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Kanoya Air Group

October 27, 2023

The Kanoya Air Group (鹿屋海軍航空隊, Kanoya Kaigun Kōkūtai) was an aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Second Sino-Japanese War and Pacific campaign of World War II. The air group was redesignated as the 751st Air Group on 1 October 1942. On 1 November, the group's fighter unit was redesignated to the 253rd Air Group, while the bomber unit remained the 751st Air Group.

History edit

The Kanoya Air Group was formed on 1 April 1936 and was the oldest medium bomber (rikko) air group in IJNAS, along with the Kisarazu Air Group. It initially operated from Kanoya on Kyushu and was equipped with Type 96 Mitsubishi G3M medium bombers. They first saw combat during the Second Sino-Japanese War in August 1937. In July 1941, the air group temporarily moved to an airfield near Hankou in Central China to participate in Operation 102, which involved concentrated attacks against targets in Chongqing and Chengdu in West China.

Following the unit's return from Hankou to Kanoya in September 1941, they became the second IJNAS unit (after Takao Air Group) to be equipped with the new Type 1 Mitsubishi G4M medium bombers. In November, they moved to Taiwan, however soon afterwards the unit's main body was transferred to Saigon in French Indochina, leaving a detachment at Taichung. The detachment that stayed on Taiwan participated in the attack on the Philippines.[1]

At the start of Pacific War, Kanoya Air Group was considered the most highly trained medium bomber unit in torpedo attacks. Therefore, its main body at Saigon was selected as the main torpedo attack unit for the attack on the newly arrived British naval Force Z, centered around the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse. The attack formation of 26 G4M bombers was led by the unit's Hikōtaichō Lieutenant Commander Shichiso Miyauchi, who flew as an observer in the lead aircraft, piloted by Buntaichō Lieutenant Miyoshi Nabeta. By the time they arrived at the area off the south-east coast of Malay Peninsula, where the ships were heading back to Singapore, the Royal Navy ships had been already attacked by the older G3M bombers from Mihoro Air Group and Genzan Air Group. A high-level attack by Mihoro's bombers hit Repulse with a single 250 kg bomb that caused minor damage, while Genzan's bombers hit Prince of Walse with two torpedoes that hindered her steering ability. Kanoya's torpedo attack then hit Repulse with four torpedoes and finished off Prince of Walse with additional four torpedoes. The attack sank both battleships at the cost of two Kanoya bombers.[1]

In January 1942, the detachment first moved to the newly captured airfield at Davao and then to Kendari and participated in the invasion of Dutch East Indies, while the main body supported the Japanese invasion of Malaya and Singapore. On 19 February, the detachment participated in the Bombing of Darwin, where they hit the harbor one and a half hours after the carrier strike. In March, the main body and the detachment both returned to Japan where they reunited.[1]

On 12 September 1942, Kanoya Air Group's advanced detachment of medium bombers led by Buntaichō Lieutenant Osamu Doki moved to Rabaul on New Britain to participate in Guadalcanal campaign and New Guinea campaign.[2] The rest of the group's bombers under Hikōtaichō Lieutenant Commander Kazuo Nishioka moved to Kavieng on New Ireland on 16 September. On the same day, part of its fighter unit led by Hikōtaichō Lieutenant Toshitaka Itō moved to Rabaul for temporary duty with Tainan Air Group.[3] The group's bombers participated in major raids against Guadalcanal on 13 and 28 September, and against Port Moresby on 21 September. In the meantime, its fighters participated in an escort mission on 28 September and a fighter sweep against Guadalcanal on 29 September.[4][1] On 1 October the unit was redesignated to 751st Air Group.[5][6] Further fighter sweeps against Guadalcanal were conducted on 3 and 9 October and an escort on 23 October, while the bombers participated in major raids on 11, 13 and 14 October.[4] On 1 November, the group's fighter unit was redesignated to the 253rd Air Group, while the bomber unit remained the 751st Air Group.[5][7]

On 30 January, the 751st Air Group bombers were involved in the Battle of Rennell Island, where they were led by Lieutenant Commander Kazuo Nishioka and they torpedoed the cruiser Chicago. In April 1943, the unit participated in Operation I-Go. By mid-1943, the high rate of attrition forced the unit to reduce the number of aircrew per bomber from seven to five, which typically meant there was no co-pilot.[1] 253rd Air Group fighters saw heavy fighting during the defence of Rabaul in late 1943 and early 1944.[5] After US carrier force raided Truk Lagoon in February 1944, all air units were withdrawn from Rabaul area, including 751st Air Group.[1]

Personnel Assigned edit

Commanding Officers edit

  • According to Naval Resignation Bulletins by the Ministry of the Navy.

