After his promotion to sub-lieutenant in 1913, Gotō served on the destroyerMurakumo. During World War I, he was sent to the South Pacific to man a radio outpost, and later as a crewman on the cruiser Chikuma. After his promotion to lieutenant in 1917, he served on the battleship Kongō, the destroyer Tanikaze and the cruiser Yakumo.
Gotō was promoted to captain on 15 November 1933. He was assigned as commander of Destroyer Group 10, followed by captain of the cruisers Naka, Atago, Chōkai, and battleships Mutsu and Yamashiro.
Gotō became a rear admiral on 15 November 1939 and was made commander of Cruiser Division 2. On 10 September 1941 he was placed in command of Cruiser Division 6 (CruDiv6), consisting of the four heavy cruisers Aoba (Gotō's flagship), Furutaka, Kinugasa and Kako.[1]
World War IIEdit
On 23 December 1941, CruDiv6 supported the second assault on Wake Island in which Japanese troops were able to capture the island after the intense Battle of Wake Island. In May 1942, from CruDiv6, Gotō commanded an element of the "Main Body Support Force," providing cover, along with the light aircraft carrierShōhō, for the Operation Mo offensive, including landings on Tulagi and an attempted assault on Port Moresby, New Guinea that resulted in the Battle of the Coral Sea. During the battle, U.S. aircraft attacked and sank Shōhō, with Gotō's cruisers located too far away to provide anti-aircraft protection for the carrier, for the loss of Lexington.[4]
Operating from Kavieng, New Ireland, and Rabaul, New Britain, Gotō's CruDiv6 supported Japanese naval operations during the first several months of the Guadalcanal campaign. CruDiv6, with other Japanese warships and under the overall command of Gunichi Mikawa, participated in the Battle of Savo Island on 8 August 1942 resulting in the sinking of four Allied cruisers. On the return trip to Kavieng, however, Kako was torpedoed and sunk. On 11 October, the remaining three cruisers of CruDiv6 approached Guadalcanal at night to bombard the Allied airbase at Henderson Field as well as to support a large "Tokyo Express" run occurring the same evening. Gotō's force was surprised by a force of American cruisers and destroyers under the command of U.S. Rear AdmiralNorman Scott. In the resulting Battle of Cape Esperance, Gotō was mortally wounded onboard Aoba and died later on 12 October.
Kilpatrick, C. W. (1987). Naval Night Battles of the Solomons. Exposition Press. ISBN0-682-40333-4.
Lacroix, Eric; Linton Wells (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-311-3.
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1958). "Chapter 8". The Struggle for Guadalcanal, August 1942 – February 1943, vol. 5 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN0-316-58305-7.
Poor, Henry Varnum; Henry A. Mustin; Colin G. Jameson (1994). The Battles of Cape Esperance, 11 October 1942 and Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942 (Combat Narratives. Solomon Islands Campaign, 4-5). Naval Historical Center. ISBN0-945274-21-1.
External linksEdit
Horan, Mark. "Battle of Cape Esperance". Order of Battle. from the original on 17 May 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2006.
Nishida, Hiroshi. "Imperial Japanese Navy". Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2007.
Office of Naval Intelligence (1943). "The Battle of Cape Esperance 11 October 1942". Combat Narrative. Publications Branch, Office of Naval Intelligence, United States Navy. from the original on 13 May 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2006. - somewhat inaccurate on details, since it was written during the war
Parshall, Jon; Bob Hackett; Sander Kingsepp. "IJN AOBA: Tabular Record of Movement". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 14 June 2006.
