# Third Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)

The 3rd Fleet (第三艦隊, Dai-san Kantai) was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), which was created, and subsequently disbanded on six separate occasions and revived on five separate occasions.

## History
### Russo-Japanese War

First established on 28 December 1903, the 3rd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as an administrative unit to manage vessels considered obsolete for front-line combat service. These vessels were used primarily for training and for coastal patrol duties. The 3rd Fleet came under the aegis of the Combined Fleet for the duration of the Russo-Japanese War from March 1904. Although initially derided as a "dinosaur fleet", the 3rd fleet proved invaluable at the Battle of Tsushima and the Invasion of Sakhalin. It was disbanded on 20 December 1905.

### South China Fleet

The 3rd Fleet was revived on 24 December 1908 as an expeditionary force during the Chinese Republican Revolution, to safeguard Japanese interests (civilians and property) on the Chinese mainland and (if necessary) to conduct emergency evacuation. It was nicknamed the "South China Fleet" after its chief area of envisioned activity was the South China Sea. Its cruisers patrolled the Yangtze River and other large rivers in China, and its headquarters was in the Japanese concession in Shanghai. It was disbanded on 25 December 1915.

### World War I

The 3rd Fleet was reconstituted on the same day as the dissolution of the "South China Fleet", initially to act as a training force to supplement Japan's contribution to the World War I under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. When the Russian Revolution was proclaimed by the communist forces in Russia, the mission of the 3rd Fleet was changed to that of patrols of the Russian sea coast for the Siberian Intervention by Japanese ground forces in support of anti-Bolshevik forces. The 3rd Fleet was disbanded on 1 December 1922, and many of its vessels were scrapped almost immediately under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty.

### First China Expeditionary Fleet

The 3rd Fleet was again raised on 2 February 1938 as part of Japan's emergency buildup of forces after the Shanghai Incident. The buildup took the form of three separate expeditionary fleets, consisting primarily of cruisers and gunboats to patrol the Chinese coast and major riverways and to support the landings of Japanese ground forces. With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the 3rd Fleet came under the aegis of the China Area Fleet. It was disbanded on 15 November 1939; however, some of the organizational and command structures for ground forces under the First China Expeditionary Fleet remained in place until August 1943.

### Southern Expeditionary Fleet

The 3rd Fleet was recreated once again on 10 April 1941 with the additional designation "Southern Expeditionary Fleet" for the specific task of invading the Philippines. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, its headquarters was in Palau and its mission expanded to include the invasions of Java, Borneo and other islands of the Netherlands East Indies. It was superseded by the 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet under the aegis of the Southwest Area Fleet on 10 March 1942.

