| Imperial Japanese Navy Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka (April 27, 1892 – July 9, 1969) is widely considered the best tactical operations officer of World War II. Tanaka graduated 34th of 118 cadets in the 41st graduating class at Etajima, the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, in 1913. During World War I, he served in the 2nd Special Operations Fleet in Malta, performing non-combatant escort duties. Promoted to Rear Admiral on October 15, 1941, Tanaka was initially criticized for his performance during the battles in the Java Sea. He was considered to lack fighting spirit. He was assigned to escort the transports with the invasion force during the Battle of Midway in June 1942, but due to the destruction of Kido Butai (“Mobile Force”), his force turned back to Tokyo. Tanaka’s skill really became apparent during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Working with destroyers, Tanaka was a master of the Type 93 “Long Lance” torpedo. Often outgunned and outnumbered, Tanaka often made runs to resupply the Japanese forces on Guadalcanal. His fast destroyers made “rat transportation” runs, known to the Americans as the “Tokyo Express.” Surprised by a superior American force at the Battle of Tassafronga on November 30, 1942, Tanaka sank the heavy cruiser USS Northampton (CA-26) and damaged 3 others. When the Japanese evacuated their surviving troops from Guadalcanal in February 1943, Tanaka was scapegoated. Wounded in action, he was evacuated to Singapore and relegated to shore duties in Burma. He remained in that post for the rest of the war. This removed a potent commander from confronting the Allied forces. In this view, Tanaka is wearing the Kyokujitsu-shō (“Order of the Rising Sun”) 4th Class on his neck and the Zuihō-shō (“Order of the Sacred Treasure”) 2nd Class on his right (the viewer’s left). He also wears an Allied Victory Medal depicting the war god Takemikazuchi, issued in 1920. Another medal is the Manchukuo Emperor State Visit to Japan medal, issued in 1935. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1545.jpg |
| Image Size | 869.33 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 4487 x 5685 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 1, 1941 |
| Location | |
| City | Tokyo |
| State or Province | Tokyo |
| Country | Japan |
| Archive | |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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