Mikawa escorted the Pearl Harbor strike with the Kongo-class ships Hiei and Kirishima. After First Air Fleet commander Chuichi Nagumo, he was the only other vice admiral in the task force and outranked its remaining commanders. That seniority meant Mikawa and his staff could take over if Nagumo became unable to command. He also understood cruisers such as Tone and Chikuma from earlier service, giving him practical familiarity with the covering force. If an American battle line intercepted the carriers, his surface ships were expected to hold it long enough for the carrier force to escape, even at the cost of their own destruction.
Notable Point · 15:59-18:52
Mikawa as Pearl Harbor's backup commander
As the carrier force's other vice admiral, Mikawa was positioned to succeed Nagumo and use his fast battleships as a covering force if the operation went wrong.