Japanese naval fleet (1903–1945)
Field Value unit_name 2nd Fleet dates 27 October 1903 – 20 April 1945 country Empire of Japan branch battles battle_honours Pacific War notable_commanders Kamimura Hikonojo Soemu Toyoda Takeo Kurita Seiichi Ito
World War II
Invasion of Thailand
Battle of Leyte Gulf
Soemu Toyoda
Takeo Kurita
Seiichi Ito
The 2nd Fleet was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) created as a mobile strike force in response to hostilities with Russia, and saw action in every IJN military operation until the end of World War II.
History
Established on 27 October 1903, the 2nd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to pursue the Imperial Russian Navy's Vladivostok-based cruiser squadron while the remaining bulk of the Japanese fleet (the IJN 1st Fleet ) continued to blockade Port Arthur in hopes of luring the battleships of the Russian Pacific Fleet into an open sea classic line of battle confrontation.
As the main mobile force in the IJN, the 2nd Fleet saw the bulk of all future IJN combat operations from the time of its inception until IJN dissolution at the end of World War II.
Order of Battle at time of Pearl Harbor
Based at Samah, Hainan Island
4th Division
:CA Takao (fleet flagship)
:CA Atago
:CA Chōkai
:CA Maya
5th Division
:CA Haguro (flagship)
:CA Myōkō
:CA Nachi
7th Division
:CA Kumano (flagship)
:CA Mikuma
:CA Mogami
:CA Suzuya
8th Division
:CA Tone (flagship)
:CA Chikuma
Other
:AD Kamikaze Maru
2nd Destroyer Squadron
:8th Destroyer Division
::DD *Arashio*
::DD *Asashio*
::DD *Michishio*
::DD *Ōshio*
:15th Destroyer Division
::DD *Hayashio*
::DD *Kuroshio*
::DD *Natsushio*
::DD *Oyashio*
:16th Destroyer Division
::DD *Amatsukaze*
::DD *Hatsukaze*
::DD *Tokitsukaze*
::DD *Yukikaze*
:18th Destroyer Division
::DD *Arare*
::DD *Kagerō*
::DD *Kasumi*
::DD* Shiranuhi*
**4th Destroyer Squadron**
::CL *Naka* (flagship)
:2nd Destroyer Division
::DD *Harusame*
::DD *Murasame*
::DD *Samidare*
::DD *Yudachi*
:4th Destroyer Division
::DD *Arashi*
::DD *Hagikaze*
::DD *Maikaze*
::DD *Nowaki*
:9th Destroyer Division
::DD *Asagumo*
::DD *Minegumo*
::DD *Natsugumo*
::DD *Yamagumo*
:24th Destroyer Division
::DD *Kawakaze*
::DD *Suzukaze*
::DD *Umikaze*
::DD* Yamakaze*
## Order in the Malayan Campaign
### Distant Cover Force
::data[format=table]
| Distant Cover Force | Commander | Vessel | Flagship | Units | Constituents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Nobutake Kondō** (Commander of IJN 2nd Fleet) | ***Kongō*** | | | | |
| ***Kongō*** (flagship of 3rd Battleship Division & flagship of IJN 2nd Fleet) | | | | | |
| 3rd Battleship Division | 2 *Kongō-class* battleships | *Haruna* | | | |
| *Kongō* | | | | | |
| 4th Cruiser Division | 2 *Takao-class* heavy cruisers | *Takao* | | | |
| *Atago* | | | | | |
| 4th Destroyer Division | 10 Destroyers | | | | |
| 6th Destroyer Division | | | | | |
| 8th Destroyer Division | | | | | |
::
### Closed Cover Force
::data[format=table]
| Closed Cover Force | Commander | Vessel | Flagship | Units | Constituents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Jisaburō Ozawa** | ***Chōkai*** | | | | |
| ***Chōkai*** (flagship of 4th Cruiser Division) (+ 1 Destroyer) | | | | | |
| 7th Cruiser Division | 4 *Mogami*-class heavy cruisers | *Mogami* | | | |
| *Mikuma* | | | | | |
| *Suzuya* | | | | | |
| *Kumano* | | | | | |
| 3rd Destroyer Squadron | 1 *Nagara-class* light cruiser | *Yura* | | | |
