Picture from Rabaul. South-Eastern Fleet HQ.

[marek O.]

Hello
I have a question about a picture from Rabaul. On pic there are officers of South-Eastern Fleet, time unknown. Under the picture there are names and signs of functions [no ranks] for officers from the first row:
I have deciphered some of them. Not all however. Some names are provided in hiragana version also. Here is what I have "accomplished":
三和義勇みわよしたけ先任参謀、Miwa Yoshiyuki, operational oficer?
本多伊吉艦隊機関長、Honda Ikichi, chief engineer
一人おいて中原義正参謀長、Nakahara Yoshimasa, cos
草鹿任一司令長官、Kusaka Jinichi, co
西尾秀彦参謀副長、Nishio Hidehiko, deputy cos ?
大久保信艦隊軍醫長、Okubo Nobu, ?
等松農夫蔵とうまつのぶぞう艦隊主計長、Tomatsu Nobuzo ?, paymaster?
大前敏一作戰参謀、Ohmae Toshikazu, personel officer?
三代一就みよかずなり航空甲参謀 Miyo Kazunari, air personel officer ?
I believe that 10th officer, far right wasn't mentioned by the pic provider. Maybe You know when the picture was taken?
As always I ask You to check my work, correct it, add anything, especially ranks of the pictured men.
By the way, On picture right Building is seen in which adm. Yamamoto stayed before his last flight to Bougainville. On the left is supposed to be building of 8th Naval Communication Unit.
Regards,
Marek

[VJK]

Hi Marek,

Kusaka Jinichi: http://admiral31.world.coocan.jp/e/px37.htm#v008

Nakahara Yoshimasa: http://admiral31.world.coocan.jp/e/px41.htm#v020

Nishio Hidehiko: http://admiral31.world.coocan.jp/e/px41.htm#v021

Miwa Yoshitake: http://admiral31.world.coocan.jp/e/px48.htm#r022

Okubo Shin: http://admiral31.world.coocan.jp/e/psy66.htm#68r004

Tomatsu Nobuzo: http://admiral31.world.coocan.jp/e/pp01.htm#06r006

Kind regards,

VJK

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Here's what I have for Southeast Area Fleet

Southeast Area Fleet
Activated on 24 December 1942
Deactivated on 15 August 1945

Commanders
VADM KUSAKA Jinichi (37) - 24 December 1942 - 15 August 1945

Chiefs-of-Staff
RADM / VADM NAKAHARA Yoshimasa (41) - 24 December 1942 - 29 November 1943
RADM KUSAKA Ryunosuke (41) - 29 November 1943 - 6 April 1944
RADM Baron TOMIOKA Sadatoshi (45) - 6 April 1944 - 7 November 1944
VADM IRIFUNE Naosaburo (39) - 7 November 1944 - 15 August 1945

Vice-Chiefs-of-Staff
Position established - 1 February 1943
RADM NISHIO Hidehiko (41) - 1 February 1943 - 1 September 1943
CAPT / RADM Baron TOMIOKA Sadatoshi (45) - 1 September 1943 - 6 April 1944
VACANT - 6 April 1944 - 15 August 1945

Chief Engineers
CAPT HONDA Ikichi (Eng. 27) - 24 December 1942 - ???
??? – ??? – 7 September 1943
CAPT / RADM MORITA Teizo (Eng. 27) - 7 September 1943 - 15 August 1945

Surgeons
(S) CAPT OKUBO Shin (1918) - 24 December 1942 - 3 May 1943
(S) CAPT / (S) RADM YOSHIDA Hajime (1919) - 3 May 1943 - 15 August 1945

Paymasters
(P) CAPT FUNAYAMA Chuichi (Pay. 9) - 24 December 1942 - 1 September 1943
(P) CAPT / (P) RADM ARAKI Shinichi (Pay. 6) - 1 September 1943 - 15 August 1945

Adjutants
LCDR NOMURA Ryosuke (56) – 24 December 1942 – 15 June 1943
LT YATSUI Noriteru (63) - 24 December 1942 – 15 May 1943
LCDR OGAWA Satoshi (58) – 15 May 1943 – 15 December 1943
LCDR DOI Taizo (56) – 15 June 1943 – 15 December 1943
LT NOMURA Morihiro (61) – 15 December 1943 – ???
LCDR SONODA Miyoshi (61) – 15 December 1943 – 31 December 1943
(P) LT NISHIYAMA Kiichiro (??) – 5 March 1945 – ???
??? – ??? – 15 August 1945

