command of Ōi. From 1931-1932, he was part of the Japanese delegation to the Geneva Naval Disarmament Conference. On October 20, 1933, he was given command of the aircraft carrier Akagi.

Tsukahara was promoted to rear admiral on November 15, 1935. He commanded a number of fighter squadrons, and was promoted on to vice admiral on November 15, 1939. In April 1940, he became commander of the Chinkai Guard District, and from September 10, 1941 until October 1, 1942, he was Commander in Chief of the 11th Air Fleet.^[1]

Based out of Formosa, the 11th Air Fleet was involved in the invasion of the Philippines.^[1] Later it supported Japanese offensives in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands from Rabaul, New Britain and other locations. On August 8, 1942, after the Allied landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi Tsukahara moved to Rabaul to more closely direct air attacks against Allied forces around Guadalcanal.^[2] At Rabaul, Tsukahara was placed in command of all naval forces in the New Guinea and Solomon Islands' area as well as the 11th Air Fleet in what was called the Southeast Area Command.^[3] He later fell ill and was replaced by Jinichi Kusaka.

After recovering from illness, Tsukahara was appointed Director of Naval Air Command from December 1, 1942 to September 15, 1944. Subsequently, he was commander in chief of the Yokosuka Naval District to May 1, 1945.^[4]

Tsukahara was promoted to full admiral on May 15, 1945. He died in 1966, and his grave is at the Tama Reien Cemetery in Fuchū, Tokyo.

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} L, Klemen (1999-2000). "Vice-Admiral Nishio Tsukahara". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/tsukahara.html. 
2. ^ Lundstrom, Guadalcanal Campaign, p. 74.
3. ^ Lundstrom, Guadalcanal Campaign, p. 92.
4. ^ Wendel, Axis History

Books

• Frank, Richard B. (1990). Guadalcanal : The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 0-14-016561-4. 
• Lundstrom, John B. (2005 (New edition)). The First Team And the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=xtaTS-POl-UC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false. 
• Miller, Thomas G. (1969). Cactus Air Force. Admiral Nimitz Foundation. ISBN 0-934841-17-9. 
• Morison, Samuel Eliot (1958). The Struggle for Guadalcanal, August 1942 – February 1943, vol. 5 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-58305-7.  Online views of selections of the book:[1]

External links

• Naval History via Flix. "Nishizo Tsukahara". http://navalhistory.flixco.info/G/131146x19846(a5557z1naZNishizo%20Tsukahara)/259869/j0.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-08. 
• Nishida, Hiroshi. "Imperial Japanese Navy". http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px36.htm#a002. Retrieved 2007-08-08. 
• Japanese Operations in the Southwest Pacific Area, Volume II - Part I. United States Army Center of Military History. 1994. http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V2%20P1/macarthurv2.htm#contents. Retrieved 2006-12-08. - Translation of the official record by the Japanese Demobilization Bureaux detailing the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy's participation in the Southwest Pacific area of the Pacific War.
• Wendel, Marcus. "Axis History Factbook". http://www.axishistory.com/index.php. Retrieved 2007-08-08. 

Persondata
Name	Tsukahara, Nishizo
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 3, 1887
Place of birth	Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Date of death	January 10, 1966
Place of death	Tokyo, Japan