2nd Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)

The 2nd Fleet (第二艦隊, Dai-ni Kantai) was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) created as a mobile strike force in response to hostilities with Russia, and saw action in every IJN military operation until the end of World War II.

2nd Fleet
Active27 October 1903 – 20 April 1945
Country Japan
Branch Imperial Japanese Navy
Engagements
Battle honoursPacific War
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Kamimura Hikonojo
Soemu Toyoda
Seiichi Ito

History

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Established on 27 October 1903, the 2nd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to pursue the Imperial Russian Navy's Vladivostok-based cruiser squadron while the remaining bulk of the Japanese fleet (the IJN 1st Fleet) continued to blockade Port Arthur in hopes of luring the battleships of the Russian Pacific Fleet into an open sea classic line of battle confrontation.

 
Letter from Vice admiral Ijuin Gorō to Italian Royal Navy Lieutenant Ernesto Burzagli thanking him for courtesies extended to the Imperial Japanese Navy Second Fleet which visited Italy in 1907.

As the main mobile force in the IJN, the 2nd Fleet saw the bulk of all future IJN combat operations from the time of its inception until IJN dissolution at the end of World War II.

Order of Battle at time of Pearl Harbor

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Based at Samah, Hainan Island[1]

4th Division

CA Takao (fleet flagship)
CA Atago
CA Chōkai
CA Maya

5th Division

CA Haguro (flagship)
CA Myōkō
CA Nachi

7th Division

CA Kumano (flagship)
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CA Suzuya

8th Division

CA Tone (flagship)
CA Chikuma

Other

AD Kamikaze Maru

2nd Destroyer Squadron

CL Jintsū (flagship)
8th Destroyer Division
DD Arashio
DD Asashio
DD Michishio
DD Ōshio
15th Destroyer Division
DD Hayashio
DD Kuroshio
DD Natsushio
DD Oyashio
16th Destroyer Division
DD Amatsukaze
DD Hatsukaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Yukikaze
18th Destroyer Division
DD Arare
DD Kagerō
DD Kasumi
DD Shiranuhi

4th Destroyer Squadron

CL Naka (flagship)
2nd Destroyer Division
DD Harusame
DD Murasame
DD Samidare
DD Yudachi
4th Destroyer Division
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze
DD Maikaze
DD Nowaki
9th Destroyer Division
DD Asagumo
DD Minegumo
DD Natsugumo
DD Yamagumo
24th Destroyer Division
DD Kawakaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Umikaze
DD Yamakaze

Order in the Malayan Campaign

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Distant Cover Force

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Distant Cover Force
Commander Vessel
Nobutake Kondō (Commander of IJN 2nd Fleet) Kongō
Flagship
Kongō (flagship of 3rd Battleship Division & flagship of IJN 2nd Fleet)
Units Constituents
3rd Battleship Division 2 Kongō-class battleships Haruna
Kongō
4th Cruiser Division 2 Takao-class heavy cruisers Takao
Atago
4th Destroyer Division 10 Destroyers
6th Destroyer Division
8th Destroyer Division

Closed Cover Force

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Closed Cover Force
Commander Vessel
Jisaburō Ozawa Chōkai
Flagship
Chōkai (flagship of 4th Cruiser Division) (+ 1 Destroyer)
Units Constituents
7th Cruiser Division 4 Mogami-class heavy cruisers Mogami
Mikuma
Suzuya
Kumano
3rd Destroyer Squadron 1 Nagara-class light cruiser Yura
8 Destroyers

Invasion Force

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Invasion Force
Commander Vessel
Shintarō Hashimoto Sendai
Flagship
N/A
Units Constituents
3rd Destroyer Squadron 1 Sendai-class light cruiser Sendai
10 Destroyers
12th Seaplane Tender Squadron 1 Kamikawa Maru-class seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru (12 Seaplanes)
1 Sakito Maru-class seaplane tender Sagara Maru (8 Seaplanes)
3 Minesweepers
10 Army Transport Ships
3rd Destroyer Squadron 1 Katori-class light cruiser Kashii
7 Army Transport Ships

