squadron in 1937. He left
destroyers in 1939 to com-
mand the battleship
Kongo,rising there to rear
admiral. Tanaka returned
to destroyers and was
leading Destroyer Squad-
ron Two when the Pacific
War erupted in December
1941.
The first six months of
the Pacific conflict were
characterized by an un-
stoppable Japanese on-
slaught at sea. Tanaka
was occupied by escort-
ing duties during the
Philippine invasion of De-
cember 1941, which he
subsequently performed
throughout the conquest
of the Dutch East Indies.
During the decisive Bat-
tle of the Java Sea on
February 29, 1942, his destroyers successfully
screened the main Japanese force, then
rushed in and torpedoed several Allied war-
ships. By June 1942, U.S. and Australian de-
fenses had stabilized, but Japan’s senior lead-
ers felt obliged to expand their defensive
perimeter by attacking Midway Island in June
- This proved a costly fiasco that elimi-
nated all four Japanese aircraft carriers pres-
ent. Tanaka, being tasked with escort duty,
was not closely engaged, but he nonetheless
discharged his monotonous duties with trade-
mark efficiency. Midway, however, proved the
turning point of war in the Pacific, for the
United States soon undertook offensive oper-
ations. This transpired in August 1942, when a
division of U.S. Marines landed at Guadal-
canal in the Solomon Islands.
The Japanese, whose main naval base was
at neighboring Rabaul, reacted violently to
this intrusion, and a series of costly naval bat-
tles ensued. Troops of the Imperial Japanese
Army were hastily dispatched to the island in
an attempt to wrest it back. At this time,
Tanaka’s command con-
sisted of the old cruiser
Jintsuand the destroyers
Kagero, Mutsuki, Yayoi,
Isokaze,and Kawakaze.
This represented a vet-
eran force of highly
trained seaman, led by
an equally skilled com-
mander. On August 23,
1942, Tanaka was di-
rected to bring food and
reinforcements to belea-
guered Japanese forces
on Guadalcanal. His con-
voy glided silently along
in the moonlight when,
suddenly, American dive-
bombers scored direct
hits on the Jintsu and
several transports. Dam-
age was heavy, and for
the first time in his career
Tanaka shifted his flag to
another vessel and turned back.
As the struggle for Guadalcanal intensified,
the Japanese navy necessarily assumed
greater responsibility for supplying and rein-
forcing the garrison there. This resulted in the
adoption of a nighttime naval resupply system
that Americans dubbed the “Tokyo Express,”
a partially successful expedient that landed
troops and supplies in driblets. On November
14, 1942, Tanaka sallied forth again with 11
destroyers, as many transports, and 10,000
soldiers of the 38th Division. His efforts were
then interrupted by enemy aircraft, which
sank six transports, and only 2,000 men were
landed. But throughout these difficult and
costly undertakings, the Japanese com-
mander was given the respectful nickname
“Tenacious Tanaka.” The Americans would
soon learn just how tenacious this destroyer
captain could be.
During the final phases of the naval cam-
paign around Guadalcanal, U.S. Navy person-
nel consistently tried to derail the Tokyo Ex-
press. They realized that Tanaka operated onlyTANAKA, RAZIO
Razio Tanaka
National Archives