The 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.
History 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.
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 Based at Samah, Hainan Island
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
Distant Cover Force Distant Cover ForceCommanderVesselNobutake Kondō (Commander of IJN 2nd Fleet)KongōFlagshipKongō (flagship of 3rd Battleship Division & flagship of IJN 2nd Fleet)UnitsConstituents3rd Battleship Division2 Kongō-class battleshipsHarunaKongō4th Cruiser Division2 Takao-class heavy cruisersTakaoAtago4th Destroyer Division10 Destroyers6th Destroyer Division8th Destroyer Division
Closed Cover Force Closed Cover ForceCommanderVesselJisaburō OzawaChōkaiFlagshipChōkai (flagship of 4th Cruiser Division) (+ 1 Destroyer)UnitsConstituents7th Cruiser Division4 Mogami-class heavy cruisersMogamiMikumaSuzuyaKumano3rd Destroyer Squadron1 Nagara-class light cruiserYura8 Destroyers
Invasion Force Invasion ForceCommanderVesselShintarō HashimotoSendaiFlagshipN/AUnitsConstituents3rd Destroyer Squadron1 Sendai-class light cruiserSendai10 Destroyers12th Seaplane Tender Squadron1 Kamikawa Maru-class seaplane tenderKamikawa Maru (12 Seaplanes)1 Sakito Maru-class seaplane tenderSagara Maru (8 Seaplanes)3 Minesweepers10 Army Transport Ships3rd Destroyer Squadron1 Katori-class light cruiserKashii7 Army Transport Ships
Commanders of the IJN 2nd Fleet
Commanders, IJN 2nd FleetWendel, Axis History Database Rank Name Date1 Vice-Admiral Hikonojo Kamimura 27 October 1903 – 20 December 19052 Vice-Admiral Baron Dewa Shigeto 20 December 1905 – 22 November 19063 Vice-Admiral Baron Ijuin Gorō 22 November 1906 – 26 May 19084 Vice-Admiral Baron Dewa Shigeto 26 May 1908 – 1 December 19095 Vice-Admiral Shimamura Hayao 1 December 1909 – 1 December 19116 Vice Admiral Yoshimatsu Motaro 1 December 1911 – 1 December 19127 Vice Admiral Ijichi Suetaka 1 December 1912 – 1 December 19138 Vice Admiral Kato Sadakichi 1 December 1913 – 5 February 19159 Vice Admiral Nawa Matahachiro 5 February 1915 – 13 December 191510 Vice Admiral Baron Yashiro Rokuro 13 December 1915 – 1 December 191711 Vice Admiral Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito 1 December 1917 – 13 June 191812 Vice Admiral* Yamaya Tanin 13 June 1918 – 1 December 191913 Vice Admiral Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu 1 December 1919 – 1 December 192014 Vice Admiral Baron Kantarō Suzuki 1 December 1920 – 1 December 1921Disbanded (1 December 1921 – 1 December 1922)15 Vice Admiral Naoe Nakano 1 December 1922 – 1 June 192316 Vice Admiral Hiroharu Kato 1 June 1923 – 1 December 192417 Vice Admiral Hanroku Saito 1 December 1924 – 16 September 192518 Vice Admiral Saburo Hyakutake 16 September 1925 – 10 December 192619 Vice Admiral Yasuhira Yoshikawa 10 December 1926 – 16 May 192820 Vice Admiral Koshiro Otani 16 May 1928 – 10 December 192821 Vice Admiral Mineo Ōsumi 10 December 1928 – 11 November 192922 Vice Admiral Nobutaro Iida 11 November 1929 – 1 December 193023 Vice Admiral Ryozo Nakamura 1 December 1930 – 1 December 193124 Vice Admiral Nobumasa Suetsugu 1 December 1931 – 15 November 193325 Vice Admiral Sankichi Takahashi 15 November 1933 – 15 November 193426 Vice Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai 15 November 1934 – 2 December 193526 Vice Admiral Takayoshi Kato 2 December 1935 – 1 December 193627 Vice