Nobutake Kondo was born in Japan in 1886. He joined the Japanese Navy and eventually became a vice admiral and commander of the Southern Fleet. On 10th December 1941, Kondo's aircraft sunk Prince of Wales and Repulse.In 1942 Kondo had overall responsibility for amphibious operations in the Philippines. Kondo also took part in the battle of Midway (3rd-6th June, 1942) where he commanded the 2nd Fleet.
Lieutenant General Alexander Vandegrift and the US Marines had the task of removing the stranglehold of the Japanese in the South Pacific. After the marines conducted their first successful amphibious landings at Guadalcanal on 7th August, 1942, Kondo led the Japanese effort to destroy the beachhead.
At the battle of the Eastern Solomons (23-25 August 1942) Kondo led the Japanese Navy against Frank Fletcher and Thomas Kinkaid. In October 1942 Kondo faced Kinkaid again at Santa Cruz.
Kondo led Japanese forces at the battle off Savo Island (12-13 November, 1942). Kondo's withdrawal marked the the end of the campaign for Guadalcanal.
Appointed a member of the Supreme War Council in May 1945, Nobutake Kondo died in 1953.
