Yumio Nasu
Encyclopedia
was a major general
and a division commander in the Imperial Japanese Army
(IJA) during World War II
.
, Nasu graduated from the 25th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1913 and from the 35th class of the Army Staff College
in 1923. He served in various staff positions within the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, and was assigned to the Taiwan Army of Japan
in 1917. In 1935 he served on the staff of the Kwangtung Army and participated in Operation Chahar
. Nasu was promoted to major general
in 1940, and became commander of the IJA 3rd Infantry Brigade.
During the Guadalcanal campaign
Nasu landed on Guadalcanal
with the IJA 2nd Division during the first week of October 1942 in response to the Allied
landings on the island. Nasu commanded one of the 2nd Division's large infantry groups, comprising infantry battalions from several regiments during the resulting October Matanikau action and Battle for Henderson Field
. On October 25, 1942, while leading his troops against United States
positions, Nasu was mortally wounded by rifle fire and died early the next morning.
He was posthumously promoted to lieutenant general
.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and a division commander in the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
(IJA) 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...
.
Biography
A native of Tochigi PrefectureTochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
, Nasu graduated from the 25th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1913 and from the 35th class of the Army Staff College
Army War College (Japan)
The ; Short form: of the Empire of Japan was founded in 1882 in Minato, Tokyo to modernize and Westernize the Imperial Japanese Army. Much of the empire's elite including prime ministers during the period of Japanese militarism were graduates of the college....
in 1923. He served in various staff positions within the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, and was assigned to the Taiwan Army of Japan
Taiwan Army of Japan
The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army recruited from, and stationed, on the island of Taiwan as a garrison force.-History:Following the First Sino-Japanese War, the Treaty of Shimonoseki transferred control of Taiwan from Qing dynasty China to the Empire of Japan. The Japanese government...
in 1917. In 1935 he served on the staff of the Kwangtung Army and participated in Operation Chahar
Operation Chahar
Operation Chahar, known by the Japanese as チャハル作戦 and by the Chinese as the 长城抗战 , occurred in August 1937, following the Battle of Beiping-Tianjin at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War....
. Nasu was promoted to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1940, and became commander of the IJA 3rd Infantry Brigade.
During the Guadalcanal campaign
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
Nasu landed on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
with the IJA 2nd Division during the first week of October 1942 in response to the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
landings on the island. Nasu commanded one of the 2nd Division's large infantry groups, comprising infantry battalions from several regiments during the resulting October Matanikau action and Battle for Henderson Field
Battle for Henderson Field
The Battle for Henderson Field, also known as the Battle of Henderson Field or Battle of Lunga Point by the Japanese, took place from 23-26 October 1942 on and around Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands...
. On October 25, 1942, while leading his troops against United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
positions, Nasu was mortally wounded by rifle fire and died early the next morning.
He was posthumously promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
.