原田要

War record

Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1916 → 1937.2 completed the 35th pilot trainee course → Saeki Naval Air Group → October posted to the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕 and sent to the central China front, but with no chance of air combat he returned home in 1938.1 → instructor at the Saeki, Tsukuba, Hyakurihara and Ōita Naval Air Groups → 1941.9 joined Ryūjō → flew patrol over the carrier during the Pearl Harbor attack → 1942.4.9, in the attack on Colombo, he fought the British air force and shot down five single-handed (two unconfirmed) → the same day he shared in shooting down two Hudson bombers → flying combat air patrol at the Battle of Midway he shot down five enemy dive-bombers in three interceptions (three of them shared), but Sōryū was sunk; he ditched and was picked up by a destroyer → July promoted Flight Warrant Officer → sortied in early October for the Guadalcanal operation, but in the attack of 10.17 he was hit while escorting the carrier attack planes, force-landed near Rekata and was wounded → sent home in a hospital ship; he did not recover enough to fly again, and the war ended.