Jisaburo Ozawa
Encyclopedia
was an admiral
in the Imperial Japanese Navy
during World War II
. He was the last Commander-in-Chief
of Combined Fleet
. Many military historians regard Ozawa as one of the most capable Japanese flag officers.
, Miyazaki prefecture
on the island of Kyūshū
, Japan.
Ozawa graduated from the 37th class Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
in 1909, placing 45th in a class of 179 cadets. He performed his midshipman service on the cruiser
s and and battleship
.
As an ensign
, Ozawa served on the destroyer
, battleship and cruiser , and as a lieutenant
, on and . He specialized in torpedo
warfare in his studies, and after his graduation from the Naval War College (Japan)
in 1919 and promotion to lieutenant commander
, he was given his first command, the destroyer . He subsequently commanded and . He served as chief torpedo officer on in 1925.
Ozawa served in various staff positions from 1925–1933, except for a one year period in 1930 when he was assigned to visit the United States
and Europe
. On 15 November 1934, he was assigned command of the and the following year.
On 1 December 1936, Ozawa was promoted to rear admiral
. He continued to serve in various staff positions, including Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet in 1937 and Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy. He was promoted to vice admiral
on 15 November 1940.
Ozawa was one of leading advocates of naval aviation
in the Imperial Japanese Navy
. Ozawa was the first high-ranking officer to recommend that the Japanese aircraft carrier
forces be organized into an air fleet so that they could train and fight together.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor
, Ozawa became responsible for Japan's naval operations in the South China Sea
as Commander in Chief of the Southern Expeditionary Fleet covering the invasion of Malaya
. In early 1942 (January to March), his fleet was involved in the invasions of Java and Sumatra
.
In March–April 1942 he commanded the highly successful commerce raiding detachment during the foray into the Indian Ocean.
On 11 November 1942, Ozawa was appointed Commander in Chief of the IJN 3rd Fleet
, relieving Admiral Chūichi Nagumo
as commander of Japan's carrier forces. Ozawa proved an aggressive and skilled commander, but was overwhelmed by the numerical and technological superiority of the United States at the Battle of the Philippine Sea
. After the battle, Ozawa retreated to Okinawa where he tendered his resignation — which was not accepted.
What was left of Ozawa's fleet fought on at the Battle of Leyte Gulf
against the forces of Admiral William Halsey. Although he was the senior admiral at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Ozawa was not given a leading command position since the Japanese battle plan was to sacrifice his force as a decoy so Admiral Takeo Kurita
's Center Force could traverse San Bernardino Strait
and freely fall upon MacArthur
's invasion forces on the Leyte beaches. Nevertheless, Ozawa played his role intelligently and professionally until the end, although his fleet ended its combat career off of the Philippines
as little more than a bait force, flight decks empty for lack of planes and pilots.
On 1945 May 29 he accepted a position on the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
, and was the final CINC of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 29 May 1945. He refused promotion to full admiral, and remained as vice admiral until the final dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Ozawa, nicknamed 'The Gargoyle
' (Onigawara
) by his men, was extremely tall (6'7", 2 m) and was commonly regarded as one of the three ugliest admirals in the Navy. He also had a reputation of being both courageous and compassionate towards his men.
Ozawa died in 1966 at the age of 80.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
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...
. He was the last Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of Combined Fleet
Combined Fleet
The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Combined Fleet was not a standing force, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units normally under separate commands in peacetime....
. Many military historians regard Ozawa as one of the most capable Japanese flag officers.
Biography
Ozawa was born in rural Koyu CountyKoyu District, Miyazaki
Koyu is a district located in Miyazaki, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 78,392 and the density of 109.52 persons per km². The total area is 715.80 km².-Towns and villages:*Kawaminami*Kijō*Nishimera...
, Miyazaki prefecture
Miyazaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....
on the island of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Japan.
Ozawa graduated from the 37th class Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
in 1909, placing 45th in a class of 179 cadets. He performed his midshipman service on the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and and battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
.
As an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
, Ozawa served on the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, battleship and cruiser , and as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, on and . He specialized in torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
warfare in his studies, and after his graduation from the Naval War College (Japan)
Naval War College (Japan)
The was the staff college of the Imperial Japanese Navy, responsible for training officers for command positions either on warships, or in staff roles....
in 1919 and promotion to lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
, he was given his first command, the destroyer . He subsequently commanded and . He served as chief torpedo officer on in 1925.
Ozawa served in various staff positions from 1925–1933, except for a one year period in 1930 when he was assigned to visit the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. On 15 November 1934, he was assigned command of the and the following year.
On 1 December 1936, Ozawa was promoted to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
. He continued to serve in various staff positions, including Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet in 1937 and Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy. He was promoted to vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
on 15 November 1940.
Ozawa was one of leading advocates of naval aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. Ozawa was the first high-ranking officer to recommend that the Japanese aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
forces be organized into an air fleet so that they could train and fight together.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, Ozawa became responsible for Japan's naval operations in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
as Commander in Chief of the Southern Expeditionary Fleet covering the invasion of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. In early 1942 (January to March), his fleet was involved in the invasions of Java and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
.
In March–April 1942 he commanded the highly successful commerce raiding detachment during the foray into the Indian Ocean.
On 11 November 1942, Ozawa was appointed Commander in Chief of the IJN 3rd Fleet
IJN 3rd Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, which was created on six separate occasions.-Russo-Japanese War:First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 3rd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as an administrative unit to manage various vessels considered too obsolete for...
, relieving Admiral Chūichi Nagumo
Chuichi Nagumo
was a Japanese admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II and one time commander of the Kido Butai . He committed suicide during the Battle of Saipan.-Early life:...
as commander of Japan's carrier forces. Ozawa proved an aggressive and skilled commander, but was overwhelmed by the numerical and technological superiority of the United States at the Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
. After the battle, Ozawa retreated to Okinawa where he tendered his resignation — which was not accepted.
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
against the forces of Admiral William Halsey. Although he was the senior admiral at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Ozawa was not given a leading command position since the Japanese battle plan was to sacrifice his force as a decoy so Admiral Takeo Kurita
Takeo Kurita
Vice Admiral was a vice-admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.-Early life:Kurita was born in Mito city, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1889. He was sent off to Etajima in 1905 and graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked 28th out of a class of...
's Center Force could traverse San Bernardino Strait
San Bernardino Strait
The San Bernardino Strait is a strait in the Philippines. It separates the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon island from the island of Samar in the south.-Filipinos and San Bernardino Strait:...
and freely fall upon MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
's invasion forces on the Leyte beaches. Nevertheless, Ozawa played his role intelligently and professionally until the end, although his fleet ended its combat career off of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
as little more than a bait force, flight decks empty for lack of planes and pilots.
On 1945 May 29 he accepted a position on the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
, and was the final CINC of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 29 May 1945. He refused promotion to full admiral, and remained as vice admiral until the final dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Ozawa, nicknamed 'The Gargoyle
Gargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
' (Onigawara
Onigawara
are a type of roof ornamentation found in Japanese architecture. They are generally roof tiles or statues depicting a Japanese ogre or a fearsome beast. Prior to the Heian period, similar ornaments with floral and plant designs preceded the onigawara...
) by his men, was extremely tall (6'7", 2 m) and was commonly regarded as one of the three ugliest admirals in the Navy. He also had a reputation of being both courageous and compassionate towards his men.
Ozawa died in 1966 at the age of 80.