工藤修

War record

Born in Ōita Prefecture in 1915 → 1931, aged 16, entered the Otsu-class Yokaren; 1935.4 completed the 2nd flight trainee course → after the 〔Omura Naval Air Group〕 he was posted to the 〔13th Naval Air Group〕 in 1937.7 and moved up to Shanghai → on 9.19 he took part in the first raid on Nanjing as a wingman of Lieutenant j.g. 菅波 and shot down one in the air battle over the capital, but was hit and ditched on the Yangtze on the way back; he was rescued → November returned home; in January the following year he was ordered aboard the carrier Kaga and for about a year, until the end of the year, took part in attacks across south China → in the attack on Nanxiong on 8.30 in particular, flying as No.2 to the commander, Lieutenant 手島, he fought a fierce forty-minute battle with twenty British-built Gladiators that came up to intercept; 工藤, then an Aviation Petty Officer 2nd Class, shot down two, but Lieutenant 手島 was hit and crashed, killed in action → after Akagi and the Hyakurihara Naval Air Group he was promoted Flight Warrant Officer, and in 1941.9, just before the outbreak of the war with the United States, was ordered to the 〔3rd Naval Air Group〕, working up in southern Taiwan → in the attack on Luzon on 12.8 he turned back on the way in with engine trouble, but in the renewed attack on the 10th he fought a fierce air battle and shared in nine victories → on 1942.3.3 nine Zeros under Lieutenant 宮野, guided by a land reconnaissance plane, flew a long way over the sea to attack the key position of Broome in north-western Australia; their determined strafing set fire to twenty-four flying boats at their moorings and three aircraft were shot down in the air, but Flight Warrant Officer 工藤 was hit while strafing at low level and was recorded as having crashed and been killed. After his death he was named in a proclamation to the whole armed forces by the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet and promoted two ranks to special-duty lieutenant j.g.