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Sakaibara Shigematsu was born to a wealthy and politically influential family near Misawa in northern Honshu and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1918. He served on a
number of surface ships
and, after being promoted to the rank of
captain, in various staff
positions. He had a reputation as a "gentleman soldier" who praised the rural lifestyle and integrity of the common Japanese.
Sakaibara commanded the Japanese
garrison of Wake
in late 1943. On 5 October 1943, infuriated by a devastating carrier
raid on the island, he ordered the execution
of almost 100
American prisoners, former
civilian construction workers who were on
the island
when it fell to the Japanese in December 1941. The last prisoner was beheaded by the admiral's own hand. On 15 October 1944 he
was promoted to rear admiral, and on 4 September 1945 he surrendered
Wake to the Americans.
Sakaibara was tried and hanged for the 1943 atrocity after the war.
| 1894-12-28 |
born | |
| 1918-11-21 | Midshipman | Graduates from Naval Academy, stangind 36th in a class of 124. Assigned to CL Tokiwa |
| 1919-8-1 | Ensign | CL Hirado |
| 1919-12-1 | Gunnery School Basic Course | |
| 1920-5-31 | Torpedo School Basic Course | |
| 1920-12-1 | DD Kaba |
|
| 1921-11-18 | BB Mutsu |
|
| 1921-12-1 | Lieutenant junior grade |
|
| 1922-12-1 | CL Tama |
|
| 1923-3-20 | CL Iwate |
|
| 1924-4-10 | CL Kasuga |
|
| 1924-12-1 | Lieutenant | Gunnery School Advanced Course |
| 1925-12-1 | BB Hiei |
|
| 1926-6-1 | 3 Naval District |
|
| 1926-8-1 | Awaiting assignment |
|
| 1926-11-15 | 3 Naval District | |
| 1927-3-31 | Instructor, Sasebo Sailor Corps |
|
| 1928-9-27 | CL Yura |
|
| 1929-2-20 | CL Sendai |
|
| 1929-4-10 | CL Tatsuta |
|
| 1930-12-1 | Lieutenant
commander |
Instructor, Gunnery School |
| 1934-10-22 | CA Takao |
|
| 1935-11-15 | Commander | BB Mutsu |
| 1937-12-1 | Instructor, Naval Academy |
|
| 1939-11-15 | Executive officer, CA Chikuma |
|
| 1940-11-15 | Captain | Instructor, Sasebo Sailor Corps |
| 1941-11-20 | Executive officer, 2 Sasebo Sailor Corps |
|
| 1942-11-22 | Staff, 4 Fleet |
|
| 1942-12-10 | Commander, 65 Guard Force |
|
| 1944-10-15 | Rear admiral |
|
| 1945-9-4 |
Surrenders |
|
| 1947-6-19 |
Executed for war crimes |
References
Materials of IJN (accessed 2008-6-26)
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007-2008 by Kent G. Budge. Index
