Matome Ugaki

Matome Ugaki (宇垣 纏, Ugaki Matome, 15 February 1890 – 15 August 1945) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, remembered for his extensive and revealing war diary, role at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and kamikaze suicide hours after the announced surrender of Japan at the end of the war.

Biography

Early career

Born in Akaiwa District, Okayama (now part of Okayama city, Okayama prefecture), Ugaki graduated from the 40th class Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1912. He placed 9th out of 144 cadets, and served as midshipman on the cruisers Azuma and Hirado. He was commissioned as ensign on 1 December 1913 and was assigned to the battlecruiser Ibuki. He subsequently served on the battlecruiser Kongō, cruiser Iwate and destroyer Nara. After his promotion to lieutenant on 1 December 1918, he attended naval artillery school, and was assigned as chief gunnery officer to the destroyer Minekaze.

In 1924, Ugaki graduated from the 22nd class of the Naval Staff College, and was promoted to lieutenant commander. After a brief posting aboard the cruiser Ōi, he served three years as a staff member of the Naval Gunnery School, and was then appointed as a resident officer in Germany from 1928–1930, with the rank of commander.