First Generation edit

  • Capt. Shizue Ishii (39) - 1 April 1936 - 15 November 1937
  • Capt. Munetaka Sakamaki (41) - 15 November 1937 - 15 December 1938
  • Capt. Sueo Obayashi (43) - 15 December 1938 - 15 October 1940
  • Capt. Naoshiro Fujiyoshi (44) - 15 October 1940 - 1 April 1942
  • Capt. Katsuji Kondo (46) - 1 April 1942 - 27 September 1942
  • Capt. Toshihiko Odawara (48) - 27 September 1942 - 1 October 1942 as C.O. of 751st Naval Air Group - 29 March 1943
  • Lt.Cdr. Naohiro Sata (51) - 29 March 1943 - promoted Captain on 1 May 1944 - 15 June 1944
  • Capt. Ryozo Otani (51) - 15 June 1944 - 10 July 1944, disbanded.

Second Generation edit

  • Capt. Fujino Hiroshi (47) – 1 October 1942 – 1 November 1942
  • Capt. Takatsugu Kan'ichi (44) – 1 November 1942 – 1 January 1943
  • Capt. Moritama Hiroshi (45) – 1 January 1943 – 15 June 1944
  • Capt. Sato Rokuro (Eng. 31) – 15 June 1944 – 10 July 1944, reformed Toyohashi Naval Air Group.

Executive Officers edit

  • VACANT from 1 October 1942 – 1 November 1942; from 1 November 1942 onward, the position was held jointly by the Commanding Officer.

Maintenance Officers edit

  • Lt. (Eng.) / Lt. Saeki Tadao (Reserve) – 1 October 1942 – 15 March 1943 (Engineer officers were made line officers on 1 November 1942.)
  • Lt. Sakamoto Yoshiteru (Reserve) – 15 March 1943 – 10 October 1943
  • LtCdr. Oda Shichiro (Eng. 37) – 10 October 1943 – 1 December 1943 (Position of Maintenance Officer abolished.)

Surgeons edit

  • Cdr. (Med.) Miyahara Kunio (1922) – 1 October 1942 – 1 November 1943
  • Cdr. (Med.) Kawaida Ken (1922) – 1 November 1943 – 1 January 1944
  • LtCdr. (Med.) Kotake Sueo (1933) – 1 January 1944 – 10 July 1944

Paymasters edit

  • Lt. (Pay.) Mitsui Ichiro (1940) – 1 October 1942 – 15 May 1943
  • Lt. (Pay.) Kitawaki Nobuo (1940) – 15 May 1943 – 10 July 1944

Communications Officers edit

  • Lt. Fujiwara Hiromichi (66) – 1 October 1942 – 5 June 1944
  • LtCdr. Tsuji Yoshinobu (Special Duty 5) – 5 June 1944 – 10 July 1944

Air Officers edit

  • Cdr. Kusumoto Ikuto (52) – 1 October 1942 – 1 November 1942
  • Cdr. Kawaguchi Susumu (52) – 1 November 1942 – 12 December 1942
  • Cdr. Sugiyama Toshikazu (51) – 12 December 1942 – 5 November 1943
  • LtCdr. Asano Takeshi (56) – 5 November 1943 – 1 April 1944
  • VACANT – 1 April 1944 – 20 April 1944
  • LtCdr. / Cdr. Katsumi Goro (56) – 20 April 1944 – 10 July 1944 (Promoted Commander on 1 May 1944.)

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d As 253rd Air Group.
  2. ^ a b As 751st Air Group.

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Tagaya 2001.
  2. ^ Lundstrom 2005b, p. 190.
  3. ^ Lundstrom 2005b, p. 241.
  4. ^ a b Lundstrom 2005b, pp. 180–323.
  5. ^ a b c Hata, Izawa & Shores 2011.
  6. ^ Lundstrom 2005b, p. 271.
  7. ^ Lundstrom 2005b, p. 472.

Sources edit

  • Tagaya, Osamu (2001). Mitsubishi Type 1 Rikko 'Betty' Units of World War 2. Osprey Combat Aircraft #22. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 184176082X.
  • Lundstrom, John B. (2005b). First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8.
  • Hata, Ikuhiko; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2011). Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and their aces, 1932-1945. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 9781906502843.

Combat reports edit

  • 海軍大臣官房. 鹿屋空飛行機隊戦闘行動調書 (Report). Japan Center for Asian Historical Records.
  • 海軍大臣官房. 253空飛行機隊戦闘行動調書 (Report). Japan Center for Asian Historical Records.
  • 海軍大臣官房. 751空飛行機隊戦闘行動調書 (Report). Japan Center for Asian Historical Records.

