Nobutake Kondo was born in 1886 and graduated from the Japanese Naval Academy in 1907. His career included extensive service at sea and ashore. He was President of the Japanese Naval Staff College and Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet during the 1930s. During the first part of the Pacific War, he commanded the Second Fleet, participating in the invasions of Malaya, the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. During the Battle of Midway, VAdm. Kondo commanded the Midway Occupation Force and Covering Group. Subsequently, he played a leading role during the Guadalcanal campaign, commanding Japanese naval forces present in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on 23-25 August 1942, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26-27 October and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal's battleship action on 15 November 1942.