Tameichi Hara
| Tameichi Hara | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | October 16, 1900 Kagawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | October 10, 1980 (aged 79) |
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Destroyer Amatsukaze 27th Destroyer Squadron Cruiser Yahagi |
| Commands held |
 Imperial Japanese Navy
|
| Battles/wars |
World War II • Battle of the Java Sea • Battle of Midway • Battle of the Eastern Solomons • Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands • Naval Battle of Guadalcanal • Battle of Vella Gulf • Naval Battle of Vella Lavella • Battle off Horaniu • Battle of Empress Augusta Bay • Operation Ten-Go |
Tameichi Hara (原 為一 Hara Tameichi?, October 16, 1900 – October 10, 1980) was an Imperial Japanese naval commander during the Pacific War and the author of the IJN manual on torpedo attack techniques, notable for his skill in torpedo warfare and night fighting. Hara was the only IJN destroyer captain at the start of World War II to survive the entire war and his memoirs serve as an important source for historians.
Tameichi Hara was born on October 16th 1900 in a suburb of Takamatsu City on the island of Shikoku. A native of Kagawa Prefecture and of samurai descent, Hara graduated with the 49th class from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima in 1921. In 1932 Hara was assigned as a surface warfare instructor and wrote a torpedo attack manual that was accepted as official doctrine. He began the war as the captain of destroyer Amatsukaze.
Hara commanded a Japanese destroyer or destroyer division in many significant Pacific sea battles. As captain of the Amatsukaze Commander Hara participated in the Battle of the Java Sea, the sinking of the submarine USS Perch (SS-176) and the occupation of Christmas Island. He sank another submarine after detecting it at night when he saw a sailor on the surface light a cigarette four kilometers away. On 13 November 1942 Hara’s Amatsukaze sank the USS Barton (DD-599) during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal but was severely damaged in turn after Hara left his searchlights on too long and drew intense fire from light cruiser USS Helena (CL-50).
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