Boshiro Hosogaya (24 June 1888 – 8 February 1964) was a Vice Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Biography[]
Boshiro Hosogaya was born in Nozawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan on 24 June 1888, and he graduated from the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy in 1908 and the Naval War College in 1918. Hosogaya became a Lieutenant Commander in 1920, Commander in 1924, Captain in 1929, Rear Admiral in 1935, and Vice Admiral in 1939. Hosogaya served as Commandant of the Communications and Torpedo Schools during the Interwar period before taking command of the IJN 5th Fleet on 25 July 1941 on the eve of World War II. During the war, his fleet took part in the invasion of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and he foolishly withdrew from battle during the Battle of the Komandorski Islands after mistaking splashes from colored dye shells for bomb splashes; despite heavily damaging USS Salt Lake City. Hosogaya's actions were deemed as cowardice, and he was relieved by Shiro Kawase. He was assigned to the reserves later in 1943, and he served as Governor of the South Pacific from Truk until the war's end. He died in 1964 at the age of 75.