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Lt. Cdr. Shigeru Itaya, Akagi Fighter Squadron, first attack wave

During the first wave Itaya led 43 Zero fighters, including 9 from Akagi. Itaya's own Akagi formation shot

down one sightseeing and three training aircraft. Then,

at Hickam and Ewa bases, they destroyed about 25 aircraft and also attacked incoming B-17s. Itaya's wingmen

damaged and set fire to a B-17C from 7th BG of Capt.

Swenson´s crew with one passenger who did not survive the attack. Itaya's wingman, PO1c Hirano, was hit

by anti-aircraft over Fort Kamehameha and hit an obstacle while flying low over the ground, killing himself

and four American soldiers. Itaya was born in 1909 and

graduated from the Naval Academy in 1929. From November 1936, he was the Buntaichō of the Ryūjo Fighter

Squadron for one year. He then served with the 15th and

12th Kōkūtai and from January 1940 he was Buntaichō of

the Hiryū Fighter Squadron. In November 1940 he took

over this position on the aircraft carrier Akagi, in April 1941 he was appointed Hikōtaichō and remained in

this position until the Battle of Midway. He was killed on

July 24, 1944 in the Kuril Islands, at that time serving as

a member of the staff of the Naval 51st KōkūSentai.

He was flying aboard a G3M bomber towards Paramushir and was accidentally shot down by a Ki-43 fighter.

INFO Eduard - January 2022

built by Paolo Portuesi

Cat. No. 11155

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