#### Order of Battle at time of Pearl Harbor

    Based at Takao, Formosa
12th Carrier Division
    AV Kamikawa Maru (flagship)
    AV Sanuki Maru
    AV Sanyo Maru
16th Division
    CL Nagara (fleet flagship)
    CL Kuma
    CA Ashigara
17th Division
    AN/CM Itsukushima (flagship)
    AN/CM Yaeyama
    CM Tatsumiya Maru
    CM Tatsuharu Maru
Supply Group
    AR Yamabiko Maru
    AP Senko Maru
    AW Koan Maru
    AW Asayama Maru (aka Chozan Maru or Chosan Maru)
    AW Goryu Maru
    AO Hayatomo Maru
    AO Genyo Maru
    AP Kosei Maru
    AGS Kyodo Maru
5th Destroyer Squadron
    CL Natori (flagship)
    5th Destroyer Division
       DD Asakaze
       DD Harukaze
       DD Hatakaze
       DD Matsukaze
    22nd Destroyer Division
       DD Fumizuki
       DD Minazuki
       DD Nagatsuki
       DD Satsuki
6th Submarine Squadron
    AS Chōgei (flagship)
    9th Submarine Division
       I-123
       I-124
    9th Submarine Division
       I-121
       I-122
1st Base Force
    21 Minesweeper Division
       AM W-7
       AM W-8
       AM W-9
       AM W-10
       AM W-11
       AM W-12
    1st Gunboat Division
       PG Busho Maru
       PG Keiko Maru
       PG Kanko Maru
       PG Myoken Maru
    1st Subchaser Division
       PC Ch-1
       PC Ch-2
       PC Ch-3
    2nd Subchaser Division
       PC Ch-13
       PC Ch-14
       PC Ch-15
    51st Subchaser Division
       PC Kyo Maru No. 12
       PC Kyo Maru No. 13
       AN Tōkō Maru No. 1 Go
    52nd Subchaser Division
       PC Shonan Maru No. 17
       PC Takunan Maru No. 5
       AN Fukuei Maru No. 15
    Other
       AN/CM Shirataka
       AN/CM Aotaka
       AGM Ikushima Maru
       AGM Kimishima Maru
       AP Myoku Maru
       AG Hakusan Maru
2nd Base Force
    21st Torpedo Boat Division
       PT Chidori
       PT Hatsukari
       PT Manazuru
       PT Tomozuru
    11th Minesweeper Division
       AM W-13
       AM W-14
       AM W-15
       AM W-16
    30th Minesweeper Division
       AM W-17
       AM W-18
       AM W-19
       AM W-20
    2nd Gunboat Division
       PG Kamitsu Maru
       PG Tokuyo Maru
       PG Taiko Maru
       PM Banyo Maru
    3rd Gunboat Division
       PG Aso Maru
       PG Kiso Maru
       PG Nampo Maru
    53rd Subchaser Division
       PC Kyo Maru No. 2
       PC Kyo Maru No. 11
       AN Korei Maru
    54th Subchaser Division
       PC Shonan Maru No. 1
       PC Shonan Maru No. 2
       AN Nagara Maru
    21st Subchaser Division
       PC Ch-4
       PC Ch-5
       PC Ch-6
       PC Ch-16
       PC Ch-17
       PC Ch-18
    31st Subchaser Division
       PC Ch-10
       PC Ch-11
       PC Ch-12
    Other
       CMN Wakataka
       ACM Nichiyu Maru
       PG/CM Imizu Maru
       PG/CM Seian Maru
       PG/CM Shinko Maru
       AP Sumanoura Maru
       AP Kumagawa Maru
       AP Kenryu Maru
       AG Hakozaki Maru
32nd Special Base Force
    1st Patrol Boat Division
       PB Patrol Boat No. 1
       PB Patrol Boat No. 2
       PB Patrol Boat No. 32
       PB Patrol Boat No. 33
       PB Patrol Boat No. 34
       PB Patrol Boat No. 35
       PB Patrol Boat No. 36
       PB Patrol Boat No. 37
       PB Patrol Boat No. 38
       PB Patrol Boat No. 39
    Other
       CMc Kamome
       CMc Tsubame
       PG/CM Imizu Maru
       AMc Nichiyu Maru

### World War II (post-July 1942)

The sixth (and final) incarnation of the 3rd Fleet was formed on 14 July 1942 immediately after the disastrous Battle of Midway as an aircraft carrier task force modeled after similar units in the United States Navy. It was centered on the new aircraft carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku. It played an important role during the Pyrrhic victory at the Battle of Santa Cruz, in which the American aircraft carrier Hornet was sunk, but at the cost of many of the best air crews in the Japanese Navy.
After March 1944, the 3rd Fleet was basically merged with the 2nd Fleet, and suffered through the disastrous Battle of the Philippine Sea, losing 3 of its aircraft carriers, including the newly commissioned Taihō and over 350 carrier planes.
In October 1944, the 3rd Fleet was designated the "Northern Force" in a three-force plan to defeat the Allied invasion of the Japanese-held Philippines. The 3rd Fleet carriers were divested of all but 108 aircraft and sent to lure the American-led fleet away from protecting the troop landing ships. On 25–26 October, facing a large force that included ten USN carriers, with 600–1,000 aircraft, 3rd Fleet lost 4 aircraft carriers, one light cruiser and one destroyer at the Battle off Cape Engaño. The 3rd Fleet effectively ceased to exist, and was officially disbanded on 15 December 1944.

## Commanders of the 3rd Fleet
### 1st Creation (Russo-Japanese War)

| | Commander-in-Chief | Commander-in-Chief | Dates | Dates | Previous Post | Next Post | Notes |
| 1 | | Vice-Admiral Kataoka Shichirō 片岡七郎 | 28 December 1903 | 20 December 1905 | Commander Takeshiki Naval Base | Commander-in-chief 1st Fleet | |

### 2nd Creation (World War I)

| | Rank | Name | Dates | Dates |
| 1 | Admiral | Kakuichi Murakami | 13 December 1915 | 6 April 1917 |
| 2 | Admiral | Ryokitsu Arima | 6 April 1917 | 1 December 1918 |
| 3 | Admiral | Teijiro Kuroi | 1 December 1918 | 1 December 1919 |
| 4 | Admiral | Kaneo Nomaguchi | 1 December 1919 | 1 December 1920 |
| 5 | Admiral | Kozaburo Oguri | 1 December 1920 | 1 December 1921 |
| 6 | Admiral | Baron Kantarō Suzuki | 1 December 1921 | 27 July 1922 |
| 7 | Vice-Admiral | Naoe Nakano | 27 July 1922 | 1 December 1922 |

