末田利行

War record

Born 1914 in Fukuoka Prefecture → 1933 entered the navy → 1936.7 graduated from the 32nd pilot trainee (the Pilot Trainee Course (Sōren)) class and was posted to 〔Omura Naval Air Group〕 → with the outbreak of the China Incident he was incorporated into the 〔13th Naval Air Group〕 and moved up to the 公大 base at Shanghai → 1937.9.19 took part in the first raid on Nanjing, shooting down two in his first combat → in the 10.6 attack on Nanjing his guns failed, but he caught up with the formation and strafed ground targets → when his compass failed he lost his bearing for the return flight and made his way back to base in the evening along the Yangtze → November returned to the homeland → 1940.5 posted to the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕 and moved up to Hankou → took part in the 9.13 attack on Chongqing and the 10.7 attack on Kunming, returning to Ōita Naval Air Group in November → 1942.10 promoted to Flight Warrant Officer (Flight Warrant Officer) and transferred to the 〔252nd Naval Air Group〕, moving up to the Southeast Area in December → beginning with the air combat over Kolombangara on 12.27, in which he shot down two and was himself hit and force-landed, he served on the air defense of Wake Island until 1943.3 → 1943.10.6 he sortied to intercept a raid by the enemy task force and failed to return; officially declared killed in action.