Agano and Oite officers

[IANHULKMCLEOD]

Hi Everyone
I know that 523 transferred to the Oite and 147 to the CH-28 apparently the Gunnery officer of the oite was the only surviving officer and all the survivors died in the Oite`s sinking and about 20 from the Oite crew survived which includes this Gunnery officer who`s name eludes me!
Best regards Ian

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Officers of the two ships:

OITE
Commanding Officer: LT UONO Yasuhiro (63) (KIA; LCDR posthumously)
Torpedo Officer: UNKNOWN
Gunnery Officer: LTJG MATSUDA Mitsuo (70) (KIA; LT posthumously)
Navigator: LTJG SHIMAMOTO Hajime (Res.) (SURVIVED)
Chief Engineer: LT YAMAMOTO Mitsugi (Spec. Duty) (KIA; LCDR posthumously)

AGANO
Commanding Officer: CAPT MATSUDA Takatomo (45) (KIA; RADM posthumously)
Executive Officer: UNKNOWN
Gunnery Officer: LCDR IMAIZUMI Shoji (59) (KIA; CDR posthumously)
Navigator: UNKNOWN
Torpedo Officer: UNKNOWN
Chief Engineer: CDR SAKAUCHI Rokuro (Eng. 32) (KIA; CAPT posthumously)
Surgeon: LT (Surg.) ABE Tadamitsu (??) (KIA; LCDR posthumously)
Paymaster: LT (Pay.) SAKAGAMI Shizuhiro (??) (KIA; LCDR posthumously)
Communications Officer: VACANT
Air Officer: VACANT

[IANHULKMCLEOD]

Hi Matt,
Thanks for your response; Just curious how do you know the Navigator survived the Sinking and yet Dan Bailey book suggests it was the Gunnery officer who survived with about 20 others
Again curious as why the paucity of information regarding the Agano senior officers many are not known perhaps your could comment? your assistance and help is always appreciated
Best regards Ian

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Could be a mistake; I imagine things were fairly chaotic at the time of Oite's sinking.

As to the scarcity of info on Agano's officers, it's all according to the personnel records.

Air Officers
LT HITSUJI Tsuneo (64) was appointed Equipping Officer on 17 July 1942, but when AGANO was commissioned on 31 October 1942, he was reassigned. The post of Air Officer was evidently never assigned to anyone.

Communications Officer
LT OTA Mamoru (60) was relieved on 1 December 1943; presumably another officer would have been assigned once AGANO was back in Japan and nearing completion of repairs.

Torpedo Officer
LT TAKAHASHI Satoshi (62) was appointed on 18 May 1943, but I don't have his relief date. He might have still been Torpedo Officer at the time of AGANO's loss, but I can't be certain. TAKAHASHI was a pretty experienced Torpedo Officer, having served in the post aboard SHIRAYUKI, URANAMI, MAIKAZE, and KAZAGUMO.

Navigator
LT OCHI Takeo (59) was appointed Equipping Officer on 20 October 1942, and then Navigator upon AGANO's commissioning on 31 October 1942, but I don't have his relief date. He was not Navigator when AGANO was sunk, for he survived the war and served as Navigator of KASHIMA during her time as a repatriation ship.

Executive Officer
CDR TOMONARI Kiyoshi (49) was appointed Equipping Officer on 25 August 1942, and then XO upon AGANO's commissioning on 31 October 1942. He was promoted CAPT on 1 May 1943, and was relieved by an unknown successor on 1 September 1943. His next post was XO of SHOKAKU, and he was KIA when she was sunk at the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 June 1944.

I imagine the answers to these blanks are hidden in the IJN personnel records...if only I were able to read Japanese!

[max gleeson]

Hi. I have been diving the Oite often over the last five years and plan to include a highly detailed filming account of it in an upcoming DVD.
Are there any details where the survivors were picked up.I can only assume they swam to the nearest island some 5 kilometres away. Are there any records of their recovery?

[ijnfleetadmiral]

No idea on their recovery, but that highly-detailed filming account sounds VERY interesting! Looking forward to hearing more about it!

[max gleeson]

I made two dives to the Oite last week. On the way back we called into the island I believe they would have made for. There is an old block building on it.....Japanese built no doubt, most probably a radio station that protected the north pass into Truk Lagoon. These on the island would have seen the whole thing.