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 Asama and Kurama. After he was commissioned as an ensign, he was assigned to the battleship Asahi. He subsequently served on the battleship Suwo, cruiser Izumo and destroyer Yudachi.
Akiyama was promoted to lieutenant on 1 December 1918, and was assigned to the 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 Fubuki. He subsequently commanded the destroyers Yugure, Tachibana, Kashiwa, Sawarabi, Hamakaze and 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 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, Honolulu, and St. Louis, 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 Niizuki, killing Admiral Akiyama.
Akiyama was posthumously promoted to vice admiral.
Read more about this topic: Teruo Akiyama
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