Matome Ugaki
Encyclopedia
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
during World War II
, remembered for his extensive and revealing war diary, role at the Battle of Leyte Gulf
, and kamikaze
suicide hours after the announced surrender of Japan
at the end of the war.
(now part of Okayama city
, Okayama prefecture
, Ugaki graduated from the 40th class Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
in 1912. He placed 9th out of 144 cadets, and served as midshipman
on the cruiser
s and . He was commissioned as ensign
on 1 December 1913 and was assigned to the battlecruiser
. He subsequently served on the battlecruiser , cruiser and destroyer
. After his promotion to lieutenant
on 1 December 1918, he attended naval artillery
school, and was assigned as chief gunnery officer to the destroyer .
In 1924, Ugaki graduated from the 22nd class of the Naval Staff College
, and was promoted to lieutenant commander
. After a brief posting aboard the cruiser , he served three years as a staff member of the Naval Gunnery School, and was then appointed as a resident officer in Germany
from 1928–1930, with the rank of commander.
After his promotion to captain
on 1 December 1932, Ugaki served as an instructor at the Naval War College. In 1935, Ugaki was assigned as a staff officer to the Combined Fleet
for a year before he was given his first command: the cruiser . The following year, he was given command of battleship .
on 15 November 1938. Following Japan′s entry into World War II
in 1941, Ugaki was appointed Chief-of-Staff of the Combined Fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
in which he served until 1943. He was promoted vice admiral
on 1 November 1942.
Traveling with Yamamoto in a separate bomber, both aircraft were shot down on 18 April 1943 over Bougainville
in the Solomon Islands
, in what the United States named Operation Vengeance. Yamamoto′s aircraft crashed in the jungle, while Ugaki′s fell into the sea. He was one of three survivors.
After he recovered from his wounds, Ugaki was placed in command of the 1st Battleship Division during the disastrous Battle of Leyte Gulf
, including the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea on 24 October, and Battle off Samar
on 24 October 1944.
Recalled to Japan in February 1945, Ugaki was appointed commander of IJN Fifth Air Fleet based in Kyūshū
and overseeing all naval aircraft in the province from his headquarters in a cave bunker to protect him from the growing threat of B-29 Superfortress attacks. In March, he launched the first wave of kamikaze
s against the U.S. fleet
anchored at Ulithi
followed by Operation Ten-Go
in March, which involved hundreds of kamikaze attacks against U.S. Navy ships in the vicinity of Okinawa. Meanwhile, he gathered even more aircraft and hid them to be used the same fashion in defense of Kyūshū against the expected Allied invasion
that was sure to come. Ugaki planned to hit the invasion forces with hundreds of aircraft and suicide boats in a few hours in Operation Ketsu-Go (Decisive Operation).
, Ugaki made a last entry in his diary noting that he had not yet received an "official" cease-fire order, and that as he alone was to blame for the failure of his valiant aviators to stop the enemy, he would fly one last mission himself to show the true spirit of bushido
. His subordinates protested, and even after Ugaki had climbed into the backseat of a Yokosuka D4Y
"Judy", Warrant Officer
Akiyoshi Endo—whose place in the kamikaze roster Ugaki had usurped—climbed into the same space that the admiral had already occupied. Thus, the aircraft containing Ugaki took off with three men, as opposed to two each in the remaining ten aircraft. Prior to boarding his aircraft, Ugaki posed for pictures and removed his rank insignia from his dark green uniform, taking only a ceremonial short sword
given to him by Admiral Yamamoto.
Endo served as radioman during the mission, sending Ugaki′s final messages, and a final message at 19:24, reported that the plane had begun its dive onto an American vessel. However, U.S. Navy records do not indicate any successful kamikaze attack on that day, and it is likely that all aircraft on the mission (with the exception of three that returned due to engine problems) crashed into the ocean.
The next morning, the crew of American landing craft
LST-926 found the still smoldering remains of a cockpit with three bodies on the beach of Ishikawajima
. The third man, his head crushed and right arm missing, wore a dark green uniform and a short sword was found nearby. The sailors buried the bodies in the sand.
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, remembered for his extensive and revealing war diary, role at the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
, and kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
suicide hours after the announced surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
at the end of the war.
Early career
Born in Akaiwa District, OkayamaAkaiwa District, Okayama
Akaiwa was a district located in Okayama, Japan. As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 14,945.The total area is 41.78 km²...
(now part of Okayama city
Okayama, Okayama
is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of August 2010, the city has an estimated population of 705,224 and a population density of 893 persons per km². The total area is 789.88 km²....
, Okayama prefecture
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
, Ugaki graduated from the 40th class Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
in 1912. He placed 9th out of 144 cadets, and served as midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
on the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and . He was commissioned as ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
on 1 December 1913 and was assigned to the battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
. He subsequently served on the battlecruiser , cruiser and destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
. After his promotion to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 1 December 1918, he attended naval artillery
Naval artillery
Naval artillery, or naval riflery, is artillery mounted on a warship for use in naval warfare. Naval artillery has historically been used to engage either other ships, or targets on land; in the latter role it is currently termed naval gunfire fire support...
school, and was assigned as chief gunnery officer to the destroyer .