October 18, 2023
aritomo, gotō, 五藤, 存知, gotō, aritomo, january, 1888, october, 1942, admiral, imperial, japanese, navy, during, world, native, name五藤, 存知born, 1888, january, 1888ibaraki, japandied12, october, 1942, 1942, aged, cape, esperance, guadalcanal, solomon, islandsalle. Aritomo Gotō 五藤 存知 Gotō Aritomo 23 January 1888 12 October 1942 3 was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II Aritomo GotōNative name五藤 存知Born 1888 01 23 23 January 1888Ibaraki JapanDied12 October 1942 1942 10 12 aged 54 1 Cape Esperance off Guadalcanal Solomon IslandsAllegiance Empire of JapanService wbr branch Imperial Japanese NavyYears of service1910 1942RankVice Admiral posthumous Commands heldTsuta Urakaze Numakaze Nokaze Uzuki Nadakaze Uranami Matsukaze Naka Atago Chōkai Mutsu Yamashiro 27th Destroyer Group 5th Destroyer Group 10th Destroyer Group 2nd Cruiser Division Close Support Force Invasion Force Support Force Main Body 6th Cruiser Division 2 Battles warsWorld War II Pacific War Battle of Wake Island Invasion of Tulagi Battle of the Coral Sea Battle of Savo Island Battle of Cape Esperance AwardsOrder of the Rising Sun 4th class Contents 1 Early career 2 World War II 3 Notes 4 References 4 1 Books 5 External linksEarly career EditGotō was born in Ibaraki prefecture in 1888 He graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910 ranked 30th out of a class of 149 cadets As a midshipman he served on the cruiser Kasagi and battleship Satsuma On being commissioned as ensign in 1911 he was assigned to Iwami followed by the submarine tender Toyohashi After his promotion to sub lieutenant in 1913 Gotō served on the destroyer Murakumo During World War I he was sent to the South Pacific to man a radio outpost and later as a crewman on the cruiser Chikuma After his promotion to lieutenant in 1917 he served on the battleship Kongō the destroyer Tanikaze and the cruiser Yakumo As a lieutenant commander from 1923 Gotō captained the destroyers Tsuta Urakaze Numakaze Nokaze Uzuki and Nadakaze After his promotion to commander in 1928 he commanded the Uranami Matsukaze Destroyer Group 27 and Destroyer Group 5 Gotō was promoted to captain on 15 November 1933 He was assigned as commander of Destroyer Group 10 followed by captain of the cruisers Naka Atago Chōkai and battleships Mutsu and Yamashiro Gotō became a rear admiral on 15 November 1939 and was made commander of Cruiser Division 2 On 10 September 1941 he was placed in command of Cruiser Division 6 CruDiv6 consisting of the four heavy cruisers Aoba Gotō s flagship Furutaka Kinugasa and Kako 1 World War II EditOn 23 December 1941 CruDiv6 supported the second assault on Wake Island in which Japanese troops were able to capture the island after the intense Battle of Wake Island In May 1942 from CruDiv6 Gotō commanded an element of the Main Body Support Force providing cover along with the light aircraft carrier Shōhō for the Operation Mo offensive including landings on Tulagi and an attempted assault on Port Moresby New Guinea that resulted in the Battle of the Coral Sea During the battle U S aircraft attacked and sank Shōhō with Gotō s cruisers located too far away to provide anti aircraft protection for the carrier for the loss of Lexington 4 Operating from Kavieng New Ireland and Rabaul New Britain Gotō s CruDiv6 supported Japanese naval operations during the first several months of the Guadalcanal campaign CruDiv6 with other Japanese warships and under the overall command of Gunichi Mikawa participated in the Battle of Savo Island on 8 August 1942 resulting in the sinking of four Allied cruisers On the return trip to Kavieng however Kako was torpedoed and sunk On 11 October the remaining three cruisers of CruDiv6 approached Guadalcanal at night to bombard the Allied airbase at Henderson Field as well as to support a large Tokyo Express run occurring the same evening Gotō s force was surprised by a force of American cruisers and destroyers under the command of U S Rear Admiral Norman Scott In the resulting Battle of Cape Esperance Gotō was mortally wounded onboard Aoba and died later on 12 October Notes Edit a b Nishida Imperial Japanese Navy Goto Aritomo Lacroix Japanese Cruisers p 308 Hackett IJN Aoba References EditBooks Edit Cook Charles O 1992 The Battle of Cape Esperance Encounter at Guadalcanal Reissue ed Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 126 2 D Albas Andrieu 1965 Death of a Navy Japanese Naval Action in World War II Devin Adair Pub ISBN 0 8159 5302 X Dull Paul S 1978 A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1941 1945 Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 097 1 Frank Richard B 1990 Guadalcanal The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle New York Penguin Group ISBN 0 14 016561 4 Hara Tameichi 1961 Japanese Destroyer Captain New York amp Toronto Ballantine Books ISBN 0 345 27894 1 Kilpatrick C W 1987 Naval Night Battles of the Solomons Exposition Press ISBN 0 682 40333 4 Lacroix Eric Linton Wells 1997 Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 311 3 Morison Samuel Eliot 1958 Chapter 8 The Struggle for Guadalcanal August 1942 February 1943 vol 5 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II Boston Little Brown and Company ISBN 0 316 58305 7 Poor Henry Varnum Henry A Mustin Colin G Jameson 1994 The Battles of Cape Esperance 11 October 1942 and Santa Cruz Islands 26 October 1942 Combat Narratives Solomon Islands Campaign 4 5 Naval Historical Center ISBN 0 945274 21 1 External links EditHoran Mark Battle of Cape Esperance Order of Battle Archived from the original on 17 May 2006 Retrieved 17 May 2006 Nishida Hiroshi Imperial Japanese Navy Archived from the original on 14 March 2014 Retrieved 25 August 2007 Office of Naval Intelligence 1943 The Battle of Cape Esperance 11 October 1942 Combat Narrative Publications Branch Office of Naval Intelligence United States Navy Archived from the original on 13 May 2006 Retrieved 17 May 2006 somewhat inaccurate on details since it was written during the war Parshall Jon Bob Hackett Sander Kingsepp IJN AOBA Tabular Record of Movement Combinedfleet com Retrieved 14 June 2006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aritomo Gotō amp oldid 1174791110, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
