21 Facts About Tamon Yamaguchi

Tamon Yamaguchi was a rear admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy who served during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and in the Pacific War during World War II.

Tamon Yamaguchi was born in Koishikawa, Tokyo, and was the third son of a former samurai retainer of Matsue Domain.

Tamon Yamaguchi's given name "Tamon" was the childhood name of the medieval hero Kusunoki Masashige.

Tamon Yamaguchi attended the Kaisei Academy and was accepted into the 40th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, which he graduated in 1912, ranked 21st out of 144 cadets.

Tamon Yamaguchi was dispatched to the Mediterranean with the Japanese fleet as part of Japan's contribution to the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in World War I and participated in combat operations as an officer on the destroyer Kashi based on Malta from July 1918.

In March 1921, Tamon Yamaguchi was sent to the United States to attend Princeton University at the Navy's expense, and returned to Japan in May 1923.

Tamon Yamaguchi then attended the Naval Staff College, from which he graduated with honors in November 1926.

Tamon Yamaguchi served as an instructor at the Naval Staff College from November 1932 and was promoted to the rank of captain in December of that year.

Tamon Yamaguchi was the naval attache to the Japanese embassy at Washington, DC, from June 1934 to November 1936.

Tamon Yamaguchi was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1938.

In November 1940, Tamon Yamaguchi was reassigned to command the 2nd Carrier Division, consisting of the aircraft carriers Soryu and Hiryu.

In preparation for the attack on Pearl Harbor, Tamon Yamaguchi trained his flight crews ruthlessly, which led to many accidents and complaints; however, the training paid off after the start of combat operations.

Tamon Yamaguchi proposed an ambitious plan that included the occupation of New Zealand and Australia in July, and occupation of Hawaii in January 1943.

Tamon Yamaguchi called for an immediate strike on the US ship, with the planes armed as they were, but Nagumo decided instead to wait until the planes had been re-armed.

Tamon Yamaguchi quickly ordered two successive attacks on Yorktown which crippled it.

Tamon Yamaguchi was killed in action, as he, along with ship's captain, Tomeo Kaku, chose to go down with Hiryu.

Tamon Yamaguchi refused to allow his staff officers to stay with them.

Tamon Yamaguchi asked Commander Ito to deliver two last messages.

Tamon Yamaguchi was posthumously promoted to the rank of vice admiral and awarded the Order of the Golden Kite, 1st class.

Tamon Yamaguchi appears in the 2009 manga series by Kouta Hirano, Drifters.

In Toei's 2011 war film Isoroku, Tamon Yamaguchi was portrayed by Hiroshi Abe.