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Horii file photo [6453]

Tomitaro Horii

SurnameHorii
Given NameTomitaro
Born1890
Died23 Nov 1942
CountryJapan
CategoryMilitary-Ground
GenderMale

Contributor:

ww2dbaseTomitaro Horii was born in Hyogo prefecture, Japan. He graduated from the Japanese military academy in 1911 and became an infantry officer. During the First Battle of Shanghai in 1932, he was assigned to the headquarters of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army. He commanded the 55th Infantry Group, later renamed the South Seas Force, beginning in 1941, with which group he participated in many landings during Japan's southward expansion. To curb the rampant atrocities being committed by his troops, he issued the "Guide to Soldiers in the South Seas" in late 1941, which consisted of five simple statements:

ww2dbaseDuring the New Guinea campaign, Major General Horii achieved the impossible by leading a column of 8,500 men of the 144th Regiment across the Kokoda Trail over the treacherous Owen Stanley mountain range. Even though he achieved surprised and initially drove back the Australian defenders, logistics across the trail broke down, and his troops began to fight on empty stomachs. Mainly because of a change in the overall war situation, Horii was ordered to fall back onto the trail, marching all remaining soldiers back across the Owen Stanley for Buna on the northern coast. He knew it was no easy task to cross the trail once again, but the food situation rendered him without choice even if he did not receive the order to fall back. En route, Horii took a misstep while crossing the Kumusi River and drowned.

ww2dbaseSources: Darkest Hour, Goodbye Darkness, Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Feb 2007

Photographs

Portrait of Horii, date unknown

Tomitaro Horii Timeline

1 Jan 1890 Tomitaro Horii was born.
23 Nov 1942 Major General Tomitaro Horii, his chief of staff, and another staff officer died when the canoe on which they traveled aboard capsized in the Kumusi River in Australian Papua.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Israel Kendep says:
7 Apr 2019 12:38:52 AM

I am an Government Officer of the Northern Provincial Government -Papua New Guinea his last command of the KOKODA War... I am pushing to establish a High School in KOKODA to be named after him.... Need some to establish communication with some any of his families...

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More on Tomitaro Horii
Event(s) Participated:
» First Battle of Shanghai
» New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 1, Bismarck Islands
» New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 2
» New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3

Tomitaro Horii Photo Gallery
Portrait of Horii, date unknown


Famous WW2 Quote
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