Admiral Zengo Yoshida 1 December 1936 – 1 December 193728 Vice Admiral Shigetarō Shimada 1 December 1937 – 15 November 193829 Vice Admiral Soemu Toyoda 15 November 1938 – 21 October 193930 Vice Admiral Mineichi Koga 21 October 1939 – 1 September 194131 Vice-Admiral Nobutake Kondō 1 September 1941 – 9 August 194332 Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita 9 August 1943 – 23 December 194433 Vice Admiral Seiichi Ito 23 December 1944 – 7 April 1945Vacant (7 April 1945 – 20 April 1945)Position AbolishedVice-Admiral*:- promoted to Admiral during tenure
Chief of Staff to IJN 2nd Fleet Rank Name Date1 Captain* Tomazaburo Kato 28 December 1903 – 12 January 19052 Captain* Kōichi Fujii 12 January 1905 – 20 December 19053 Captain Tanin Yamaya 20 December 1905 – 14 January 1907Vacant (14 January 1907 – 28 September 1907)4 Captain Isamu Takeshita 28 September 1907 – 17 December 19075 Captain Ryokitsu Arima 17 December 1907 – 20 November 19086 Captain Tatsuo Matsumura 20 November 1908 – 1 February 1909Vacant (1 February 1908 – 1 December 1909)7 Captain Shichitaro Takagi 1 December 1909 – 22 January 19118 Captain Kiyokaze Yoshida 22 January 1911 – 1 December 19119 Commander** Baron Kiyokazu Abo 5 December 1911 – 1 December 191210 Captain Kiyokaze Yoshida 1 December 1912 – 1 February 191511 Captain Hiroharu Kato 1 February 1915 – 13 December 191512 Rear-Admiral Yasujiro Nagata 13 December 1915 – 1 December 191613 Rear-Admiral Nobutaro Shimamura 1 December 1916 – 15 September 191714 Rear-Admiral Saburo Hyakutake 15 September 1917 – 10 November 191815 Rear Admiral Shigeushi Nakagawa 10 November 1918 – 1 December 191916 Rear-Admiral Yasuhira Yoshikawa 1 December 1919 – 1 December 192017 Rear-Admiral Kikuo Matsumura 1 December 1920 – 1 December 192118 Rear-Admiral Ryozo Nakamura 1 December 1922 – 6 November 192319 Rear-Admiral Masataka Ando 6 November 1923 – 1 December 192420 Rear-Admiral Yukichi Shima 1 December 1924 – 1 December 192521 Rear-Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai 1 December 1925 – 1 December 192622 Rear-Admiral Shigeru Matsuyama 1 December 1926 – 1 December 192723 Rear-Admiral Ken Terajima 1 December 1927 – 10 December 192824 Rear-Admiral Teikichi Hori 10 December 1928 – 6 September 192925 Rear-Admiral Koichi Shiozawa 6 September 1929 – 1 December 192926 Rear-Admiral Shigetarō Shimada 1 December 1929 – 1 December 193026 Rear Admiral Wasuke Komaki 1 December 1930 – 10 October 193127 Rear-Admiral Kamezaburo Nakamura 10 October 1931 – 15 November 193328 Rear-Admiral Jugoro Arichi 15 November 1933 – 15 November 193429 Rear Admiral Taichi Miki 15 November 1934 – 15 November 193530 Rear-Admiral Shunzo Mito 15 November 1935 – 1 April 193631 Rear-Admiral Masaichi Niimi 1 April 1936 – 1 December 193632 Rear-Admiral Gunichi Mikawa 1 December 1936 – 15 November 193733 Rear-Admiral Seiichi Ito 15 November 1937 – 15 November 193834 Rear-Admiral Takeo Takagi 15 November 1938 – 1 November 193935 Rear-Admiral Yoshio Suzuki 1 November 1939 – 30 August 194136 Rear-Admiral Kazutaka Shiraishi 30 August 1941 – 2 July 194337 Rear-Admiral Tomiji Koyanagi 2 July 1943 – 25 November 194438 Rear Admiral Nobuei Morishita 25 November 1944 – 20 April 1945Position AbolishedCaptain*:- promoted to Rear-Admiral during the tenureCommander**:- promoted to Captain during the tenure
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