World War II Database

This guy was a bonafide genius, probably one of the finest squadron commanders of the entire war to serve on either side. He routinely defeated superior Allied forces in the Solomons, or escaped with the bulk of his forces from traps that should have meant his annihilation, the Battle of Tassafaronga, November 30, 1942, being a prime example. His primary working assets were often no more inspiring than a handful of overloaded, overworked destroyer transports. Fortunately for the U.S., he was removed from surface command shortly after the final evacuation from Guadalcanal, presumably a casualty of the Navy's finger-pointing as to who was to blame for the debacle.

Raizo Tanaka Timeline

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Jeffrey McMeans says:
   11 Jul 2009 11:26:49 PM
   
   One of the great unknown people here. He was certainly the spunkiest man with a brain. Some of his plans seemed a little whacky, like floating supplies ashore after being dumped into the ocean offshore Guadalcanal, but able to turn on the offense and make great getaways!
2. Sean B says:
   14 Sep 2009 09:41:31 AM
   
   He pops up again and again in every history recounting the battles in the South Pacific in WW2 and is highly regarded in all of them.
   
   It's a shame he was relegated to shore duty as punishment for the Guadalcanal debacle...but fortunate for the Allies.
   
   So little else seems to be known of him. I wish there was a definitive history of his exploits or that he left a memoir.
3. rascal says:
   11 Jan 2010 06:55:05 AM
   
   He was a superb commander of torpedo squadron in WWII. JIN assaigned high rank officers according to their age and score
   in the naval academy not to the talent. This didn't work,of course.
4. Anonymous says:
   14 Jun 2010 10:16:52 AM
   
   Japanese Destroyer Captain book is a good resource.
5. Bob McKown says:
   14 Apr 2012 04:08:52 PM
   
   Tanaka had also fallen into disfavor with the Imperial Japanese Navy High Command and on 29 December 1942 was transferred to Singapore.
   
   Even the American Navy remarked on his tactics and were glad he was taken from command.
   
   Tanaka retired from the navy on June 26 1946 and died on July 9 1969.

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