Editing Isoroku Kurita

{{Update Needed|[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]|[[Jihad Turning Points: Dieron]]|[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]|[[Historical: Brush Wars]]|[[Technical Readout: 3025]]|[[Handbook: House Kurita]]}}

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Isoroku.jpg
| name                = Isoroku Kurita
| birthdate           = [[2996]]<ref name=HKDCLS>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', foldout: "The Draconis Combine's Line of Succession and Partial Kurita Family Tree"</ref>
| died                = 
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[House Kurita]]
| rank                = 
| title               = 
| position            = 
| profession          = [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]
| parents             = [[Miyamoto Kurita]] (father)<ref name=HB:HKp119>''Handbook: House Kurita'', p. 119</ref>
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = [[Miyako Kurita]]<ref name=HB:HKp119/>
}}
'''Isoroku Kurita''' was an officer and general in the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]].

==History==
===Early life===
Isoroku Kurita was the son of [[Miyamoto Kurita]] and nephew to [[Takashi Kurita]], the [[Coordinator]] of the [[Draconis Combine]]. This makes him a first cousin to [[Theodore Kurita]]. He had a daughter named [[Miyako Kurita|Miyako]].{{cn}}

===Military Career===
Isoroku Kurita began his military after graduating from both the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery#Pagoda for Luthien Officers|Pagoda for Luthien Officers]] and the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery#Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy|Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy]].<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 138</ref>

Circa [[3019]], Isoroku was described by his cousin, [[Theodore Kurita]], as a "monk" residing in a monastery. Neither Theodore nor Takashi seemed to have much confidence in the idea of Isoroku becoming Coordinator in the event both Takashi and Theodore were killed.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', p. 84</ref> It is uncertain how this fits in with his career in the DCMS.

Isoroku reportedly saw action in at least thirty combat engagements in the early years of his career. During the [[Fourth Battle of Harrow's Sun]], he was injured while leading an attack on the city of Barnstable.<ref name=TRO3025-058>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 58</ref>

While recuperating from this injury, he was given command of the [[Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy|Sun Zhang Academy Cadre]] as a ''[[Sho-sho]]'', leading the [[First Sun Zhang Academy Cadre]] himself. By [[3025]], the First Cadre was stationed on [[Weingarten]].<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 135</ref>

Isoroku was still in command of the Cadre when the [[Fourth Succession War]] broke out, and Weingarten was invaded by the [[Fifteenth Lyran Regulars]]. The Cadre suffered heavy casualties before being forced to retreat.<ref>''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 50</ref>

Isoroku's activities during the [[War of 3039]] and the [[Clan Invasion]] are unknown. It is known that by early [[3054]], he held the rank of ''[[Tai-sho (rank)|Tai-Sho]]'' and was the commander of the [[Kessel]] Prefecture in the [[Dieron Military District]],<ref>''Objective Raids'', p. 25</ref> a post he had not held four years prior.<ref>''20 Year Update'', p. 40</ref>

Later that same year, he was promoted to [[Tai-shu|Warlord]] of the Dieron Military District by Takashi Kurita himself, who wanted a traditionalist in charge of the district bordering both halves of the [[Federated Commonwealth]]. Reports of border incidents between Isoroku and his counterpart, [[Richard Steiner (31st c.)|Richard Steiner]], [[Field Marshals|Field Marshal]] of the [[Skye]] March, deeply concerned [[ISF]] Director [[Subhash Indrahar]].<ref>''Wolf Pack'', pp. 70–71</ref> Isoroku was a known opponent of any sort of multi-House effort to find and attack the [[Clan Homeworlds]], a plan that eventually resulted in the [[Second Star League]].<ref>''Explorer Corps'', p. 24</ref>

In a field manual report on the status of the DCMS in [[3058]], Isoroku is described as a competent politician who was now being tested both for his ability and loyalty. As such, he was being closely watched by the ISF.<ref>''Field Manual: Draconis Combine'', p. 48</ref>

