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Masafumi Arima
Surname | Arima |
Given Name | Masafumi |
Born | 25 Sep 1895 |
Died | 15 Oct 1944 |
Country | Japan |
Category | Military-Sea |
Gender | Male |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseMasafumi Arima was born in Ijuin village (now part of Hioki city), Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan in 1895. He attended Tsurumaru Kagoshima Prefectural High School before joining the Japanese Navy. Despite his family's financial troubles during this time, he graduated from the Japanese Naval Academy in 1915 and served aboard cruiser Iwate as a midshipman, aboard which he would visit ports in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and other places. In the 1920s, he served aboard several warships, including battleships Kongo and Hiei. In 1928, he completed his studies at the Naval War College and was promoted to the rank of lieutenat commander. After serving aboard battleship Haruna and cruiser Asama in the 1930s, he was promoted to the rank of captain to command converted seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru on 1 Dec 1937. He saw little action during the Second Sino-Japanese War which began in 1937, instead oversaw several naval air bases in Japan through 1942. On 25 May 1942, he was made the commanding officer of fleet carrier Shokaku, aboard which he saw actions in the Solomon Islands. He was described by his subordinates as a personable commanding officer who, for example, took the effort to greet the bridge personnel with a "good morning" each day. In May 1943, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. In Apr 1944, he was made the commanding officer of 26th Air Flotilla, based at Clark Air Base in central Luzon island, Philippine Islands. Some time in mid-Oct 1944, he personally led a suicide attack targeting the US fleet off the Philippine Islands; it was unknown whether his flight had succeeded in damaging any targets. Arima was officially credited by the Japanese Navy as the first officer to make use of a special attack, and was posthumously promoted to the rank of vice admiral.
ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia
Last Major Revision: Dec 2013
Masafumi Arima Interactive Map
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Masafumi Arima Timeline
25 Sep 1895 | Masafumi Arima was born in Ijuin village, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. |
1 Apr 1902 | Masafumi Arima enrolled in the Kagoshima Prefectural Normal Elementary School in Japan. |
1 Apr 1906 | Masafumi Arima enrolled in the Ijuin Village Elementary School in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. |
1 Apr 1908 | Masafumi Arima enrolled in the Kagoshima Prefectural Middle School, Japan. |
31 Aug 1912 | Masafumi Arima left the Kagoshima Prefectural Middle School in Japan without completing his degree. |
9 Sep 1912 | Masafumi Arima rolled in the Japanese Naval Academy in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. |
16 Dec 1915 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of midshipman. |
1 Apr 1916 | Masafumi Arima returned to Japan from his midshipman tour. |
20 Apr 1916 | Masafumi Arima departed for an overseas tour. |
22 Aug 1916 | Masafumi Arima returned to Japan. |
23 Aug 1916 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to Shikishima. |
1 Dec 1916 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of ensign. |
10 Sep 1917 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to Iwate. |
24 Nov 1917 | Masafumi Arima departed for a training tour in the Inland Sea of Japan. |
8 Feb 1918 | Masafumi Arima returned to Japan. |
2 Mar 1918 | Masafumi Arima departed for an overseas tour. |
6 Jul 1918 | Masafumi Arima returned to Japan. |
1 Nov 1918 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to destroyer Uzuki. |
1 Dec 1918 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of sublieutenant. |
18 Jan 1919 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to battleship Suo. |
1 Dec 1919 | Masafumi Arima enrolled in torpedo school in Japan. |
31 May 1920 | Masafumi Arima enrolled in gunnery school in Japan. |
7 Oct 1920 | Masafumi Arima married Fumiko Toya. |
1 Dec 1920 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to Kongo. |
1 Dec 1921 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. |
30 Nov 1922 | Masafumi Arima completed studies at the advanced gunnery school. |
1 Dec 1922 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to destroyer Ashi. |
1 Dec 1923 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to Iwate. |
15 Apr 1925 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to Hiei. |
1 Dec 1926 | Masafumi Arima enrolled in the Naval War College. |
1 Dec 1927 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander. |
6 Dec 1928 | Masafumi Arima completed his studies at the Naval War College. |
10 Dec 1928 | Masafumi Arima was named the Vice Chief Gunnery Office of battleship Haruna. |
5 Sep 1929 | Masafumi Arima stepped down as the Vice Chief Gunnery Office of battleship Haruna and was assigned to the gunnery department of Sasebo Naval District in Japan. |
20 Aug 1931 | Masafumi Arima was made the gunnery officer of Asama. |
15 Nov 1932 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to Battleship Division 3. |
20 May 1933 | Masafumi Arima was transferred from Battleship Division 3 to Cruiser Division 7. |
15 Nov 1933 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of commander. |
15 Nov 1934 | Masafumi Arima was transferred out of Cruiser Division 7. |
15 Dec 1934 | Masafumi Arima became a naval logistics instructor. |
11 Jul 1937 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to Cruiser Division 10. |
20 Oct 1937 | Masafumi Arima was transferred from Cruiser Division 10 to Cruiser Division 14. |
1 Dec 1937 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of captain and was named the commanding officer of converted seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru. |
1 Sep 1938 | Masafumi Arima stepped down as the commanding officer of converted seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru and was made a commanding officer of Sasebo Naval Air Corps in Japan. |
15 Dec 1938 | Masafumi Arima became the commanding officer of Kisarazu Naval Air Corps. |
15 Nov 1939 | Masafumi Arima became the commanding officer of Yokohama Naval Air Corps. |
17 Apr 1941 | Masafumi Arima became the deputy commanding officer of Yokosuka Naval Air Corps and the chief training officer of the same unit. |
10 May 1942 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District, Japan. |
16 Feb 1943 | Masafumi Arima stepped down as the commanding officer of carrier Shokaku and was named the chief aviation training officer at the Navy Ministry. |
1 May 1943 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. |
15 Mar 1944 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to the aviation section of the Navy Ministry. |
1 Apr 1944 | Masafumi Arima was assigned to the fleet command for the Central Pacific area. |
9 Apr 1944 | Masafumi Arima was named the commanding officer of 26th Air Flotilla based at Clark Airfield, Philippine Islands. |
1 May 1944 | Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. |
15 Oct 1944 | On or about this date, Masafumi Arima personally led a flight of special attack aircraft out of Clark Airfield, Luzon, Philippine Islands and never returned; it was unknown whether his flight was able to hit any targets. |
7 Jan 1945 | Masafumi Arima was posthumously promoted to the rank of vice admiral. |
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Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937