Shintarō Hashimoto

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Shintarō Hashimoto
11 May 1892 - 16 May 1945[1]
Image:Replace this image male.svg
Place of birth Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Place of death Strait of Malacca, near Penang
Allegiance Empire of Japan
Service/branch Naval flag of Empire of Japan Imperial Japanese Navy
Years of service 1913-1945
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands held Nashi,Chikuma, Hyūga
Torpedo School
Cruiser Division 5
Battles/wars World War II
oKota Bahru
oTokyo Express
oOperation Ke
oBattle of the Malacca Strait
In this Japanese name, the family name is Hashimoto.

Shintarō Hashimoto (橋本 信太郎 Hashimoto Shintarō?, 11 May 1892 - 16 May 1945), was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Hashimoto was born in Wakayama prefecture. He graduated from the 41st class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1913. He was ranked 43rd in a class of 118 cadets. As a midshipman, he was assigned to the cruisers Asama and Chikuma. On receiving his commission as ensign, he was assigned back to Chikuma, then to Yahagi.

After attending torpedo school and naval artillery school, Hashimoto served on the destroyer Kamekaze. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1919, and served on the destroyer Kaede, as executive officer on destroyer Hasu, chief torpedo officer on destroyer Okikaze and (in 1923), captain of the destroyer Nashi.

After graduating from the 24th class of Naval War College (Japan) in 1924 and his promotion to lieutenant commander, Hashimoto was assigned to the staff of the Kure Naval District. He was promoted to commander in 1930. Hashimoto served as commander of various destroyer task forces through the 1930s, winning promotion to captain in 1935. He was Chief of Staff of the Ryojun Guard District from 1937-1939, and assumed command of the cruiser Chikuma from 1939-1940 and battleship Hyūga from 1940-1941. He was promoted to rear admiral on 15 October 1941.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hashimoto was in command of Destroyer Division 3 (DesRon3), covering landings of Japanese forces in Malaya. From August until late-November, 1942, he commanded Tokyo Express missions during the Guadalcanal Campaign. In January 1943, Hashimoto's destroyers participated in “Operation Ke”, and successfully evacuated 11,700 surviving Japanese troops from Guadalcanal.

From March to October 1943, Hashimoto received a shore assignment and became Commandant of the Torpedo School. Assigned a combat command again in November 1943, he was promoted to vice admiral on 15 October 1944.

From his flagship, the cruiser Haguro, he commanded Cruiser Division 5, which was defeated by Royal Navy warships during the Battle of the Malacca Strait on 16 May 1945. Haguro and the destroyer Kamikaze were in the Bay of Bengal off the northern tip of Sumatra attempting to transport food and supplies to the Japanese garrison in the Andaman Islands when they were ambushed by five British destroyers. During the battle, Haguro was hit repeatedly by torpedoes and gunfire. When she sank, Admiral Hashimoto was not among the survivors.

[edit] References

[edit] Books

  • Fuller, Richard (1992). Shokan: Hirohito's Samurai. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1854091514. 
  • Lacroix, Eric; Linton Wells (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-311-3. 
  • Winton, John (1969). The Forgotten Fleet. Michael Joseph Ltd. ISBN 0718106431. 
  • Winton, John (1981). Sink the Haguro. Saunders of Toronto Ltd. ISBN 0854221522. 

[edit] Web

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy.
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