Southeast Area Fleet

The nihongo|Southeast Area Fleet|南東方面艦隊|Nanto Homen Kantai was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II.

History

The Southeast Area Fleet was an operational command of the Imperial Japanese Navy combining the remaining surface elements of the IJN 8th Fleet with the IJN 11th Air Fleet, the No.5 Special Base Unit. The Southeast Area Fleet was established on 24 December 1942, during the waning weeks of the Guadalcanal campaign and was headquartered in Rabaul, New Britain.

In February 1944, after heavy losses in the Solomon Islands campaign, most surviving Japanese surface and naval aircraft forces withdrew from Rabaul to Truk in the Caroline Islands. However, lacking transport, most of the headquarters staff of the Southeast Area Fleet was left abandoned on Rabaul, together with surviving elements of the Imperial Japanese Army IJA 8th Area Army, and was isolated until the end of the war. [D'Albas, The Death of a Navy]

Commanders of the IJN Southeast Area Fleet

Commander in chief [ Wendel, Axis History Database]

Chief of staff

References

Books

*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
title = A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-87021-097-1

External links

*cite web
last = Wendel
first = Marcus
url = http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=7832 Axis History Database
title = Axis History Database
accessdate = 2007-08-25

Notes