Shima Kiyohide

Shima Kiyohide

Shima Kiyohide ( Japanese志摩 清 英; * February 25, 1878 , † November 7, 1973 ) was a Vice Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy .

Between November 15, 1939 and October 15, 1940, Shima Kiyohide was chief of staff of the Maizuru Marine District. During the Pacific War , in mid-January 1942, he commanded an escort fleet to capture Rabaul and later the invasion fleet that took the island of Tulagi north of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on May 3, 1942 . From February 5, 1944, he was given command of the 5th Fleet.

In the sea ​​and air battle in the Gulf of Leyte between October 23 and 26, 1944, Shima commanded the "Second Assault Fleet " of the southern Japanese armed forces, consisting of two cruisers and seven destroyers , which fought the battle in the Surigao Strait against the overwhelming odds the Allies lost.

Between May 10, 1945 and November 30, 1945, Shima Kiyohide was the commander of the Takao Guard District. In the first month of his service, the 1st Air Fleet was subordinate to him.

Shima Kiyohide died in 1973.

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . So Shima is the family name, Kiyohide the first name.