Staff Officers
Line
CAPT MIWA Yoshitake (48) - 24 December 1942 - 11 May 1943
CDR / CAPT OHMAE Toshikazu (50) – 24 December 1942 – 10 December 1943
CDR TODOROKI Mansaku (50) – 24 December 1942 – ???
CDR SHINOHARA Tamao (51) – 24 December 1942 – 15 March 1943
CDR TSUKADA Osamu (52) – 24 December 1942 – 25 November 1943
CDR ASADA Masahiko (52) – 24 December 1942 – 4 January 1943
CDR YAMAGUCHI Hiroshi (52) – 24 December 1942 – 5 March 1943
LCDR NOMURA Ryosuke (56) – 24 December 1942 – 15 June 1943
CDR MISHIRO Tatsukichi (51) – 4 January 1943 – ???
CDR ARISAWA Naosada (51) – 5 March 1943 – 27 October 1943
LCDR / CDR DOI Taizo (56) – 15 March 1943 – 1 March 1945
CDR IKARI Soji (53) – 25 March 1943 – ???
LCDR YOKOYAMA Tamotsu (59) – 15 June 1943 – 21 September 1943
LCDR / CDR YOSHITOMI Shigema (55) – 12 July 1943 – 1 March 1945
LT INOUE Ryohei (65) – 25 July 1943 – ??? (Temporary)
LT / LCDR SONODA Miyoshi (61) – 10 October 1943 – 31 December 1943
LCDR SUGITA Toshizo (54) – 18 October 1943 – 1 November 1943
LCDR HARAGUCHI Sakae (59) – 18 October 1943 – ???
CDR TACHIBANA Todomu (52) – 25 October 1943 – 6 April 1944
LCDR ISHIKAWA Kotaro (54) – 27 October 1943 – ???
LCDR OISHI Shigeo (59) – 1 November 1943 – 28 January 1944
LT OGASAWARA Hiroshi (62) – 28 January 1944 – ???
CDR TAKASAKI Toshihiko (50) – 4 April 1944 – ??? (Temporary)
LCDR NOMURA Morihiro (61) – 5 March 1945 – ???

Engineer
LCDR YAMADA Takeshi (Eng. 35) – 24 December 1942 – 15 February 1943
LCDR FUKUHARA Minoru (Eng. 38) – 24 December 1942 – 15 August 1943
CDR YASUDA Shuzo (Eng. 32) – 25 January 1943 – 15 December 1943
CAPT SAKAGAMI Tomihei (Eng. 26) – 20 April 1943 – ???
CDR KOKUNI Hironosuke (Eng. 33) – 15 August 1943 – 10 February 1944
CDR NAKAMURA Takeshi (Eng. 35) – 1 November 1943 – 1 March 1945
LCDR KONAKA Shigeo (Eng. 39) – 15 December 1943 – ???
LCDR MORI Tetsuji (Eng. 46) - 1 December 1944 - ???
CAPT ASAYAMA Toshio (Eng. 29) – 17 May 1945 – ???
LCDR MORITA Kesashige (Eng. 46) – 10 June 1945 – ???

[fontessa]

Hello marek,

等松農夫蔵とうまつのぶぞう艦隊主計長、Tomatsu Nobuzo ?, paymaster?

Your source was incorrect.
http://ijn2600.web.fc2.com/yamamoto.html？
The below is correct.
CAPT FUNAYAMA Chuichi 船山忠一 (Pay.9) 艦隊主計長

From the left in the middle row:
航空乙參謀 野村了介少佐: Air Otsu Staff LCDR Nomura Ryosuke (56)
一人おいて
情報參謀 塚田収中佐: Intelligence Staff CDR Tsukada Osamu (52)

fontessa

[ijnfleetadmiral]

So with Fontessa's info we can narrow the pic down to a specific time frame: it was taken between 24 December 1942 and 15 June 1943.

[fontessa]

The photo is believed to have been taken in the courtyard of Southeast Area Fleet HQ (Rabaul) just before Naby Ko Incudent (Operation Vengeance / April 18, 1943).
ADM Yamamoto Isoroku, Combined Fleet CO, who has advanced to Rabaul to command Operation I-Go, planned inspection one day trip to Buin on April 18. The flight plan for this was made by LCDR Nomura Ryosuke, Air Otsu Staff of Southeast Area Fleet. There were two Betty transport aircraft and six Zeek escorts. The detailed schedule of the inspection trip was sent from the 8th Communications Unit under the names of Southeast Area Fleet CO and 8th Fleet CO. The US has already succeeded in braking the IJN code, ambushed with 16 P-38s, and succeeded in assassinating ADM Yamamoto Isoroku.His body was recovered by 23rd Infantry Regiment of 6th Division, and the autopsy was performed by CAPT Okubo Shin Southeast Area Fleet Surgeon.
On the other hand, IJN was worried that the Japanese code had been broken. One measure was devised to get rid of this. A inspection trip by VADM Kusaka Jin’ich Southeast Area Fleet CO was planned on April 30th. The notification on this was done exactly as it was last time, and the US deciphered it. However, the US did not commit a corresponding blunder, so IJN concluded that the Japanese code had not been broken.


fontessa

[Teitoku]

The photo was taken on 11 February 1943.

