Kunio Nakagawa

Kunio Nakagawa
Lt. Colonel Nakagawa (1939-43)
Native name
中川 州男
Born(1898-01-23)23 January 1898
Died24 November 1944(1944-11-24) (aged 46)
Peleliu island, Palau
Allegiance Japan
Branch Imperial Japanese Army
Service years1918–1944
RankLieutenant general (posthumous)
Conflicts

Kunio Nakagawa (中川 州男, Nakagawa Kunio; 23 January 1898 – 24 November 1944) was the commander of Japanese forces which defended the island of Peleliu in the Battle of Peleliu which took place from the 15th of September to the 27th of November,1944. He inflicted heavy losses on attacking U.S. Marines and held Peleliu Island for almost three months. On the evening of the 24th of November, after the battle was lost, he performed seppuku (ritual suicide) in the tradition of Japanese samurai warriors. He was posthumously promoted to lieutenant general.