Captain Tameichi Hara
Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)

Background
Tameichi Hara was born in rural Japan. The most important day of his life, was when he traveled to Hiroshima to take the exam for entry into Japan's Naval Academy at Eta Jima and was commissioned in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).

Wartime History
October 26, 1940 became the commander of destroyer Amatsukaze when it was commissioned. Hara authored an important torpedo doctrine that dramatically increased crews successes. At the start of the Pacific War, supports the landings at arrives Legaspi and Davao. On March 1, 1942 with destroyer Hatsukaze in the Java Sea attacks submarine USS Perch (SS-176) with gunfire and depth charges.

On January 10, 1943 relieved of command of the destroyer. and is transfered to Comdesdiv 27.

On December 20, 1944 became the commander of light cruiser Yahagi.

On April 7, 1945 during the Battle of the East China Sea his light cruiser and Battleship Yamato were sunk by U.S. Navy (USN) carrier planes. Captain Hara survived the sinking and was rescued by destroyers.

Postwar
In 1961, Hara published his memoirs that were translated into English and published as Japanese Destroyer Captain. The book is one of only a handful of accounts by Japanese Navy warship veterans published in English.

References
Japanese Destroyer Captain (1961) by Tameichi Hara

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