The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
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Japanese Navy. Via CombinedFleet.com
Ozawa was born in southern Kyushu in 1886. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1909 and the Torpedo School in 1917. He served on most ship types and was a rear admiral by 1937. He was a vice admiral and commander of Japan's Southern Fleet during the invasion of Malaya in 1941.
Most historians regard Ozawa as one of the most capable Japanese flag officers. Though a surface warfare and torpedo expert, he had commanded 1 Carrier Division, and had absorbed many lessons from his air-minded subordinates, particular Fuchida Mitsuo, who later led the Pearl Harbor raid. Ozawa was the first high-ranking officer to recommend that the Japanese carrier forces be organized into an air fleet so that they could train and fight together.
Ozawa relieved Nagumo as commander of Japan's carrier forces in November 1942. He proved an aggressive and skilled commander, making the best of bad situations in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and at Leyte Gulf. His strategies were as sound as the situation permitted, his command simply being overwhelmed by American numerical, tactical, and technological superiority. He was the last commander of Combined Fleet, which by then was virtually nonexistent.
Ozawa was extremely tall for a Japanese (6'7") and was regarded as extraordinarily courageous, but he was also modest in demeanor and compassionate towards his men, refusing promotion to full Admiral. Reputedly one of the three ugliest admirals in the Imperial Navy, his nickname was "The Gargoyle" (Onigawara).| 1886-10-2 | Born in southern Kyushu | |
| 1909-11-19
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Midshipman |
Graduates from Naval Academy, standing
45th in a class of 179. Assigned to AC Soya |
| 1910-7-16 | BB Mikasa | |
| 1910-12-1 | AC Kasuga |
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| 1910-12-15 | Ensign | |
| 1912-4-24 | Gunnery School Basic Course | |
| 1912-8-9 | Torpedo School Basic Course | |
| 1912-12-1 | Lieutenant | |
| 1912-12-20 | DD Arare | |
| 1913-12-1 | Hiei |
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| 1915-2-8 | AC Chitose | |
| 1915-2-25 | Yokosuka
Sailor Corps |
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| 1915-12-13 | Lieutenant | BB Kawachi |
| 1916-12-1 | Naval College B-Course | |
| 1917-5-1 | Torpedo School Advanced Course | |
| 1917-12-1 | Commander, Torpedo Boat Division 2 |
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| 1918-11-1 | DD Hinoki | |
| 1919-12-1 | Naval College A-Course | |
| 1921-12-1 | Lieutenant
commander |
Commander, Take |
| 1922-12-1 | Staff, Mako Guard District |
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| 1923-8-5 | Commander, Shimakaze | |
| 1925-1-20 | Commander, DD-3 | |
| 1925-11-10 | Kongo | |
| 1926-5-7 | Staff, Combined Fleet |
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| 1926-12-1 | Commander | Staff, Destroyer Squadron 1 |
| 1927-12-1 | Instructor, Torpedo School | |
| 1929-11-30 | 1 Naval District |
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| 1929-12-1 | Navy General Staff |
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| 1930-2-5 | Trip to Europe, United States |
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| 1930-12-1 | Captain | Commander, Destroyer Division 1 |
| 1931-1-31 | Commander, Destroyer Division 4 |
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| 1931-4-10 | 1 Naval District | |
| 1931-10-10 | Commander, Destroyer Division 11 |
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| 1931-12-1 | Instructor, Naval College |
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| 1934-11-15 | Commander, Maya | |
| 1935-10-28 | Commander, Haruna | |
| 1936-12-1 | Rear admiral |
Instructor, Naval College |
| 1937-2-18 | Chief of staff, Combined Fleet |
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| 1937-11-15 | Commander, Cruiser Division 8 |
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| 1938-11-15 | Schoolmaster, Torpedo School |
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| 1939-11-15 | Commander, Carrier Division 1 |
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| 1940-11-1 | Commander, Cruiser Division 3 |
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| 1940-11-15 | Vice admiral |
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| 1941-9. 6 | Director, Naval College | |
| 1941-10-18 | Commander, Southern Fleet | |
| 1942-1-3 | Commander, First Southern Expeditionary Fleet | |
| 1942-7-14 | Navy General Staff |
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| 1942-11-11 | Commander, 3 Fleet |
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| 1944-3-1 |
Commander, 1 Mobile Fleet |
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| 1944-11-15 | Navy General Staff |
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| 1944-11-18 | Vice Chief of the Navy General Staff |
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| 1945-5-19 | Navy General Staff |
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| 1945-5-29 | Commander, Combined Fleet | |
| 1945-10-10 | Retires |
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| 1966-11-9 | died (80) |
References
CombinedFleet.com (accessed 2007-1-6)
Materials
of IJN (accessed 2008-1-11)
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2007 by Kent G. Budge. Index