In 1924, Ugaki graduated from the 22nd class of the Naval Staff College
Naval War College (Japan)
The was the staff college of the Imperial Japanese Navy, responsible for training officers for command positions either on warships, or in staff roles....
, and was promoted to lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
. After a brief posting aboard the cruiser , he served three years as a staff member of the Naval Gunnery School, and was then appointed as a resident officer in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from 1928–1930, with the rank of commander.
After his promotion to captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
on 1 December 1932, Ugaki served as an instructor at the Naval War College. In 1935, Ugaki was assigned as a staff officer to the Combined Fleet
Combined Fleet
The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Combined Fleet was not a standing force, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units normally under separate commands in peacetime....
for a year before he was given his first command: the cruiser . The following year, he was given command of battleship .
World War II
Ugaki became rear admiralRear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
on 15 November 1938. Following Japan′s entry into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1941, Ugaki was appointed Chief-of-Staff of the Combined Fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
in which he served until 1943. He was promoted vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
on 1 November 1942.
Traveling with Yamamoto in a separate bomber, both aircraft were shot down on 18 April 1943 over Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, in what the United States named Operation Vengeance. Yamamoto′s aircraft crashed in the jungle, while Ugaki′s fell into the sea. He was one of three survivors.
After he recovered from his wounds, Ugaki was placed in command of the 1st Battleship Division during the disastrous Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
, including the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea on 24 October, and Battle off Samar
Battle off Samar
The Battle off Samar was the centermost action of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history, which took place in the Philippine Sea off Samar Island, in the Philippines on 25 October 1944...
on 24 October 1944.
Recalled to Japan in February 1945, Ugaki was appointed commander of IJN Fifth Air Fleet based in Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
and overseeing all naval aircraft in the province from his headquarters in a cave bunker to protect him from the growing threat of B-29 Superfortress attacks. In March, he launched the first wave of kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
s against the U.S. fleet
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
anchored at Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
followed by Operation Ten-Go
Operation Ten-Go
was the last major Japanese naval operation in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Other renderings of this operation's title in English include Operation Heaven One and Ten-ichi-gō....
in March, which involved hundreds of kamikaze attacks against U.S. Navy ships in the vicinity of Okinawa. Meanwhile, he gathered even more aircraft and hid them to be used the same fashion in defense of Kyūshū against the expected Allied invasion
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
that was sure to come. Ugaki planned to hit the invasion forces with hundreds of aircraft and suicide boats in a few hours in Operation Ketsu-Go (Decisive Operation).
Final mission
On 15 August 1945, Emperor Showa made a radio announcement conceding defeat and calling for the military to lay down their arms. After listening to the announcement announcing Japan's defeatSurrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, Ugaki made a last entry in his diary noting that he had not yet received an "official" cease-fire order, and that as he alone was to blame for the failure of his valiant aviators to stop the enemy, he would fly one last mission himself to show the true spirit of bushido
Bushido
, meaning "Way of the Warrior-Knight", is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and...
. His subordinates protested, and even after Ugaki had climbed into the backseat of a Yokosuka D4Y
Yokosuka D4Y
The D4Y Navy Type 2 Carrier Dive bomber was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its Allied reporting name was "Judy". The D4Y was one of the fastest dive-bombers of the war, and only the delays in its development hindered its service, while its predecessor, the slower fixed gear Aichi D3A...
"Judy", Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
Akiyoshi Endo—whose place in the kamikaze roster Ugaki had usurped—climbed into the same space that the admiral had already occupied. Thus, the aircraft containing Ugaki took off with three men, as opposed to two each in the remaining ten aircraft. Prior to boarding his aircraft, Ugaki posed for pictures and removed his rank insignia from his dark green uniform, taking only a ceremonial short sword
Tanto
A is one of the traditional Japanese swords that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tantō dates to the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon but evolved in design over the years to become more ornate...
given to him by Admiral Yamamoto.
Endo served as radioman during the mission, sending Ugaki′s final messages, and a final message at 19:24, reported that the plane had begun its dive onto an American vessel. However, U.S. Navy records do not indicate any successful kamikaze attack on that day, and it is likely that all aircraft on the mission (with the exception of three that returned due to engine problems) crashed into the ocean.
The next morning, the crew of American landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
LST-926 found the still smoldering remains of a cockpit with three bodies on the beach of Ishikawajima
Ishikawajima
Ishikawajima could refer to:*IHI Corporation, formerly known as Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries*Ishikawajima Aircraft Company Limited*Ishikawajima Ne-20, Japan's first turbojet engine...
. The third man, his head crushed and right arm missing, wore a dark green uniform and a short sword was found nearby. The sailors buried the bodies in the sand.
External links
- Fading Victory - book review
- Bio at World War II Database