### 3rd Creation (2nd Sino-Japanese War)

| | Commander-in-Chief | Dates | Dates | Previous Post | Next Post | Notes |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral Nomura Kichisaburō 野村吉三郎 | 2 February 1932 | 28 June 1932 | Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District | Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District | Relieved after being blinded in eye during the Hongkou Park bombing 29 April 1932. |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral Sakonji Seizō 左近司政三 | 28 June 1932 | 1 December 1932 | | Commander-in-chief Sasebo Naval District | |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai 米内光政 | 1 December 1932 | 15 September 1933 | Commander Chinkai Guard District | Attendant Navy General Staff | |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral Imamura Nobujirō | 15 September 1933 | 15 November 1934 | | Commander-in-chief Sasebo Naval District | |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral Hyakutake Gengo 百武源吾 | 15 November 1934 | 1 December 1935 | Commander-in-chief Maizuru Guard District | Commander-in-chief Sasebo Naval District | |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral Oikawa Koshirō 及川古志郎 | 1 December 1935 | 1 December 1936 | | Director Naval Aviation Bureau | |
| 7 | Admiral Hasegawa Kiyoshi 長谷川清 | 1 December 1936 | 25 April 1938 | Vice-Minister of the Navy | Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District | Also Commander-in-chief China Area Fleet after 20 October 1937 |
| 8 | Vice-Admiral Oikawa Koshirō 及川古志郎 | 25 April 1938 | 15 November 1939 | Chief Naval Aviation Bureau | Commander-in-chief China Area Fleet | Also Commander-in-chief China Area Fleet |
On 15 November 1939 the 3rd Fleet was reorganized into the 1st China Expeditionary Fleet. Admiral Oikawa retained command of the China Area Fleet but command of the former 3rd Fleet passed to Tanimoto Umatarō. Command History continues there.

### 4th Creation (Pacific War)

| | Rank | Name | Dates | Dates |
| 1 | Admiral | Ibō Takahashi | 10 April 1941 | 10 March 1942 |
| X | | Disbanded | 10 March 1942 | 14 July 1942 |
| 1 | Admiral | Chuichi Nagumo | 14 July 1942 | 11 November 1942 |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Jisaburō Ozawa | 11 November 1942 | 15 November 1944 |
Chief of Staff
| | Rank | Name | Dates | Dates |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Shizuka Nakamura | 28 December 1903 | 12 January 1905 |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Koshi Saito | 12 January 1905 | 2 November 1905 |
| X | | Disbanded | 20 December 1905 | 13 December 1915 |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Shichitaro Takagi | 13 December 1915 | 1 April 1916 |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | Tokutaro Hiraga | 1 April 1916 | 19 March 1917 |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | Hisatsune Iida | 19 March 1917 | 1 December 1917 |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | Shichigoro Saito | 1 December 1917 | 1 December 1918 |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | Shinzaburo Furukawa | 1 December 1918 | 10 June 1919 |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | Kosaburo Uchida | 10 June 1919 | 20 November 1920 |
| 7 | Rear-Admiral | Hisamori Taguchi | 20 November 1920 | 1 December 1921 |
| 8 | Vice-Admiral | Naomoto Komatsu | 1 December 1921 | 1 December 1922 |
| X | | Disbanded | 1 December 1922 | 2 February 1932 |
| 1 | Admiral | Shigetarō Shimada | 2 February 1932 | 28 June 1932 |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Shigeru Kikuno | 28 June 1932 | 1 April 1933 |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | Seizaburo Mitsui | 1 April 1933 | 15 November 1933 |
| 4 | Admiral | Shirō Takasu | 15 November 1933 | 15 November 1934 |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | Eijiro Kondo | 15 November 1934 | 2 December 1935 |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | Seiichi Iwamura | 2 December 1935 | 16 November 1936 |
| 7 | Vice-Admiral | Rokuzo Sugiyama | 16 November 1936 | 25 April 1938 |
| 8 | Vice-Admiral | Jinichi Kusaka | 25 April 1938 | 23 October 1939 |
| 9 | Admiral | Shigeyoshi Inoue | 23 October 1939 | 15 November 1939 |
| X | | Disbanded | 15 November 1939 | 10 April 1941 |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Toshihisa Nakamura | 10 April 1941 | 10 March 1942 |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Ryunosuke Kusaka | 14 July 1942 | 23 November 1942 |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | Sadayoshi Yamada | 23 November 1942 | 6 December 1943 |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | Keizo Komura | 6 December 1943 | 1 October 1944 |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | Sueo Obayashi | 1 October 1944 | 15 November 1944 |