Takeichi Nishi

In 1912, at the age of 10, he succeeded to the title of Baron upon the death of his father.

In 1915, he entered Tokyo First Junior High School (now Hibiya High School) in accordance with the dying wishes of his father; his classmates included Hideo Kobayashi, future pre-eminent literary critic, and Hisatsune Sakomizu, who would be Chief Cabinet Secretary in 1945.

In September 1917, Nishi entered Hiroshima Army Cadet School, a military preparatory school established on Prussian models, and in 1920 took courses at Tokyo Central Cadet Academy.

One of his classmates was Masanobu Tsuji, formerly head student of the Nagoya Academy.

He completed his studies at Central Cadet School in six months in April 1920, due to the reorganization of the military schools, and began courses at the Imperial Japanese Army Academy.

Midway through his studies, he was attached to the First Cavalry Regiment based in Setagaya, Tokyo.

In 1924, he graduated from the academy, the 13th of the 19 students in his class, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in October.

He went on to the First Cavalry after graduating from Army Cavalry School.

Nishi was reassigned the regimental commander of the 26th Tank Regiment, based in Mudanjiang, in northern Manchukuo on defensive duties.

He was promoted to lieutenant in October 1927.

In 1930, Nishi encountered what would be his favorite horse, Uranus, while in Italy.

As the army wouldn't pay for the horse, Nishi bought Uranus with his personal funds.

Nishi and Uranus competed in competitions around Europe, doing well.

Colonel Baron Takeichi Nishi (西 竹一) was an Imperial Japanese Army officer, equestrian show jumper, and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.

He was a tank unit commander at the Battle of Iwo Jima and was killed in action during the defense of the island.

Nishi was born in the Azabu district of Tokyo.

He was the illegitimate third son of Tokujirō Nishi, a danshaku (baron under the kazoku peerage system).

His mother was not married to Tokujirō and was forced to leave the house soon after giving birth.

His father had various high-level positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Imperial Privy Council, leading up to ambassador to China's Qing dynasty during the Boxer Rebellion.

Nishi went to Gakushuin pre-school and, while in elementary school, repeatedly got into fights with students of nearby Bancho elementary school.

In 1932, when Nishi was a first lieutenant, they participated in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, winning a gold medal in Equestrian at the 1932 Summer Olympics show jumping individual.

This remains Japan's only Olympic medal to date in an equestrian event.

His victory broke through the general hostility towards Japan that followed from the Mukden Incident and invasion of Manchuria.

Westerners, especially Americans, referred to him as Baron Nishi.

He was also popular among Japanese Americans, who were ostracized by American society in this period.

During his stay in Los Angeles, Nishi became the topic of conversation both for his love of driving convertibles around town and for becoming part of the social circle led by movie legend Charlie Chaplin, movie star couple Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.

After the Olympics, he was reassigned to the 16th Narashino Cavalry Regiment and promoted to be a cavalry instructor at the regimental school with the rank of captain, which he was promoted to in August 1933.

Nishi and Uranus participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany but Nishi fell off his horse mid-course.

The 1936 Show Jumping individual event gold medal was won by Germany.

Following this, Nishi was reposted to the Tokachi Subdivision of the department responsible for supply of military horses.

He was promoted to major in March 1939.

In this period, Japan was cutting its cavalry forces and forming tank regiments.

There is speculation this was intentional and done for the benefit of host country Nazi Germany, with whom Japan would sign the 1940 Tripartite Pact, forming the Axis Powers.

He eventually gained the rank of lieutenant colonel in August 1943.

In 1944, the 26th Tank Regiment was reassigned to the defense of Iwo Jima under the command of Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi.

On July 18, 1944, while en route from Pusan to Iwo Jima, the ship Nisshu Maru transporting the regiment was struck by torpedoes fired by submarine USS Cobia (SS-245).

While only two soldiers were killed, all 28 of the tanks in the regiment were lost.

Nishi briefly returned to Tokyo to obtain replacement tanks, and eventually received 22 of them.

While there, he borrowed the car of Daijiro Kawasaki, future CEO of Daihyaku Insurance (eventually bought out by Manulife Financial), a close friend and a son of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries zaibatsu.

When he had a chance, he visited his horse Uranus, who remained at the Bajikōen Horse Grounds, Setagaya.