8th Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)
The IJN 8th Fleet (第八艦隊 (日本海軍), Dai-hachi Kantai) was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy established during World War II.
History
Established on 14 July 1942, the IJN 8th Fleet was a headquarters unit established to direct Japanese naval operations in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea.
The IJN 8th Fleet engaged United States Navy forces in the Battle of Savo Island on August 8 – August 9, 1942, during which IJN 8th Fleet commander in chief Admiral Gunichi Mikawa defeated a superior American force, sinking four of eight cruisers, but failing to follow through a destroy the lightly-protected American transports. [1]
The IJN 8th Fleet also played a major role in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal from November 12-18 1942, during which the Japanese won a tactical victory, but suffered a strategic defeat due to large losses of irreplaceable ships and an inability to completely secure Guadalcanal from American landings.
From 20 December 1942 until the end of the war, the IJN 8th Fleet came under the operational authority of the Southeast Area Fleet. It headquarters staff was isolated on Bougainville Island with remnants of Imperial Japanese Army forces at the end of the war.
Commanders of the IJN 8th Fleet
Commander in chief[2]
| Rank | Name | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Gunichi Mikawa | 14 Jul 1942 - 1 Apr 1943 | |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Baron Tomoshige Samejima | 1 Apr 1943 - 3 Sep 1945 |
Chief of staff
| Rank | Name | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Shinzo Onishi | 14 Jul 1942 - 1 Apr 1943 | |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | Teijiro Yamazumi | 1 Apr 1943 - 3 Sep 1945 |
References
Books
- D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
- Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.
External Links
- Nishida, Hiroshi. "Imperial Japanese Navy". Retrieved 2007-02-25.
- Wendel, Marcus. "Axis History Database". Retrieved 2007-02-25.