posted
The following helpful information about the Japanese units on Yap during the time of my uncle's shoot down in the summer of 1944 was supplied by Tom Britton:
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Dear Pat:
I have contacted a very good aviation historian in Japan re your Uncles loss. A key to understanding the circumstances of all the units that were fractured is the fact that the USN attacked Guam and Saipan which resulted in the Mariannas Turkey Shoot. Ground based Japanese units flew cover over the islands that we being occupied by UJNAF units and most were badly defeated and had to retreat for some kind of re-organization. Several others possibilities exist.
Air Group 343 (1st Formation) on 11 June the air group was ordered to attack US forces as part of Operation A-GO using Yap as a base. nit remained on Yap and Guam unit the end of July. Is was disbanded on 10 July.
On 213 May 14 aircraft under the command of Shingo, left Truck and proceeded to Sorong via Guam and Yap. Arrived on June 1st. After joining Hikotai 301, it was engaged in Biak operations. On 18th June, one part of the unit advanced to Guam and engaged in attacks on Saipan. Towards the end of the month, the unit engaged in interception of B-24 unit at Yap and Pelieu. until was disbanded on l0 July.
Air Group 201. The Iota 301 also operated from Yap and engaged with Zero's against B-24 which attacked as part of the suppression of air units in conjunction with the USN attacks against Guam/Saipan. A very prominent ace pilot who was in the thick of these missions was Lt. Kanno.
See Sakaida "Aces of the Rising Sun and Hata, Izawa et al Japanese Naval Aces for complete accounts.
Tom Britton
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