October 27, 2023
kanoya, group, 鹿屋海軍航空隊, kanoya, kaigun, kōkūtai, aircraft, airbase, garrison, unit, imperial, japanese, navy, service, ijnas, during, second, sino, japanese, pacific, campaign, world, group, redesignated, 751st, group, october, 1942, november, group, fighter, . The Kanoya Air Group 鹿屋海軍航空隊 Kanoya Kaigun Kōkutai was an aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service IJNAS during the Second Sino Japanese War and Pacific campaign of World War II The air group was redesignated as the 751st Air Group on 1 October 1942 On 1 November the group s fighter unit was redesignated to the 253rd Air Group while the bomber unit remained the 751st Air Group Kanoya Air GroupActive1 April 1936 10 July 1944CountryEmpire of JapanBranchImperial Japanese NavyTypeNaval aviation unitRoleBomber FighterPart of21st Air FlotillaGarrison HQKanoya Japan Hankou China Saigon French Indochina Kendari Sulawesi Kavieng New Ireland Rabaul New BritainEngagementsSecond Sino Japanese War Philippines Campaign Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse Battle of Malaya Battle of Singapore Dutch East Indies Campaign New Guinea Campaign Guadalcanal Campaign Solomon Islands Campaign Naval Battle of Guadalcanal a Battle of Rennell Island b Battle of the Bismarck Sea a Operation I Go b a Defence of Rabaul a CommandersNotablecommandersShichiso MiyauchiMiyoshi NabetaKazuo NishiokaToshitaka ItōOsamu Doki Contents 1 History 2 Personnel Assigned 2 1 Commanding Officers 2 1 1 First Generation 2 1 2 Second Generation 2 2 Executive Officers 2 3 Maintenance Officers 2 4 Surgeons 2 5 Paymasters 2 6 Communications Officers 2 7 Air Officers 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 Citations 3 3 Sources 3 4 Combat reportsHistory editThe Kanoya Air Group was formed on 1 April 1936 and was the oldest medium bomber rikko air group in IJNAS along with the Kisarazu Air Group It initially operated from Kanoya on Kyushu and was equipped with Type 96 Mitsubishi G3M medium bombers They first saw combat during the Second Sino Japanese War in August 1937 In July 1941 the air group temporarily moved to an airfield near Hankou in Central China to participate in Operation 102 which involved concentrated attacks against targets in Chongqing and Chengdu in West China Following the unit s return from Hankou to Kanoya in September 1941 they became the second IJNAS unit after Takao Air Group to be equipped with the new Type 1 Mitsubishi G4M medium bombers In November they moved to Taiwan however soon afterwards the unit s main body was transferred to Saigon in French Indochina leaving a detachment at Taichung The detachment that stayed on Taiwan participated in the attack on the Philippines 1 At the start of Pacific War Kanoya Air Group was considered the most highly trained medium bomber unit in torpedo attacks Therefore its main body at Saigon was selected as the main torpedo attack unit for the attack on the newly arrived British naval Force Z centered around the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse The attack formation of 26 G4M bombers was led by the unit s Hikōtaichō Lieutenant Commander Shichiso Miyauchi who flew as an observer in the lead aircraft piloted by Buntaichō Lieutenant Miyoshi Nabeta By the time they arrived at the area off the south east coast of Malay Peninsula where the ships were heading back to Singapore the Royal Navy ships had been already attacked by the older G3M bombers from Mihoro Air Group and Genzan Air Group A high level attack by Mihoro s bombers hit Repulse with a single 250 kg bomb that caused minor damage while Genzan s bombers hit Prince of Walse with two torpedoes that hindered her steering ability Kanoya s torpedo attack then hit Repulse with four torpedoes and finished off Prince of Walse with additional four torpedoes The attack sank both battleships at the cost of two Kanoya bombers 1 In January 1942 the detachment first moved to the newly captured airfield at Davao and then to Kendari and participated in the invasion of Dutch East Indies while the main body supported the Japanese invasion of Malaya and Singapore On 19 February the detachment participated in the Bombing of Darwin where they hit the harbor one and a half hours after the carrier strike In March the main body and the detachment both returned to Japan where they reunited 1 On 12 September 1942 Kanoya Air Group s advanced detachment of medium bombers led by Buntaichō Lieutenant Osamu Doki moved to Rabaul on New Britain to participate in Guadalcanal campaign and New Guinea campaign 2 The rest of the group s bombers under Hikōtaichō Lieutenant Commander Kazuo Nishioka moved to