Takeo Takagi

Takeo Takagi (高木 武雄, Takagi Takeo, 25 January 1892 – 8 July 1944) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Takeo Takagi
Japanese Admiral Takeo Takagi
Born(1892-01-25)January 25, 1892 [1]
Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan
DiedJuly 8, 1944(1944-07-08) (aged 52)
Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands
Allegiance Empire of Japan
Service/branch Imperial Japanese Navy
Years of service1911–1944
Rank Admiral (posthumous)
Commands heldNagara, Takao, Mutsu
2nd NGS Division Mobilization, 5th Cruiser Division, Carrier Strike Force, Mako Guard District, Takao Guard District, IJN 6th Fleet[2]
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsOrder of the Rising Sun (2nd class)
Order of the Rising Sun (4th class)
Order of the Golden Kite (2nd class)[3]

Biography

Takagi was a native of Iwaki city, Fukushima prefecture. He was a graduate of the 39th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, ranking 17th of 148 cadets in 1911. As a midshipman, he served on the cruiser Aso and battleship Shikishima, and after his commissioning as ensign, on the cruiser Asama and battleship Kawachi.

As a lieutenant, he served on submarine S-15, and following advanced coursework in navigation and in torpedo warfare, he became executive officer and then captain of the submarine S-24. After graduation from Naval Staff College in 1923, he was promoted to lieutenant commander, and assumed command of the submarine Ro-28, followed by Ro-68 in 1926. He was promoted to commander in 1928, and held a number of staff positions. He was sent to the United States and Europe in 1931, and promoted to captain in 1932.

In 1933, Takagi was assigned command of the cruiser Nagara, followed by Takao in 1936 and the battleship Mutsu in 1937. Takagi was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1938, and was Chief of the 2nd Section of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff in 1939.

At the start of the Pacific War, Takagi was commanding the naval forces supporting the invasion of the Philippine Islands in late 1941, Takagi headed the task force covering the Java landings in Dutch East Indies. He was senior Japanese commander in the Battle of the Java Sea, sinking two cruisers and three destroyers in exchange for damage to a single Japanese destroyer.

Takagi was promoted to vice admiral on 1 May 1942. He was commander of the carrier task force (Shōkaku and Zuikaku) in "Operation Mo". Thus he was also senior Japanese commander at the Battle of the Coral Sea. He commanded the 5th Cruiser Division during the Battle of Midway.

In November 1942, Takagi was reassigned to be commander of the Mako Guard District. In April 1943, The Guard District moved to Takao, Taiwan and Takagi was assigned to be commander of the renamed Takao Guard District. On 21 June 1943, he was again given a front line assignment, when he was made commander of the IJN 6th Fleet (submarines), based in the Mariana Islands.

Takagi was killed in action during the Battle of Saipan in 1944. Missing after the battle, it is not clear whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape in a submarine.[4] He was posthumously promoted to full admiral.

References

Books
  • Fuller, Richard. "Hirohito's Samurai. Leaders of the Japanese Armed Forces, 1926-1945." Arms and Armour Press (1991).
  • Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-914-X.
  • Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.
  • Hara, Tameichi (1961). Japanese Destroyer Captain. New York & Toronto: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-27894-1. - Firsthand account of the battle by the captain of the Japanese destroyer Amatsukaze.
  • Hornfischer, James D. (2006). Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of Her Survivors. Bantam. ISBN 0-553-80390-5.
  • Morison, Samuel Eliot (2001) [1958]. The Rising Sun in the Pacific 1931 - April 1942, vol. 3 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Castle Books. ISBN 0-7858-1304-7.
  • Schultz, Duane (1985). The Last Battle Station: The Story of the USS Houston. St Martins Press. ISBN 0-312-46973-X.
  • van Oosten, F. C. (1976). The Battle of the Java Sea (Sea battles in close-up; 15). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-911-1.
  • Spector, Ronald (1985). "The Short, Unhappy Life of ABDACOM". Eagle Against the Sun : The American War With Japan. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-394-74101-3.
  • Whiting, Brendan (1995). Ship of Courage: The Epic Story of HMAS Perth and Her Crew. Australia: Allen & Unwin Pty., Limited. ISBN 1-86373-653-0.
  • Winslow, Walter G. (1994). The Fleet the Gods Forgot: The U.S. Asiatic Fleet in World War II. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-928-X.
  • Niek Koppen (Director) (1995). Slag in de Javazee, De (The Battle of the Java Sea) (Documentary film). Netherlands: NFM/IAF. — 135 minute documentary of the battle. Won the "Golden Calf" award for "Best Long Documentary" at the 1996 Nederlands Film Festival.

Notes
  1. Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy
  2. "Takagi Takeo". Archived from the original on 2020-01-02.
  3. "Takagi Takeo". Archived from the original on 2020-01-02.
  4. Takagi Takeo (1892-1944)


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