october officer submarine commander imperial_japanese_navy world war best known captain japanese submarine sank uss indianapolis born educated volunteered service submarines later aboard submarine attack pearl harbor commanded coastal patrol training submarines japan war took command ship equipped carry manned torpedoes number unsuccessful operations sank indianapolis july midnight patrol submarine returned japan ships survive war called testify court martial indianapolis commander controversial time later effort later priest died biography born japan eighth children fifth son priest attended prestigious school performed youth described self possessed respectful behest father applied family naval background father struggled financially priest government felt entering son military help provide older brothers subsequently attended commissioned graduated high school accepted leaving home time attended naval academy years studying japanese history engineering naval tactics military athletics graduated commissioned married daughter successful osaka businessman couple sons born born born daughter born military career volunteered submarine service served aboard destroyers submarine shores november sub lieutenant assigned crew promoted lieutenant december time brother killed action fighting chinese mainland assigned destroyer december selected submarine school following year assigned naval district enrolled month torpedo course june subsequently entering naval submarine school class student december completion training assigned submarine march torpedo officer transferring october role july assigned submarine torpedo officer october lieutenant commander ship based year submarine conducted training maneuvers group submarines november group sailed submarine attached steaming eastward surfaced miles december sub large group submarines support attack pearl harbor witnessed final ritual man submarine cast remained rendezvous point wait sub came december steamed submarine return detached assigned advanced course february prepare command submarine graduating course june given command submarine coastal defense vessel remainder operated ship home waters training crews trying new equipment research development japanese submarine doctrine promoted lieutenant commander november given command submarine coastal defense later year given command submarine duties commanding lieutenant commander given command submarine construction oversaw construction submarine later overhauled mid construction carry manned torpedoes considered great honor crew commissioned september commanded cruises commanding men repeated drills shore leave completed training submarine december ship traversed supplies moved loaded december left war patrol steaming arrived coast guam january ordered launched tentatively claimed tanker sunk unable verify ship actually struck strike unsuccessful sped arrived january remained port march likely supply shortages march ordered support battle taking place ordered launch pilots immediately return home ordered april sailing support japanese forces battle okinawa attacked aircraft times surfaced hours april japanese submarine withdraw operation remained port continued mining conducted departed july war patrol time large submarines left mission harass allied lines communications passing minefields headed east coast philippines intending attack ships passing east okinawa spotting ships cruised south arriving guam shipping lane july spotted tanker escorted destroyer ordered launch heard explosions crew unable determine struck targets reported tanker assumed sunk sinking indianapolis july ordered submarine area believed shipping lanes guam okinawa evening spotted heavy cruiser indianapolis metres cruising position medium speed believing ship idaho class battleship ordered dive indianapolis closed metres ordered regular torpedoes fired july spotting explosions strike indianapolis ordered submarine deep dive fearing detection hour deep dive surfaced spot indianapolis searching unsuccessfully sign ship ordered retire transmitted short wave radio message 6th fleet headquarters noting destruction ship later wrote incident moon enemy ship clearly visible turrets aft large tower mast took idaho class battleship crew awaiting order fire torpedoes dead quiet favorable moment firing approaching loud voice gave order stand fire torpedo release switch pressed intervals seconds report came torpedo room tubes fired correct torpedoes speeding enemy ship bringing boat course parallel enemy waited minute age starboard enemy forward turret turret rose columns water followed immediately flashes bright red flame column water arose alongside number turret ship hit hit shouted torpedo struck home crew danced joy ordered northward looking additional ships attack picked reports atomic bombing hiroshima intercepted radio august continued hunt allied ships south august launched convoy claimed destroyer probably sunk august launched remaining claimed merchant ship probably sunk surfaced august learned signaling japanese surrender end war traveled arrived emotionally informed crew end war war confirmed indianapolis ship sunk japanese naval success world war court martial days japan formal surrender tokyo bay promoted final rank commander november given command destroyer ships survive war assigned duties returning troops japan overseas begin new duties summoned united_states military witness prosecution court martial indianapolis commander captain trial charges leading ship sinking december transported tokyo oakland california aboard aircraft assured treated naval officer instead prisoner war war criminal remained guard time united_states allowed leave hotel appearance page news day new_york_times newspapers day arrived washington hearings taking place duration time united_states spoke translator spoke judge advocate captain hours december spoke day captain chief defense counsel hours officers sought determine credibility stand trial told visibility good night attack able easily spot indianapolis testified court december crowded courtroom time officer nation war united_states testified officer court martial behest took japanese civil oath oath charged nations lied minutes testimony focused indianapolis noted ship course noted position maneuvers diminished ability attack ship testimony considered integral eventual conviction following appearance trial remained custody guard early returned japan aboard trials underway japanese war crimes war coming light announcement appearance testimony american officer caused considerable controversy american news media known innocent war crimes generally treated guards spoke little english subject press public responses sent angry telegram secretary navy complain representative publicly stated thing heard summon officer testify officers living practicing law navy courts boards years reaches time low courts board congressional investigation columnist accused navy hype court martial departure testimony remained controversial criticized trip estimated cost post war return japan worked officer naval section responsible veterans remained completed final assignment june civilian opting retire military end life priest shrine later interviewed author book stated commander amazed americans penned dormitory trial treated like honored guest enemy officer caused deaths american boys later authored book sunk story japanese submarine fleet detailed japanese submarine operations war including account sinking indianapolis december met survivors indianapolis pearl harbor stated translator came pray deaths caused survivor simply responded forgive assisted surviving crew indianapolis attempting blame ship sinking writing letter stated decades earlier indianapolis difference able launch successful torpedo attack ship conviction wrote peoples terrible war consequences time peoples captain humiliation conviction died age october days death reputation captain 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Mochitsura Hashimoto