Masaichi Niimi
Masaichi Niimi | |
|---|---|
Hideki Tōjō | |
| Preceded by | Sir Mark Aitchison Young |
| Succeeded by | Rensuke Isogai |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 February 1887 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, Maizuru Naval District |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II Battle of Hong Kong |
Niimi was born in what is now Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City, in Hiroshima Prefecture, as the second son to a farming and soy sauce producing family. He entered the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy on 2 December 1905 and graduated from its 36th class on 21 November 1908, ranking 15th out of 191 cadets. As a midshipman, he served on the cruisers Aso and Izumo. He was commissioned an ensign on 15 January 1910 and promoted to sub-lieutenant on 1 December 1911.
He attended naval artillery and torpedo school in 1910, and was then assigned back to the Aso, followed by the destroyer Yayoi.
Promoted to lieutenant on 1 December 1914, he served on the cruiser
On his return to Japan, he was assigned as executive officer on the cruiser Kuma in 1926. He was promoted to captain on 30 November 1929. On 1 April 1931, he was given his first command: the cruiser Ōi. He subsequently served as captain of the cruisers Yakumo and Maya.
Niimi was promoted to
On 4 April 1941, he assumed command of the
On 14 July 1942, he became
Niimi survived the war and died in 1993, aged 106. At his death, he was the last surviving vice-admiral of the Imperial Navy.
References
- Notes
- Books
- Evans, David (1979). Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-192-7.
- Lindsay, Oliver (2006). The Battle for Hong Kong, 1941-1945: Hostage to Fortune. McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 0-7735-3162-9.
External links
- Nishida, Hiroshi. "Materials of IJN (Naval Academy class 36)". Retrieved 17 August 2022.
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