赤松貞明

War record

Born in 高知 Prefecture; after graduating from Hainan Middle School he volunteered for the navy → 1928 entered the Sasebo Naval Barracks; 1932.3 graduated from the 17th pilot trainee (the Pilot Trainee Course (Sōren)) class → served aboard Akagi, Ryūjō and Kaga and at the Yokosuka and Ōmura naval air groups → after the outbreak of the China Incident, 1937.12 posted to the 〔13th Naval Air Group〕 and sent to the Central China front (at 27, the senior enlisted pilot, a petty officer 1st class) → 1938.2.25 shot down four aircraft at a stroke in the attack on Nanchang; by his transfer to Sōryū in 1938.9 he had 11 kills → 1941.4 promoted to Flight Warrant Officer (Flight Warrant Officer); in the Pacific War he belonged to the 〔3rd Naval Air Group〕 (fighting in the Philippines and the Netherlands East Indies), returning to the homeland 1942.5 → 1943.7 transferred to the 〔331st Naval Air Group〕, and returned home soon after taking part in the December attack on Calcutta → flew the Raiden with the 〔302nd Naval Air Group〕 at Atsugi until the end of the war, in the air defense of the Imperial capital.