[marek O.]

Thank You very much indeed. All of You.
Happy New Year, by the way.
Regards,
Marek

[ijnfleetadmiral]

Here's a list of officers who could potentially be in the photo, based on my list of personnel assigned to the Staff of Southeast Area Fleet on that date:

VADM KUSAKA Jinichi (37)
RADM NAKAHARA Yoshimasa (41)
RADM NISHIO Hidehiko (41)
CAPT HONDA Ikichi (Eng. 27)
CAPT (Med.) OKUBO Shin (1918)
CAPT (Sup.) FUNAYAMA Chuichi (Pay. 9)
CAPT MIWA Yoshitake (48)
CDR OHMAE Toshikazu (50)
CDR TODOROKI Mansaku (50)
CDR MISHIRO Tatsukichi (51)
CDR SHINOHARA Tamao (51)
CDR TSUKADA Osamu (52)
CDR YAMAGUCHI Hiroshi (52)
CDR YASUDA Shuzo (Eng. 32)
LCDR NOMURA Ryosuke (56)
LCDR YAMADA Takeshi (Eng. 35)
LCDR FUKUHARA Minoru (Eng. 38)
LT YATSUI Noriteru (63)

[weiyan]

11 February 1943 Southeast Area Fleet HQ
Commanding Officers: VADM KUSAKA Jin’ichi 司令長官 草鹿任一中将 (37)
Chiefs of Staff RADM: NAKAHARA Yoshimasa 参謀長 中原義正少将 (41)
Assistant Chiefs of Staff: RADM NISHIO Hidehiko 参謀副長 西尾秀彦少将 (41)
Engineer Officers: CAPT HONDA Ikichi 機関長 本多伊吉大佐 (Eng.27)
Medical Officers: CAPT/S OKUBO Shin 軍医長 大久保信軍医大佐 (1918)
Supply Officers: CAPT/P FUNAYAMA Chuichi 主計長 船山忠一主計大佐 (Pay.9)
Head Staff: CAPT MIWA Yoshitake 首席参謀 三和義勇大佐 (48)
Next seat Staff: CDR OMAE Toshiichi 次席参謀 大前敏一中佐 (50)
Air A Staff: CDR MISHIRO Tatsukichi 航空甲参謀 三代辰吉中佐 (51)
Liaison B Staff: CDR SHINOHARA Tamao 連絡参謀 篠原多摩夫 (51)
Interigence Staff: CDR TSUKADA Osamu 情報参謀 塚田収中佐 (52)
Communications Staff: CDR YAMAGUCHI Hiroshi 通信参謀 山口博中佐 (52)
Air B Staff ADD Adjutants: LCDR NOMURA Ryosuke 航空乙参謀兼副官 野村了介少佐 (56)
Supply Staff: CDR YASUDA Shuzo 補給参謀 安田収蔵中佐 (Eng.32)
Supply Staff: LCDR YAMADA Takeshi 補給参謀 山田武少佐 (Eng.35)
Engineer Staff: LCDR FUKUHARA Minoru 機関参謀 福原穣少佐 (Eng.38)
Adjutants: LT TANII Norumitsu 副官 谷井徳光大尉 (63)
(ADD) Assist Staff: CDR/P ARAI Katsumi 兼司令部附 新井克巳主計中佐 (Pay.11)
Assist Staff / Chief Cryptograph : LCDR IKEDA Iwao 司令部附/暗号長 池田巌少佐 (55)
Assist Staff / Chief Meteorologicnl: LCDR MUROKAWA Takeyoshi 司令部附/気象長 室川武能少佐 (59)
Assist Staff: LCDR/S ONO Kenkichi 司令部附 大野憲吉軍医少佐 (1933)
Assist Staff: LCDR/T KUWABARA Yoshiki 司令部附 桑原芳樹技術少佐
(ADD) Assist Staff: LCDR/J TATSUZAKI Suguru 兼司令部附 立崎英法務少佐
Army Staff: LC KUMAO Imoto陸軍参謀 井本熊男陸軍中佐
Army Staff: MAJ TANAKA Koji 陸軍参謀 田中耕二陸軍少佐

TODOROKI Mansaku 12 January 1943 KIA

[RBDHistory]

CDR OMAE Toshiichi 次席参謀 大前敏一中佐 (50)

is actually OMAE Toshikazu. Pretty famous guy in intelligence circles before and after war.