Chūichi Nagumo

南雲忠一

Japan state institutions Counter-revolutionary forces

1887–1944 ✕ Suicide

Admiral who led the Japanese carrier striking force against Pearl Harbor and lost all four of its carriers at Midway

Born in Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture, he graduated from the naval academy in 1908 and specialised in torpedo and destroyer tactics. In 1941 he led the First Air Fleet, the Kido Butai, against Pearl Harbor, and went on to raid Darwin and the Indian Ocean. At Midway in June 1942 American dive bombers caught his carriers while the reserve strike was being re-armed, and all four were lost. Never penalised, he commanded carriers of the Third Fleet in the Guadalcanal campaign but conceded that the attrition of experienced pilots was a "shattering strategic loss for Japan". Commanding the Central Pacific Area Fleet on Saipan in 1944, he killed himself on 6 July.

Also known as: Chuichi Nagumo

Activities and affiliations

1908–1944

Japan state institutionsMain
Military command

Career Timeline

1908Graduated from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
1941Commander, First Air Fleet; attack on Pearl Harbor
1942Lost four carriers at Midway; commander, Third Fleet
1944Commander, Central Pacific Area Fleet; suicide on Saipan

Related historical events

1942.06.04–07The Battle of MidwayCommander, First Air Fleet (Kido Butai)After striking Midway he was re-arming his reserve when the American fleet was reported; following doctrine, he recovered his first wave and waited to launch a full strike, and lost three carriers to the dive bombers.