| Imperial Japanese Navy Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondō (September 25, 1886 – February 19, 1953) in full dress uniform. A battleship specialist, he commanded Kongo in 1932, preparing him to command the 2nd Fleet, the Navy’s principal detached force for independent operations. Kondō was appointed Vice Admiral on November 15, 1937. Kondō was in overall command of the naval forces supporting the invasion of Malaya, Sumatra, and Java in the opening December 1941 offensive, and also overall commander for the foray into the Indian Ocean in April 1942. 2nd Fleet, under Kondō, was designated the “Covering Force” for the Midway Operation. After the 1st Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942, Kondō decided to personally lead the battleship Kirishima along with cruisers Atago, Nagara, Sendai, and Takao, in what was to have been a decisive attack to put Henderson out of commission through a massive nocturnal shelling. Instead, he ran into an American task force comprised of the battleships USS Washington (BB-56) and USS South Dakota (BB-57), and was defeated, losing the Kirishima. This marked the turning point of the entire Guadalcanal campaign. In a conference held by Yamamoto aboard the battleship Yamato on November 22 to assess the results of the recent battles around Guadalcanal, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (April 4, 1884 – April 18, 1943), Commander of the Combined Fleet, expressed to Kondō “his gratitude and respect for attaining the good result, overcoming many difficulties.” Perhaps this was just politeness, but Kondō did subsequently serve as Deputy Commander of Combined Fleet and took over briefly as acting commander when the United States Army Air Force assassinated Yamamoto. However, Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe (March 15, 1889 – February 6, 1949), who lost the battleship Hiei during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, was relieved of command and forced to resign in March 1943. But he was apparently tainted by the Guadalcanal failures and was soon removed from sea-going commands or any positions of absolute authority. He is hardly mentioned in Navy records after 1943, when he was promoted to full Admiral, even though Kondō served as Commander in Chief of the China Area Fleet from December 1943 until May 1945, when he was appointed to the Supreme War Council. Kondō is wearing the following medals: Around his neck, and on his right breast, Kondō wears the Kinshi Kunshō (“Order of the Golden Kite”) 3rd Class. He was awarded the 1st Class later in his career. Kondō wears the Kyokujitsu-shō (“Order of the Rising Sun”) 2nd Class on his left breast. A military award that was conferred for bravery, leadership, or command in battle. He wears the Zuihō-shō (“Order of the Sacred Treasure”) 3rd Class. This is for long service in the armed forces. Below the Kinshi Kunshō, around his neck, he wears the Verdienstorden vom Deutschen Adler (“The Order of the German Eagle”), a Nazi German medal awarded for his service in Berlin. Below the Verdienstorden vom Deutschen Adler, Kondō wears the Ching Yun Chang (“The Order of the Auspicious Clouds”), awarded by the Empire of Manchukuo for meritorious service to the state. Kondō’s medal bar on his left breast, from left to right: Taisho Enthronement Commemorative Medal; The 1914-20 1st World War Medal; The Showa Enthronement Commemorative Medal; The 1931-34 China Incident War Medal; 26th 100th National Anniversary Medal; The 1937 China Incident Medal; The Great Manchukuo National Foundation Merit Medal; and The Emperor’s Visit to Japan Commemorative Medal. After the War, Kondō interviewed with the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS) in December 1945. He described the 2nd Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and his surprise at facing American battleships. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1565.jpg |
| Image Size | 918.27 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 4502 x 5721 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 1, 1939 |
| Location | |
| City | Tokyo |
| State or Province | Tokyo |
| Country | Japan |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | NH 63696 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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