Keisuke Matsuo

Keisuke Matsuo
Born	1890 Saga, Japan
Died	May 2, 1943(1943-05-02) (aged 53)[1] Tarawa, Gilbert Islands
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Service/branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Years of service	1915–1943
Rank	Commander
Unit	Yokosuka 6th SNLF
Commands held	Gilbert Islands
Battles/wars	Second Sino-Japanese War World War II

Cdr. Keisuke Matsuo (松尾 景輔, Matsuo Keisuke) (born in 1890 - died 2 May 1943) was a Japanese naval officer, commander of the Yokosuka 6th SNLF (from No.6 Base Force, in Kwajalein).

He was in command during the Japanese occupation of the Gilbert Islands in Betio, Tarawa, from September 1942 to 22 February 1943, after the US Raid on Makin Island. Because of the distance between Kwajalein and Tarawa (580 nautical miles), on 15 February 1943, the Gilbert Islands, Ocean Island, and Nauru were removed from the 6th Base Force in Kwajalein. They were replaced under a new 3rd Special Base Force with headquarters in Betio, and Admiral  [it] replaced Matsuo. Following the loss of his command, Matsuo performed seppuku on 2 May 1943.^[2]

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