Gunichi Mikawa

Gunichi Mikawa (1880-1981) was a vice admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, a specialist in torpedoes and gunnery who led cruiser-destroyer task forces, and later was the area commander for the Southwest Pacific during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

He was the victor in the Battle of Savo Island during the Guadalcanal campaign, although he has been criticized for not attacking the transport force once he had destroyed the protecting warships. Savo Island is usually considered the worst defeat in a surface battle fought by the U.S. Navy.

Later, he commanded a mixture of land-based air and submarine forces, as well as the some naval units including Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima's cruiser-destroyer force. He was reassigned to Japan on grounds of ill health during the later Philippines Campaigns.