Commanders of the IJN 2nd Fleet

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Commanders, IJN 2nd Fleet[2]
Rank Name Date
1 Vice-Admiral Hikonojo Kamimura 27 October 1903 – 20 December 1905
2 Vice-Admiral Baron Dewa Shigeto 20 December 1905 – 22 November 1906
3 Vice-Admiral Baron Ijuin Gorō 22 November 1906 – 26 May 1908
4 Vice-Admiral Baron Dewa Shigeto 26 May 1908 – 1 December 1909
5 Vice-Admiral Shimamura Hayao 1 December 1909 – 1 December 1911
6 Vice Admiral Yoshimatsu Motaro 1 December 1911 – 1 December 1912
7 Vice Admiral Ijichi Suetaka 1 December 1912 – 1 December 1913
8 Vice Admiral Kato Sadakichi 1 December 1913 – 5 February 1915
9 Vice Admiral Nawa Matahachiro 5 February 1915 – 13 December 1915
10 Vice Admiral Baron Yashiro Rokuro 13 December 1915 – 1 December 1917
11 Vice Admiral Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito 1 December 1917 – 13 June 1918
12 Vice Admiral* Yamaya Tanin 13 June 1918 – 1 December 1919
13 Vice Admiral Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu 1 December 1919 – 1 December 1920
14 Vice Admiral Baron Kantarō Suzuki 1 December 1920 – 1 December 1921
Disbanded (1 December 1921 – 1 December 1922)
15 Vice Admiral Naoe Nakano 1 December 1922 – 1 June 1923
16 Vice Admiral Hiroharu Kato 1 June 1923 – 1 December 1924
17 Vice Admiral Hanroku Saito 1 December 1924 – 16 September 1925
18 Vice Admiral Saburo Hyakutake 16 September 1925 – 10 December 1926
19 Vice Admiral Yasuhira Yoshikawa 10 December 1926 – 16 May 1928
20 Vice Admiral Koshiro Otani 16 May 1928 – 10 December 1928
21 Vice Admiral Mineo Ōsumi 10 December 1928 – 11 November 1929
22 Vice Admiral Nobutaro Iida 11 November 1929 – 1 December 1930
23 Vice Admiral Ryozo Nakamura 1 December 1930 – 1 December 1931
24 Vice Admiral Nobumasa Suetsugu 1 December 1931 – 15 November 1933
25 Vice Admiral Sankichi Takahashi 15 November 1933 – 15 November 1934
26 Vice Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai 15 November 1934 – 2 December 1935
26 Vice Admiral Takayoshi Kato 2 December 1935 – 1 December 1936
27 Vice Admiral Zengo Yoshida 1 December 1936 – 1 December 1937
28 Vice Admiral Shigetarō Shimada 1 December 1937 – 15 November 1938
29 Vice Admiral Soemu Toyoda 15 November 1938 – 21 October 1939
30 Vice Admiral Mineichi Koga 21 October 1939 – 1 September 1941
31 Vice-Admiral Nobutake Kondō 1 September 1941 – 9 August 1943
32 Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita 9 August 1943 – 23 December 1944
33 Vice Admiral Seiichi Ito 23 December 1944 – 7 April 1945
Vacant (7 April 1945 – 20 April 1945)
Position Abolished
Vice-Admiral*:- promoted to Admiral during tenure
Chief of Staff to IJN 2nd Fleet[2]
Rank Name Date
1 Captain* Tomazaburo Kato 28 December 1903 – 12 January 1905
2 Captain* Kōichi Fujii 12 January 1905 – 20 December 1905
3 Captain Tanin Yamaya 20 December 1905 – 14 January 1907
Vacant (14 January 1907 – 28 September 1907)
4 Captain Isamu Takeshita 28 September 1907 – 17 December 1907
5 Captain Ryokitsu Arima 17 December 1907 – 20 November 1908
6 Captain Tatsuo Matsumura 20 November 1908 – 1 February 1909
Vacant (1 February 1908 – 1 December 1909)
7 Captain Shichitaro Takagi 1 December 1909 – 22 January 1911
8 Captain Kiyokaze Yoshida 22 January 1911 – 1 December 1911
9 Commander** Baron Kiyokazu Abo 5 December 1911 – 1 December 1912
10 Captain Kiyokaze Yoshida 1 December 1912 – 1 February 1915
11 Captain Hiroharu Kato 1 February 1915 – 13 December 1915
12 Rear-Admiral Yasujiro Nagata 13 December 1915 – 1 December 1916
13 Rear-Admiral Nobutaro Shimamura 1 December 1916 – 15 September 1917
14 Rear-Admiral Saburo Hyakutake 15 September 1917 – 10 November 1918
15 Rear Admiral Shigeushi Nakagawa 10 November 1918 – 1 December 1919
16 Rear-Admiral Yasuhira Yoshikawa 1 December 1919 – 1 December 1920
17 Rear-Admiral Kikuo Matsumura 1 December 1920 – 1 December 1921
18 Rear-Admiral Ryozo Nakamura 1 December 1922 – 6 November 1923
19 Rear-Admiral Masataka Ando 6 November 1923 – 1 December 1924
20 Rear-Admiral Yukichi Shima 1 December 1924 – 1 December 1925
21 Rear-Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai 1 December 1925 – 1 December 1926
22 Rear-Admiral Shigeru Matsuyama 1 December 1926 – 1 December 1927
23 Rear-Admiral Ken Terajima 1 December 1927 – 10 December 1928
24 Rear-Admiral Teikichi Hori 10 December 1928 – 6 September 1929
25 Rear-Admiral Koichi Shiozawa 6 September 1929 – 1 December 1929
26 Rear-Admiral Shigetarō Shimada 1 December 1929 – 1 December 1930
26 Rear Admiral Wasuke Komaki 1 December 1930 – 10 October 1931
27 Rear-Admiral Kamezaburo Nakamura 10 October 1931 – 15 November 1933
28 Rear-Admiral Jugoro Arichi 15 November 1933 – 15 November 1934
29 Rear Admiral Taichi Miki 15 November 1934 – 15 November 1935
30 Rear-Admiral Shunzo Mito 15 November 1935 – 1 April 1936
31 Rear-Admiral Masaichi Niimi 1 April 1936 – 1 December 1936
32 Rear-Admiral Gunichi Mikawa 1 December 1936 – 15 November 1937
33 Rear-Admiral Seiichi Ito 15 November 1937 – 15 November 1938
34 Rear-Admiral Takeo Takagi 15 November 1938 – 1 November 1939
35 Rear-Admiral Yoshio Suzuki 1 November 1939 – 30 August 1941
36 Rear-Admiral Kazutaka Shiraishi 30 August 1941 – 2 July 1943
37 Rear-Admiral Tomiji Koyanagi 2 July 1943 – 25 November 1944
38 Rear Admiral Nobuei Morishita 25 November 1944 – 20 April 1945
Position Abolished
Captain*:- promoted to Rear-Admiral during the tenure
Commander**:- promoted to Captain during the tenure

References

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Books

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  • 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.
  • Lacroix, Eric; Linton Wells (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-311-3.
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Notes

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  1. ^ Niehorster, Leo; Alsleben, Al; Yoda, Tadashi. "Administrative Order of Battle – 2nd Fleet, Combined Fleet, 7 December 1941". Imperial Japanese Armed Forces.
  2. ^ a b Wendel, Axis History Database