Tomeo Kaku

Tomeo Kaku Historical Figure Nationality: Japan Date of Birth: 1893 Date of Death: 1942 Cause of Death: Drowning (presumably) Occupation: Naval Officer, Pilot Military Branch: Imperial Japanese Navy (World War II) Fictional Appearances: Days of Infamy POD: March, 1941; Relevant POD: December 7, 1941 Appearance(s): Both volumes Type of Appearance: Direct Date of Death: 1943 Cause of Death: Drowning Military Branch: Imperial Japanese Navy World War II

Tomeo Kaku (8 November 1893 - 6 June 1942) was a captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He commanded the IJN Hiryu during the attack on Pearl Harbor and World War II. He deliberately went down with his ship when the Hiryu was sunk during the Battle of Midway.

Tomeo Kaku in Days of Infamy

In May 1942, Tomeo Kaku (1893-1943) replaced the outspoken Kiichi Hasegawa as commander of the flagship Akagi while part of the Japanese occupation of Hawaii. In June 1942, he was commanding the ship when the United States made its first unsuccessful attempt to take back Hawaii. His skill in handling the ship earned him a promotion to rear-admiral a few months later.

However, in 1943, the U.S. returned with a much larger fleet that overwhelmed Japan's defenders in the Pacific Ocean. The Akagi took a torpedo hit amidships. Kaku dutifully took responsibility for the ship's destruction, and went down with her.