Rear-Admiral Shoji Nishimura

Rear-Admiral Shoji Nishimura

Rear-Admiral Shoji Nishimura was appointed as commander of 4th Destroyer Squadron in November 1940 (previously he had commanded first a cruiser and then a battleship in the late '30s).

As such he participated in operations at Balikpapan, Borneo and Battle of Java Sea during the Dutch East Indies Campaign (December 1941-March 1942).

In June 1942 he was given command of 7th Cruiser Division, heavily involved in the subsequent Guadalcanal Campaign. In 1943 he was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral. He led "Southern Force" in the battle of Leyte Gulf and died aboard his flagship, battleship Yamashiro, trying to force the Surigao Strait in October 1944.