Teruo Akiyama

Teruo Akiyama (秋山 輝男), was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Biography
Akiyama was a native of Kumamoto prefecture. He graduated from the 41st class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1913, ranked 61st out of 118 cadets. He served as midshipman on the cruisers JAPANESE CRUISER Asama and JAPANESE CRUISER Kurama. After he was commissioned as an ensign, he was assigned to the battleship JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Asahi. He subsequently served on the battleship JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Suwo, cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Izumo and destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Yudachi.

Akiyama was promoted to lieutenant on 1 December 1918, and was assigned to the destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Isokaze as chief torpedo officer. However, from 1921–1922, he also served as executive officer on the submarines SS-35 and SS-45.

On 7 February 1924, he was given his first command: the destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Fubuki. He subsequently commanded the destroyers JAPANESE DESTROYER Yugure, JAPANESE DESTROYER Tachibana, JAPANESE DESTROYER Kashiwa, JAPANESE DESTROYER Sawarabi, JAPANESE DESTROYER Hamakaze and JAPANESE DESTROYER Murakumo in the 10-year period from 1924-1934. Promoted to captain on 1 December 1937, he served in mostly staff assignments until the start of the Pacific War, with the exception of a posting as captain of the cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Naka in 1939. He was promoted to rear admiral on 1 November 1942.

During the Solomon Islands campaign, on 6 July 1943, Akiyama commanded the 3rd Destroyer Squadron, which consisted of 10 destroyers loaded with 2,600 combat troops, bound for Vila on Kolombangara. At 01:06 off Kolombangara, the task group came into contact with U.S. Navy Task Group 36.1 (TG 36.1), commanded by Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth, and consisting of light cruisers USS Helena (CL-50), USS Honolulu (CL-48), and USS St. Louis (CL-49), along with four destroyers. In the resultant Battle of Kula Gulf, the American ships opened fire at 01:57 and quickly sank the Japanese flagship, destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Niizuki, killing Admiral Akiyama.

Akiyama was posthumously promoted to vice admiral.

Notable Positions Held
Commanding Officer, MS W-1 - 1 December 1925-1 December 1926

Commanding Officer, MS W-1 - 20 January 1928-1 November 1928

Commanding Officer, DD Murakumo - 1 December 1932-15 November 1935

Commanding Officer, DD Usugumo - 1 November 1934-15 November 1934

ComDesDiv 30–1 December 1937-10 December 1938

ComDesDiv 4–10 December 1938-25 October 1939

ComDesDiv 34–25 October 1939-15 November 1939

Commanding Officer, CL Naka - 15 November 1939-15 October 1940

ComDesRon 3–23 March 1943-6 July 1943 (KIA)

Dates of Promotions
Midshipman - 19 December 1913

Ensign - 1 December 1914

Sublieutenant - 1 December 1916

Lieutenant - 1 December 1920

Lieutenant Commander - 1 December 1926

Commander - 1 December 1932

Captain - 1 December 1937

Rear Admiral - 1 November 1942

Vice Admiral - 6 July 1943 (posthumous promotion)