Takatsugu Jōjima (城島 高次) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Biography

Jōjima was from Saga Prefecture. He was a graduate of the 40th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1912, where he placed 111th out of 144 cadets. He served as midshipman on the cruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Azuma and battlecruiser JAPANESE CRUISER Ikoma. After being commissioned as ensign, he was assigned to the battlecruiser JAPANESE BATTLECRUISER Ibuki and then JAPANESE CRUISER Akashi, and then back to Ikoma. As a sub-lieutenant, he served on JAPANESE CRUISER Nisshin, battleship JAPANESE BATTLESHIP Asahi, and the destroyer JAPANESE DESTROYER Hatsuharu. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1919 after attending advanced navigation courses, and became chief navigator on the patrol boat Manshu, transport Takasaki, minelayer Katsuriki, seaplane carrier JAPANESE SEAPLANE CARRIER Wakamiya, oiler Shiriya, cruisers JAPANESE CRUISER Tatsuta, JAPANESE CRUISER Natori, JAPANESE CRUISER Abukuma, JAPANESE CRUISER Haguro, and aircraft carrier JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Kaga. Promoted to commander in 1931, Jōjima was assigned as executive officer on the aircraft carriers JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hōshō and JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hiryu. On 17 April 1941, he became captain of the aircraft carrier JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER Shōkaku. Jōjima was still captain of Shōkaku during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Rabaul, the Indian Ocean Raid, Operation Mo, the Battle of the Coral Sea. Jōjima was promoted to rear admiral on 1 May 1942. As commander of naval aviation units throughout the war, he also led the seaplane tenders of R-Area Air Force that participated in the defense of Guadalcanal during the Guadalcanal campaign including the Battle of Cape Esperance and Japanese efforts to recapture Henderson Field in 1942. Surviving the war, Jōjima died in 1967.

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