:Shigeyoshi Miwa

Miwa was a native of Aichi prefecture, and graduated 59th out of 148 cadets in the 39th class of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy in 1911. He served his midshipman duty on the training ship Aso and battleship Mikasa, and as a sub-lieutenant on the protected cruiser Chikuma, coastal defense ship Iwami and armored cruiser Azuma. In 1917, he attended the Navy Staff College, where he specialized in navigation, torpedo warfare and submarines, transferring to the submarine warfare section as a lieutenant in 1918. He stayed on to become an instructor at the Submarine Warfare School from 1920 to 1922, and served as acting commanding officer of Submarine No, 22 (the future {{ship|Japanese submarine|Ro-14||2}}) from May to December 1922. He was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1923.Nishidah, [https://archive.today/20140314224021/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px39.htm#v029 Imperial Japanese Navy]

In 1924, Miwa was given his first true command, that of Submarine No. 45 (the future {{ship|Japanese submarine|Ro-26||2}}). He became commanding officer of the submarine {{ship|Japanese submarine|Ro-60||2}} in 1925. From 1925 to 1932, Miwa served in various staff positions on the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff and as an instructor at the Naval Staff College on submarine warfare issues. He was promoted to captain in 1932, and assigned command of the 30th Submarine Group.[http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/M/i/Miwa_Shigeyoshi.htm Miwa Shigeyoshi] Pacific War On-Line Encyclopedia

From 1935 to 1936, Miwa was captain of the light cruiser {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Kinu||2}},[http://www.combinedfleet.com/kinu_t.htm IJN KINU: Tabular Record of Movement], combinedfleet.com and served as Chief of staff of the Mako Guard District from 1936 to 1938. He was promoted to rear admiral in November 1938. In 1939, he was assigned back to submarines as commander of the 3rd Submarine Squadron, and was in this position at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.Prange. At Dawn We Slept. Page 339 His submarines were part of the screening force around Pearl Harbor to prevent any United States Navy vessels from escaping during the air raids.Goldstein. The Pearl Harbor Papers, page 272

Miwa returned to the Naval General Staff in April 1942 and was promoted to vice admiral and placed in charge of the Naval Shipbuilding Command. In July 1944, he became commander-in-chief of the 6th Fleet, in charge of all submarine operations for the Imperial Japanese Navy, and served in this capacity during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944.Morison. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Vol. 12: Leyte. page 151Padfield. War Beneath the Sea. Page 454

With his forces taking increasing casualties due to the increasing numbers of American warships and aircraft with increasingly effective anti-submarine warfare equipment, Miwa (although initially opposedDunnigan. Victory at Sea. Page 454) became a strong proponent of the Kaiten suicide submarine program.Sheftal. Blossoms in the Wind. page 438 He was relieved of this command and returned to the Navy General Staff in May 1945.

Miwa went into retirement after the surrender of Japan in September 1945. He died in 1959 at age 66.

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| url = https://archive.org/details/shokanhirohitoss00full

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• {{cite web

|last = Nishida

|first = Hiroshi

|url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px39.htm#v029

|archive-url = https://archive.today/20140314224021/http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px39.htm#v029

|url-status = dead

|title = Imperial Japanese Navy

|archive-date = 2014-03-14

}}

• [http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/M/i/Miwa_Shigeyoshi.htm Pacific War On-Line Encyclopedia]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miwa, Shigeyoshi}}

Category:1892 births

Category:1959 deaths

Category:Military personnel from Aichi Prefecture

Category:Japanese admirals of World War II

Category:Imperial Japanese Navy admirals