KITS 12/2021

Lt. Masaji Suganami, Sōryū Fighter Squadron, first attack wave

In the first wave, eight Zeros from Sōryū, led by Suganami, attacked Wheeler and Ewa airfields. They destroyed 27 aircraft on

the ground and shot down five planes in combat. Suganami then lost orientation, so he decided to return over the target and

sacrifice himself. However, he encountered other planes and returned to the carrier. After graduating Naval Academy in 1933, he

served in 13th and Tsukuba Kōkūtais. He led fighters on the carrier Ryūjō till November 1941, after that Sōryū fighters until June

1942. At the Battle of Midway, in the first attack wave, his formation shot down six American fighters. From July 1942 he served

as Hikōtaichō of fighters at Genzan Kōkūtai (later Kōkūtai 252). Suganami went missing on November 14, 1942 while escorting

Rear Admiral Tanaka's destroyers off Guadalcanal. Six Zeros under his command provided the 4th CAP. They first attempted to

attack a “beautiful formation” of B-17s. After that attack on ten F4Fs from VF-10 brought them four victories. On return Suganami, over the protests of his subordinates, separated from the formation and headed southwesterly. He apparently joined

the attack on SBDs from VB-10 and later, before running out of fuel, shot down Lt. Col. “Joe” Bauer, commander of VMF-212 and

Medal of Honor recipient.

PO1c Kazuo Muranaka, Hiryū Fighter Squadron, first attack wave

Hiryū sent in the first wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor six Zeros under command of Lt. Okajima. They set 27 aircraft on fire at

Ewa Field. Okajima's first wingman was PO1c Muranaka. He completed his training in August 1938 and after serving with Saeki,

Óita and Ómura Kōkútai, he was transferred to the 14th Kōkútai in August 1939 in China. During December 27, he participated in

the unit's first two victories. In August 1941, he was transferred to Suzuka Kōkūtai and in November of that year was assigned

aboard Hiryū. During the Battle of Midway, he was sole pilot to escort Hiryū bombers throughout the action. After return he

took off on a combat air patrol and shot down three planes. His Zero was hit and he was rescued by destroyer Nowaki. After

recovering, Muranaka served on the aircraft carriers Shōkaku and Jun'yō. He fought over Guadalcanal and took part in the Battle

of Santa Cruz. In 1944 he served as an instructor in Japan with the Tokushima Kōkūtai and in Singapore with the 11th Kōkūtai. In

1945 he served as Ensign on N1K2-J fighters at Hikōtai 701 as part of the elite Kōkūtai 343. He achieved six certain and three probable victories. After the war he joined the JSDF and attained the rank of Major.

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eduard

INFO Eduard - December 2021