Kavieng on New Ireland on 16 September On the same day part of its fighter unit led by Hikōtaichō Lieutenant Toshitaka Itō moved to Rabaul for temporary duty with Tainan Air Group 3 The group s bombers participated in major raids against Guadalcanal on 13 and 28 September and against Port Moresby on 21 September In the meantime its fighters participated in an escort mission on 28 September and a fighter sweep against Guadalcanal on 29 September 4 1 On 1 October the unit was redesignated to 751st Air Group 5 6 Further fighter sweeps against Guadalcanal were conducted on 3 and 9 October and an escort on 23 October while the bombers participated in major raids on 11 13 and 14 October 4 On 1 November the group s fighter unit was redesignated to the 253rd Air Group while the bomber unit remained the 751st Air Group 5 7 On 30 January the 751st Air Group bombers were involved in the Battle of Rennell Island where they were led by Lieutenant Commander Kazuo Nishioka and they torpedoed the cruiser Chicago In April 1943 the unit participated in Operation I Go By mid 1943 the high rate of attrition forced the unit to reduce the number of aircrew per bomber from seven to five which typically meant there was no co pilot 1 253rd Air Group fighters saw heavy fighting during the defence of Rabaul in late 1943 and early 1944 5 After US carrier force raided Truk Lagoon in February 1944 all air units were withdrawn from Rabaul area including 751st Air Group 1 Personnel Assigned editCommanding Officers edit According to Naval Resignation Bulletins by the Ministry of the Navy First Generation edit Capt Shizue Ishii 39 1 April 1936 15 November 1937 Capt Munetaka Sakamaki 41 15 November 1937 15 December 1938 Capt Sueo Obayashi 43 15 December 1938 15 October 1940 Capt Naoshiro Fujiyoshi 44 15 October 1940 1 April 1942 Capt Katsuji Kondo 46 1 April 1942 27 September 1942 Capt Toshihiko Odawara 48 27 September 1942 1 October 1942 as C O of 751st Naval Air Group 29 March 1943 Lt Cdr Naohiro Sata 51 29 March 1943 promoted Captain on 1 May 1944 15 June 1944 Capt Ryozo Otani 51 15 June 1944 10 July 1944 disbanded Second Generation edit Capt Fujino Hiroshi 47 1 October 1942 1 November 1942 Capt Takatsugu Kan ichi 44 1 November 1942 1 January 1943 Capt Moritama Hiroshi 45 1 January 1943 15 June 1944 Capt Sato Rokuro Eng 31 15 June 1944 10 July 1944 reformed Toyohashi Naval Air Group Executive Officers edit VACANT from 1 October 1942 1 November 1942 from 1 November 1942 onward the position was held jointly by the Commanding Officer Maintenance Officers edit Lt Eng Lt Saeki Tadao Reserve 1 October 1942 15 March 1943 Engineer officers were made line officers on 1 November 1942 Lt Sakamoto Yoshiteru Reserve 15 March 1943 10 October 1943 LtCdr Oda Shichiro Eng 37 10 October 1943 1 December 1943 Position of Maintenance Officer abolished Surgeons edit Cdr Med Miyahara Kunio 1922 1 October 1942 1 November 1943 Cdr Med Kawaida Ken 1922 1 November 1943 1 January 1944 LtCdr Med Kotake Sueo 1933 1 January 1944 10 July 1944Paymasters edit Lt Pay Mitsui Ichiro 1940 1 October 1942 15 May 1943 Lt Pay Kitawaki Nobuo 1940 15 May 1943 10 July 1944Communications Officers edit Lt Fujiwara Hiromichi 66 1 October 1942 5 June 1944 LtCdr Tsuji Yoshinobu Special Duty 5 5 June 1944 10 July 1944Air Officers edit Cdr Kusumoto Ikuto 52 1 October 1942 1 November 1942 Cdr Kawaguchi Susumu 52 1 November 1942 12 December 1942 Cdr Sugiyama Toshikazu 51 12 December 1942 5 November 1943 LtCdr Asano Takeshi 56 5 November 1943 1 April 1944 VACANT 1 April 1944 20 April 1944 LtCdr Cdr Katsumi Goro 56 20 April 1944 10 July 1944 Promoted Commander on 1 May 1944 References editNotes edit a b c d As 253rd Air Group a b As 751st Air Group Citations edit a b c d e f Tagaya 2001 Lundstrom 2005b p 190 Lundstrom 2005b p 241 a b Lundstrom 2005b pp 180 323 a b c Hata Izawa amp Shores 2011 Lundstrom 2005b p 271 Lundstrom 2005b p 472 Sources edit Tagaya Osamu 2001 Mitsubishi Type 1 Rikko Betty Units of World War 2 Osprey Combat Aircraft 22 Osprey Publishing ISBN 184176082X Lundstrom John B 2005b First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 New ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 472 8 Hata Ikuhiko Izawa Yasuho Shores Christopher 2011 Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and their aces 1932 1945 London UK Grub Street ISBN 9781906502843 Combat reports edit 海軍大臣官房 鹿屋空飛行機隊戦闘行動調書 Report Japan Center for Asian Historical Records 海軍大臣官房 253空飛行機隊戦闘行動調書 Report Japan Center for Asian Historical Records 海軍大臣官房 751空飛行機隊戦闘行動調書 Report Japan Center for Asian Historical Records 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