Tamotsu Oishi

Tamotsu Oishi (大石 保, Ōishi Tamotsu, 28 January 1900 – 13 February 1946) was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Tamotsu Oishi
BornJanuary 28, 1900
Kōchi, Kōchi, Japan
DiedFebruary 13, 1946(1946-02-13) (aged 46)[1]
Allegiance Empire of Japan
Service/branch Imperial Japanese Navy
Years of service1920-1946
Rank Rear Admiral (posthumous)
Commands heldSaga, Aikoku Maru
Battles/warsWorld War II
oAttack on Pearl Harbor
oBattle of Wake Island
oBattle of Midway
oIndian Ocean Raid

Biography

In Kōchi Prefecture, Oishi graduated from the 48th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1920, with a ranking of 13th out of a class of 171 cadets. As a midshipman, he served on the cruiser Iwate and battleship Nagato. After his promotion to ensign in 1921, he was assigned to the destroyer Yukaze, followed by the oiler Shiretoko, and then the battleship Mutsu.

After his promotion to lieutenant on 1 December 1925, he specialized in navigation and served as chief navigator on the destroyers Harukaze and Urakaze, submarine tender Jingei, and cruiser Tsushima.

Oishi graduated from the Naval Staff College in 1930 and was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1932. He served as chief torpedo officer on the cruiser Jintsu. After his promotion to commander in 1937, he received his first command: the gunboat Saga in 1938. He subsequently served in number of staff positions, including assignments to the 1st Carrier Strike Force of the Combined Fleet and 1st Air Fleet, participating the all major carrier operations from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Battle of Midway.

On 25 August 1942, Oishi was assigned command of Aikoku Maru, a merchant raider, and was promoted to captain the same year. In September, Aikoku Maru was assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet (IJN 8th Fleet) and tasked to transport elements of General Tanayoshi Sano's IJA 38th Division to Rabaul for the reinforcement of Guadalcanal. In November 1942, while on a raiding mission in the Indian Ocean, Aikoku Maru attacked the Royal Dutch Shell oil tanker Ondina. In December 1943-April 1944, Aikoku Maru participated in reinforcement operations to New Guinea.

On 3 April 1943, Oishi was recalled to Japan, and held several shore positions until the end of the war. He died on 13 February 1946, and was promoted on rear-admiral posthumously.

References

Books
  • Toland, John (1970). The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire 1936-1945. Random House. ISBN 0-8129-6858-1.
  • Spector, Ronald (1985). Eagle Against the Sun: The American War With Japan. Vintage. ISBN 0-394-74101-3.

Notes
  1. Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy
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