Hatsuo Hidaka

Summary

Hatsuo Hidaka (日高 初男, Hidaka Hatsuo, May 7, 1915 – ?) was an officer and ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific theater of World War II. Graduating from Kasumigaura Naval Air Group in November 1934, Hidaka joined the first division, the 15th Air Group bound to Hankou as a Petty Officer, 3rd Class on November 1, 1937 bound to Hankou with the flight time of 1,040 hours.[1] During May and July 1943, Hidaka was stationed at Truk Island and often flew to Rabaul airfield on New Britain.[2]

Hatsuo Hidaka
Hidaka photographed sometime between 1939 and 1942 while serving as an instructor pilot with the Kasumigaura Naval Air Group in Japan
BornMay 7, 1915
Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Died?
AllegianceJapan
Service/branch Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJN)
RankLieutenant Junior Grade
Battles/warsSecond Sino-Japanese War
Pacific War

In aerial combat over China[1] and the Pacific,[notes 1] he was officially credited with destroying 11 enemy aircraft. Hidaka survived World War II.

Notes edit

  1. ^ According to the unclassified official records of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Hidaka destroyed an enemy with 20 20mm and 24 7.7mm bullets on 7 June 1943;[3] On the Rendova Island attack missions, on 3 July 1943, they had combat against 18 F-38 and destroyed three enemies east of Rendova Island under the command of Senior Lieutenant Kisaku Koshida;[4] on 4 July 1943 departing from Buin air field on Bougainville Island, destroyed two and hit one under the command of Senior Lieutenant Masao Shimada;[5] On 5 July 1943, they destroyed four P-39 near Munda, Solomon Islands.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b IJN. 15-ku Tojoin ryakurekibo [Crew Member Bio, 15 Air Group] (in Japanese). p. 3. C14120375200. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  2. ^ IJN (June 30, 1943). "2 July 1943". Showa 18nen 2gatu - Showa 18nen 6gatu 204-ku hikotai sento kodo chosho (5) [204 Air Corps Battle Maneuvre Statement, February to June 1943] (in Japanese). Japan Center for Asian Historical Records. pp. 1236–1237. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  3. ^ IJN 1943, pp. 1236–1237.
  4. ^ Showa 18nen 2gatu - Showa 18nen 6gatu 204-ku hikotai sento kodo chosho (1) [204 Air Corps Battle Maneuvre Statement, February to June 1943] (in Japanese). Japan Center for Asian Historical Records. pp. 1280–1281.
  5. ^ Showa 18nen 2gatu - Showa 18nen 6gatu 204-ku hikotai sento kodo chosho (1) [204 Air Corps Battle Maneuvre Statement, February to June 1943] (in Japanese). Japan Center for Asian Historical Records. pp. 1283–1284. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  6. ^ IJN 1943, pp. 1286–1287.
  • Hata, Ikuhiko; Yasuho Izawa (1989) [1975]. Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in World War II. Translated by Don Cyril Gorham. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-315-6. LCCN 89033201. OCLC 19669985. ncid: BA09812417.