Teruo Akiyama

Infobox Military Person
name= Teruo Akiyama
lived= 16 September 1891 - 6 July 1943 [Nishida, "Imperial Japanese Navy"]
placeofbirth=Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
placeofdeath=Solomon Islands


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=Empire of Japan
branch=navy|Empire of Japan
serviceyears=1913-1943
rank=Vice Admiral
commands="Fubuki", "Yugure", "Tachibana", "Kashiwa", "Sawarabi", "Hamakaze" and "Murakumo"
"Naka"
DesRon3
unit=
battles=World War II
oBattle of Kula Gulf
awards=
family=
laterwork=nihongo|Teruo Akiyama|秋山輝男|Akiyama Teruo|extra= 16 September 1891 - 6 July 1943, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Biography

Akiyama was a native of Kumamoto prefecture. He graduated from the 41st class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1913, ranked 61 out of 118 cadets. He served as midshipman on the cruisers "Asama" and "Kurama". After he was commissioned as an ensign, he was assigned to the battleship "Asahi". He subsequently served on the battleship "Suwo", cruiser "Izumo" and destroyer "Yudachi".

Akiyama was promoted to lieutenant on 1 December 1918, and was assigned to the destroyer "Isokaze" as chief torpedo officer. However, from 1921-1922, he also served as executive officer on submarines "SS-35" and "SS-45".

On 7 February 1924, he was given his first command, the destroyer "Fubuki". He subsequently commanded "Yugure", "Tachibana", "Kashiwa", "Sawarabi", "Hamakaze" and "Murakumo" between 1924-1934. Promoted to captain on 1 December 1937, he served in mostly staff assignments until the start of the Pacific War, with the exception of a posting as captain of the "Naka" in 1939. He was promoted to rear admiral on 1 November 1942.

During the Solomon Islands campaign, on 6 July 1943, Akiyama commanded a Japanese reinforcement group (DesRon 3)which consisted of ten destroyers loaded with 2,600 combat troops, bound for Vila on Kolombangara. At 01:06 off Kolombangara, the task group came into contact with USN Task Group 36.1, commanded by Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth, and consisting of light cruisers USS "Helena", USS "Honolulu", and USS "St. Louis", plus four destroyers. In the resultant Battle of Kula Gulf, the American ships opened fire at 01:57 and quickly sank the Japanese flagship, destroyer "Niizuki", killing Admiral Akiyama.

Akiyama was posthumously promoted to vice admiral.

Notable Positions Held

Commanding Officer, MS "W-1" - 1 December 1925 - 1 December 1926

Commanding Officer, MS "W-1" - 20 January 1928 - 1 November 1928

Commanding Officer, DD "Murakumo" - 1 December 1932 - 15 November 1935

Commanding Officer, DD "Usugumo" - 1 November 1934 - 15 November 1934

ComDesDiv 30 - 1 December 1937 - 10 December 1938

ComDesDiv 4 - 10 December 1938 - 25 October 1939

ComDesDiv 34 - 25 October 1939 - 15 November 1939

Commanding Officer, CL "Naka" - 15 November 1939 - 15 October 1940

ComDesRon 3 - 23 March 1943 - 6 July 1943 (KIA)

Dates of Promotions

Midshipman - 19 December 1913

Ensign - 1 December 1914

Sublieutenant - 1 December 1916

Lieutenant - 1 December 1920

Lieutenant Commander - 1 December 1926

Commander - 1 December 1932

Captain - 1 December 1937

Rear Admiral - 1 November 1942

Vice Admiral - 6 July 1943 (posthumous promotion)

References

Books

*cite book
last = Crenshaw
first = Russell Sydnor
authorlink =
year = 1998
chapter =
title = South Pacific Destroyer: The Battle for the Solomons from Savo Island to Vella Gulf
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 1-55750-136-X
*cite book
last = D'Albas
first = Andrieu
authorlink =
year = 1965
title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II
publisher = Devin-Adair Pub
location =
id = ISBN 0-8159-5302-X
*cite book
last = Dull
first = Paul S.
authorlink =
year = 1978
chapter =
title = A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-87021-097-1
*cite book
last = Fuller
first = Richard
year = 1992
title = Shokan: Hirohito's Samurai
publisher = Arms and Armour Press
location = London
id = ISBN 1854091514
*cite book
last = Hara
first = Tameichi
authorlink = Tameichi Hara
year = 1961
chapter =
title = Japanese Destroyer Captain
publisher = Ballantine Books
location = New York & Toronto
id = ISBN 0-345-27894-1
*cite book
last = Kilpatrick
first = C. W.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1987
chapter =
title = Naval Night Battles of the Solomons
publisher = Exposition Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-682-40333-4
*cite book
last = McGee
first = William L.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 2002
chapter = Operation TOENAILS
title = The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville--Pacific War Turning Point, Volume 2 (Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in WWII)
publisher = BMC Publications
location =
id = ISBN 0-9701678-7-3
*cite book
last = Morison
first = Samuel Eliot
authorlink = Samuel Eliot Morison
coauthors =
year = 1958
chapter =
title = Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier", vol. 6 of "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II
publisher = Castle Books
location =
id = 0785813071
*cite book
last = Roscoe
first = Theodore
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1953
chapter =
title = United States Destroyer Operations in World War Two
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = 0870217267

External links

*cite web
last = O'Hara
first = Vincent P.
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year =
month =
url = http://www.microworks.net/pacific/battles/kula_gulf.htm
title = The Second Battle of Kula Gulf
format =
work =
pages =
publisher =
language =
accessdate = 2007-08-25
accessyear =
*cite web
last = Whitaker
first = Andrew G.
authorlink =
coauthors =Bigelow, Clyde
date =
year =
month =
url = http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Kula-Gulf.htm
title = Navweaps.com Order of Battle for Battle of Kula Gulf
format =
work =
pages =
publisher =
language =
accessdate = 2007-08-25
accessyear =
*cite web
last = Nevitt
first = Allyn
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year =
month =
url = http://www.combinedfleet.com/niizuk_o.htm
title = Combined Fleet.com article on Japanese destroyer "Niizuki"
format =
work =
pages =
publisher =
language =
accessdate = 2007-08-25
accessyear =
*cite web
last = Nishida
first = Hiroshi
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year =
month =
url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px41.htm#v001
title = Imperial Japanese Navy, Akiyama Teruo
format =
work =
pages =
publisher =
language =
accessdate = 2007-02-25
accessyear =

Notes