岡本重造

War record

Born in Tokushima Prefecture in 1916 (Taisho 5) → 1933 entered the navy; 1936.3 graduated from the 31st Pilot Trainee Course as a fighter pilot → 1937.7 posted to the 13th Naval Air Group and sent to the Central China front; on the afternoon of 9.19 he flew as No. 3 to Lt 山下七郎 in the second attack on Nanjing and scored his first victory, adding one more in the sixth attack on the 22nd → 12.22 he also shot down 2 (1 of them unconfirmed) in the attack on Nanchang, then returned to Japan → instructor at Saeki, Oita and Suzuka → 1940 sent to the South China front with the 10th Naval Air Group; the following September he moved to the 3rd Naval Air Group and was there when war with the United States began → he took part in the attacks on Luzon on 12.8 and 12.10 as a section leader, sharing in 6 victories in fierce combat on both days → the following April he returned to Japan and transferred to the newly formed 6th Naval Air Group; in June he embarked in Jun'yo and took part in the Dutch Harbor strikes of the 4th and 5th → after returning to Japan he was sent to the Solomons front in the autumn of the same year; on 10.11, on patrol over the Guadalcanal anchorage after taking off from Buka, the five aircraft led by Sub-Lt 久芳 went missing in bad weather on the return flight and all were declared killed (PO1c 岡本 among them)