During the [[FedCom Civil War]], Isoroku successfully coordinated counterattacks against the Davion incursion, most notably at [[Al Na'ir]].<ref>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 132</ref>

During the [[Jihad]], Isoroku was apparently able to maintain his position despite the fall of [[Dieron]] to the [[Word of Blake]]. At some point in the later years of the conflict, ''[[Gunji-no-Kanrei]]'' [[Kiyomori Minamoto]] would appoint Isoroku as his second-in-command, apparently with the approval of [[Devlin Stone]]'s coalition.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra''</ref> Isoroku arrived on the [[Lyran Alliance]] world of [[Donegal]] in mid-November 3076 at roughly the same time as [[Field Marshal]] [[Katherine Sandoval-Ito]] of the [[AFFS]]; the two stayed in seclusion in the Bladensburg settlement along with their respective entourages for several weeks before allegedly relocating to Wytheville to meet with [[Duke]] [[Robert Kelswa-Steiner]] and [[General]] [[Belle Lee]] as planning for [[Operation SCOUR]] escalated.<ref name="JHS:Tp16+">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', pp. 16–17: "Big Doings On ''Little Big Horn''"</ref>

When the ''Gunji-no-Kanrei'' was appointed the commander of the Draconis Combine front of [[Operation SCOUR]] at the end of 3076, he appointed Isoroku as his second in command, Isoroku having recently recovered from injuries suffered in action on [[Pesht]].<ref name="JHS:Tp30">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 30: "Official Update"</ref> Isoroku led the attack on [[Asta]] in May [[3077]] which saw the coalition discover that the former [[Star League Defense Force]] [[General]] [[Andrew Redburn]] was still alive a decade after he'd been presumed killed on [[Tukayyid]].<ref name="JHS:Tp32">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 32: "Official Update 2"</ref>

He was known to have had at least one daughter, [[Miyako Kurita]]. Prior to [[3093]], Miyako was erroneously believed to have been the mother of [[Kitsune Kurita]] by elements of the ''[[Kokuryu-kai]]''.<ref name=HWRE18-MK-1>''Historical: Wars of the Republic Era'', p. 18: "Matters of Honor: The Powder Room", Kitsune Kurita named as Isoroku's grandson</ref>

==BattleMechs==
Isoroku Kurita's 'Mech of choice was the ''[[Hunchback]]''. He named his personal machine the ''Murakumi'' (Cloud-Gatherer) and was considered an expert in urban engagements. Indeed, he had recorded twenty-two 'Mech "kills" by the time he took command of the Sun Zhang Academy Cadre.<ref name= TRO:3025p58>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 58: Notable 'Mechs And MechWarriors</ref>

==Notes==
* There is a discrepancy in the date Isoroku took command of the Dieron Military District. The novel ''[[Wolf Pack]]'' clearly indicates this took place during or before 3054. However, ''[[Field Manual: Draconis Combine]]'' explicitly gives the date of [[3057]], further stating that it was Theodore, not Takashi, who gave Isoroku the promotion.
* Isoroku appears as a secondary leader in the ''[[Succession Wars (Board Game)|Succession Wars Board Game]]'', based in the [[Galedon Military District]].<ref>''Succession Wars (Board Game)'', p. 14</ref>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[Explorer Corps (sourcebook)|Explorer Corps]]''
* ''[[FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)|FedCom Civil War]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Draconis Combine]]''
* ''[[Handbook: House Kurita]]''
* ''[[Heir to the Dragon]]''
* ''[[Historical: Wars of the Republic Era]]''
* ''[[House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
* ''[[NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1]]''
* ''[[Objective Raids]]''
* ''[[Succession Wars (Board Game)]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3025]]''
* ''[[Wolf Pack]]'' (novel)
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Draconis Combine Characters|Kurita, Isoroku]]
[[Category:Notable Hunchback Pilots|Kurita, Isoroku]]