Matsuo Morizumi

Vice Admiral Matsuo Morizumi (Japanese: 森住 松雄, Hepburn: Morizumi Matsuo); 24 May 1891 – 3 September 1945) was an Imperial Japanese Navy admiral and the Inspector General of munitions, Kinki district, Tokyo, at the end of World War II.

Birth and career

Matsuo Morizumi was born 24 May 1891 in the Kanagawa Prefecture.[1]

Morizumi was a graduate of the 22nd Naval Engineer Academy class. He began service as a Midshipman/Engineering on 15 December 1913 aboard training cruiser Tsugaru. On 18 July 1914 he was assigned to the Armored cruiser Tsukuba, with promotion on 1 December to Engineer Sublieutenant (Ensign).[2]

Morizumi next was assigned aboard Kongō-class battlecruiser Haruna on 12 February 1915, and thence to the not-yet commissioned Fusō-class battleship Yamashiro on 27 October 1916 with promotion to Lieutenant junior grade (engineer) on 1 December.[3]

On 7 February 1917, Morizumi transferred to the Ume, one of the ten Kaba-class destroyers hastily (but well) built by seven Japanese yards to fulfill Japan's allied commitments in the Great War. On 20 February 1918, he was assigned as Assistant Staff Officer of the 2nd Special Task Fleet, a task force of Japanese destroyers deployed to Malta in the Mediterranean as part of Japan's assistance to the Allied war effort under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.[4]

Morizumi served as commanding officer of Maizuru Naval Arsenal in Kyoto Prefecture, from 10 March 1944 to 1 May 1945.[5]

When the war ended, Morizumi was the Osaka naval defense district superintendent of shipbuilding and ordnance.[6]

Death

He committed seppuku, ritual suicide, in his office in Tokyo on the night of 3 September 1945, the day after Japan's unconditional surrender to Allied forces.[7][8][9]

References

  1. ^ "Materials of IJN (Naval Engineer Academy class 22)".
  2. ^ "Materials of IJN (Naval Engineer Academy class 22)".
  3. ^ "Materials of IJN (Naval Engineer Academy class 22)".
  4. ^ "Materials of IJN (Naval Engineer Academy class 22)".
  5. ^ "Maizuru Naval Arsenal".
  6. ^ Associated Press, The Bee, Danville, Virginia, Monday 3 September 1945, page 13.
  7. ^ Associated Press, "Jap Admiral Suicide", The San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Bernardino, California, Wednesday 5 September 1945, Volume 51, page 1.
  8. ^ https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V2%20P2/ch21_notes.htm
  9. ^ "Belsen Trial Begins on September 17". Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954). 4 September 1945. p. 1.