| 8 Destroyers | | | | | |
::
### Invasion Force
::data[format=table]
| Invasion Force | Commander | Vessel | Flagship | Units | Constituents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Shintarō Hashimoto** | ***Sendai*** | | | | |
| N/A | | | | | |
| 3rd Destroyer Squadron | 1 *Sendai-class* light cruiser | *Sendai* | | | |
| 10 Destroyers | | | | | |
| 12th Seaplane Tender Squadron | 1 *Kamikawa Maru*-class seaplane tender | *Kamikawa Maru* (12 Seaplanes) | | | |
| 1 *Sakito Maru-class* seaplane tender | *Sagara Maru* (8 Seaplanes) | | | | |
| 3 Minesweepers | | | | | |
| 10 Army Transport Ships | | | | | |
| 3rd Destroyer Squadron | 1 *Katori*-class light cruiser | *Kashii* | | | |
| 7 Army Transport Ships | | | | | |
::
## Commanders of the IJN 2nd Fleet
::data[format=table]
| Commanders, IJN 2nd Fleet | || Rank|| Name || Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vice-Admiral |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral |
| 6 | Vice Admiral |
| 7 | Vice Admiral |
| 8 | Vice Admiral |
| 9 | Vice Admiral |
| 10 | Vice Admiral |
| 11 | Vice Admiral |
| 12 | Vice Admiral* |
| 13 | Vice Admiral |
| 14 | Vice Admiral |
| *Disbanded (1 December 1921 – 1 December 1922)* | |
| 15 | Vice Admiral |
| 16 | Vice Admiral |
| 17 | Vice Admiral |
| 18 | Vice Admiral |
| 19 | Vice Admiral |
| 20 | Vice Admiral |
| 21 | Vice Admiral |
| 22 | Vice Admiral |
| 23 | Vice Admiral |
| 24 | Vice Admiral |
| 25 | Vice Admiral |
| 26 | Vice Admiral |
| 26 | Vice Admiral |
| 27 | Vice Admiral |
| 28 | Vice Admiral |
| 29 | Vice Admiral |
| 30 | Vice Admiral |
| 31 | Vice-Admiral |
| 32 | Vice Admiral |
| 33 | Vice Admiral |
| *Vacant (7 April 1945 – 20 April 1945)* | |
| *Position Abolished* | |
| **Vice-Admiral*:- promoted to Admiral during tenure** | |
::
::data[format=table]
| **Chief of Staff to IJN 2nd Fleet** | || Rank|| Name || Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Captain* |
| 2 | Captain* |
| 3 | Captain |
| *Vacant (14 January 1907 – 28 September 1907)* | |
| 4 | Captain |
| 5 | Captain |
| 6 | Captain |
| *Vacant (1 February 1908 – 1 December 1909)* | |
| 7 | Captain |
| 8 | Captain |
| 9 | Commander** |
| 10 | Captain |
| 11 | Captain |
| 12 | Rear-Admiral |
| 13 | Rear-Admiral |
| 14 | Rear-Admiral |
| 15 | Rear Admiral |
| 16 | Rear-Admiral |
| 17 | Rear-Admiral |
| 18 | Rear-Admiral |
| 19 | Rear-Admiral |
| 20 | Rear-Admiral |
| 21 | Rear-Admiral |
| 22 | Rear-Admiral |
| 23 | Rear-Admiral |
| 24 | Rear-Admiral |
| 25 | Rear-Admiral |
| 26 | Rear-Admiral |
| 26 | Rear Admiral |
| 27 | Rear-Admiral |
| 28 | Rear-Admiral |
| 29 | Rear Admiral |
| 30 | Rear-Admiral |
| 31 | Rear-Admiral |
| 32 | Rear-Admiral |
| 33 | Rear-Admiral |
| 34 | Rear-Admiral |
| 35 | Rear-Admiral |
| 36 | Rear-Admiral |
| 37 | Rear-Admiral |
| 38 | Rear Admiral |
| *Position Abolished* | |
| **Captain*:- promoted to Rear-Admiral during the tenure** | |
| **Commander**:- promoted to Captain during the tenure** | |
::
## References
### Books
- {{cite book
- {{cite book
| url-access = registration
- {{cite book
## References
1. ["Administrative Order of Battle – 2nd Fleet, Combined Fleet, 7 December 1941"](http://niehorster.org/014_japan/41-12-08_navy/fleet_02/02-fleet.html).
2. Wendel, Axis History Database
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"]
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::