Mochitsura Hashimoto
Encyclopedia
Commander
was an officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy
and the commander of several Japanese submarines during World War II
including RO-44, I-158 and I-58.
as a younger son of a Shinto priest
. As his older brothers had already chosen military careers, his father expected that Hashimoto would be the one to continue the family tradition of the priesthood. However, Hashimoto was set on joining the navy, which he did in 1927, joining the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
that year and being commissioned as an ensign
in 1931. In 1934, Sub-Lieutenant Hashimoto volunteered for the submarine service, and served on destroyers before entering the Navy Torpedo School in 1939. He was selected for the submarine school of the navy the following year, and joined the submarine I-24 in 1941.
At the outbreak of World War II
, Lieutenant Hashimoto was the torpedo officer on the submarine I-24. The I-24 launched the midget-sub
at Pearl Harbor
on December 7, 1941, which carried Kazuo Sakamaki
, who became America's first prisoner of war
of World War II
.
Hashimoto saw action in many crucial Pacific operations. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1944. Later in the war, Hashimoto was given command of the Japanese
submarine
which sank the on July 30, 1945. The sinking of the Indianapolis ultimately cost the lives of 879 of the cruiser
's 1,196-man crew — the worst single at-sea loss of life in the history of the U.S. Navy.
A month prior to the Japanese surrender, in July 1945 Hashimoto was promoted from the rank of Lieutenant-Commander (Kaigun Shosa) (Naval Major) to the rank of Commander (Kaigun Chusa) (Naval Lieutenant Colonel).
After the war, Hashimoto was brought by the US Navy to testify in the court martial against Captain Charles McVay
, commander of the Indianapolis who was convicted for "hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag
." At the trial, Hashimoto testified that zigzagging would not have made a difference, for he would have been able to sink the cruiser regardless. Decades later, Hashimoto sent a letter to Senator John Warner
as part of an effort to exonerate McVay.
Hashimoto re-started his post-war career as a captain of the repatriation ships
that carried Japanese soldiers back home. In 1954 he joined Kawasaki Heavy Industries and later became its dockmaster. His most notable work at Kawasaki was that he and some of his former I-58 crew tested JMSDF's
first post-war submarine Oyashio
. Hashimoto spent the final years of his life as a Shinto
priest at Umenomiya Shrine
in Kyoto, dying at the age of 91 in 2000. Hashimoto married in 1932 and had two sons.
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
was an officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
and the commander of several Japanese submarines during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
including RO-44, I-158 and I-58.
Biography
Hashimoto was born in KyotoKyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
as a younger son of a Shinto priest
Kannushi
A , also called , is the person responsible for the maintenance of a Shinto shrine as well as for leading worship of a given kami. The characters for kannushi are sometimes also read jinshu with the same meaning....
. As his older brothers had already chosen military careers, his father expected that Hashimoto would be the one to continue the family tradition of the priesthood. However, Hashimoto was set on joining the navy, which he did in 1927, joining the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
that year and being commissioned as an ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
in 1931. In 1934, Sub-Lieutenant Hashimoto volunteered for the submarine service, and served on destroyers before entering the Navy Torpedo School in 1939. He was selected for the submarine school of the navy the following year, and joined the submarine I-24 in 1941.
At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Lieutenant Hashimoto was the torpedo officer on the submarine I-24. The I-24 launched the midget-sub
Midget submarine
A midget submarine is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to 6 or 8, with little or no on-board living accommodation...
at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on December 7, 1941, which carried Kazuo Sakamaki
Kazuo Sakamaki
was a Japanese naval officer who became the first Japanese prisoner of war of World War II captured by American forces.-Biography:Sakamaki was born in what is now part of the city of Awa, Tokushima Prefecture...
, who became America's first prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Hashimoto saw action in many crucial Pacific operations. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1944. Later in the war, Hashimoto was given command of the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
which sank the on July 30, 1945. The sinking of the Indianapolis ultimately cost the lives of 879 of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
's 1,196-man crew — the worst single at-sea loss of life in the history of the U.S. Navy.
A month prior to the Japanese surrender, in July 1945 Hashimoto was promoted from the rank of Lieutenant-Commander (Kaigun Shosa) (Naval Major) to the rank of Commander (Kaigun Chusa) (Naval Lieutenant Colonel).
After the war, Hashimoto was brought by the US Navy to testify in the court martial against Captain Charles McVay
Charles B. McVay III
Rear Admiral Charles Butler McVay III was the Commanding Officer of the when it was lost in action in 1945, resulting in massive loss of life. After years of mental health problems he committed suicide...
, commander of the Indianapolis who was convicted for "hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag
Zigzag
A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular....
." At the trial, Hashimoto testified that zigzagging would not have made a difference, for he would have been able to sink the cruiser regardless. Decades later, Hashimoto sent a letter to Senator John Warner
John Warner
John William Warner, KBE is an American Republican politician who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as a five-term United States Senator from Virginia from January 2, 1979, to January 3, 2009...
as part of an effort to exonerate McVay.
Hashimoto re-started his post-war career as a captain of the repatriation ships
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
that carried Japanese soldiers back home. In 1954 he joined Kawasaki Heavy Industries and later became its dockmaster. His most notable work at Kawasaki was that he and some of his former I-58 crew tested JMSDF's
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
first post-war submarine Oyashio
Japanese submarine Oyashio (SS-511)
Oyashio was a submarine of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, named after the Oyashio Current, a cold current that comes down through the Bering Strait.-Development:...
. Hashimoto spent the final years of his life as a Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
priest at Umenomiya Shrine
Umenomiya Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Ukyō-ku in Kyoto, Japan.-History:The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period. In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan...
in Kyoto, dying at the age of 91 in 2000. Hashimoto married in 1932 and had two sons.
Promotions
- Kaigun Shoi (Naval Second Lieutenant-EnsignEnsignAn ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
)-1931 - Kaigun Chuii (Naval Lieutenant-Sub-LieutenantSub-LieutenantSub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
)-1934 - Kaigun Taii (Naval Captain-LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
)-1941 - Kaigun Shosa (Naval Major-Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant CommanderLieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
)-1944 - Kaigun Chusa (Naval Lieutenant Colonel-CommanderCommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
)-July 1945
External links
- Sunk! – Review of book written by Mochitsura Hashimoto (English translation first published in 1954)