World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseVice Admiral Kayutaka Shiraichi was a 42-year veteran of the Japanese Navy. As the chief of staff of Admiral Nobutake Kondo of the Second Fleet, he participated in the invasion of the Philippines, British Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies. He also sailed with Kondo's fleet during the Battle of Midway and various battles in the Solomon Islands area. In Mar 1943, he was recalled back to Tokyo to serve with the Naval Staff Academy. In Sep 1943, he received sea-going duty again as the commanding officer of the 7th Cruiser Squadron, operating in the Philippines. In Oct 1944, he was assigned Chief of Merchant Crews with office in Tokyo. After the war, he was interrogated by American naval personnel in Tokyo. "Although undoubtedly a man of wide experience and general knowledge, Shiraichi appeared to be a broken and sad old man", noted the interrogator. "He continually gazed into space and seemed unable to concentrate. He was not considered a good subject for interrogation."