Shoji Nishimura
Shoji Nishimura (1889-1944) was a vice admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, who died while commanding Japanese Force "C" at the Battle of Surigao Strait within the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Nishimura was regarded as an old "sea dog"; his only tour of shore duty was a partial stay at the Staff College in 1936-1938. Even there, he used a special rule to take the exams without staying for the full course.
Graduating 21st of his Naval Academy class of 148, he first specialized in navigation, then in torpedoes and convoying. He was given command of a destroyer at the age of 27. [1]
He called the Navy Ministry staff "armchair strategists" who did not understand the realities of war at sea.
According to Commander Shigeru Noshino, the only surviving ship commander in Force C, "[Nishimura] was an old destroyer man. I never met Nishimura personally, but it was said of him that he was clever and a capable Navy man. I will say this much, though, that there are some people who think Nishimura was very fortunate not to have returned from this battle. " [2]
References
- ↑ Anthony P. Tully (2009), Battle of Surigao Strait, Indiana University Press, pp. 30-34
- ↑ Interrogation of: Commander NISHINO, Shigeru, IJN; Commanding Officer of the Japanese destroyer SHIGURE in the Battle of SURIGAO STRAIT on 25 October 1944, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey, 18 November 1945