Matome Ugaki
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Matome Ugaki (宇垣纏; 1890-August 14, 1945?) was a Japanese admiral during World War II, most notably serving at the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Born in Okayama prefecture, Ugaki graduated from the Japanese Naval Academy in 1912. Promoted to lieutenant commander following his graduation from Naval Staff College in 1924, Ugaki later served as a resident officer in Germany from 1928 to 1930. After his promotion to Captain, Ugaki returned to Japan as an instructor at the Naval Staff College in 1932.
In 1935, Ugaki was assigned as a staff officer to the IJN Combined Fleet for a year before commanding a cruiser and a battleship before winning promotion to rear admiral in 1938.
Following Japan's entry into the Second World War in 1941, Ugaki was appointed Chief-of-Staff of the Combined Fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in which he served until 1943.
Promoted vice admiral, Ugaki commanded the IJN Battleship Division during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, commanding naval forces in the Sibuyan Sea on October 24 and off the coast of Sibuyan on October 25, 1944.
Recalled to Japan in June 1945, Ugaki was appointed commander of IJN Fifth Air Fleet based in Kyūshū and overseeing all naval aircraft in the province. After receiving word of Emperor Hirohito announcing Japan's surrender, Ugaki reportedly stripped the gold braid on his uniform and took off to the Ōita air base intending to lead a final kamikaze attack against U.S. naval forces. However, the planes disappeared neither reaching their target nor accounted for.
[edit] Further reading
- Morison, Samuel Eliot, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II Vol. VII, Aleutains, Gilberts, and Marshalls, June 1942-April 1944. 15 Vol. Boston, 1947-1962
