杉野計雄

War record

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture; he left a job at a cement company to volunteer for the navy, entering the 3rd Hei-class Yokaren → completed the flight training course in 1941.11 and was posted to the fighter unit of the Kasuga Maru → 1942.4 posted to the 6th Naval Air Group → for the Midway operation he was aboard the carrier Akagi (the unit was to have been based on the island after its capture, so he saw no air combat; he was picked up from the sea after his carrier sank) → July aboard the small carrier Kasuga Maru (convoy escort and aircraft ferrying) → October instructor at the Omura Naval Air Group → 1943.2 aboard the carrier Shokaku, moving up to Truk → intensive training under his division officer, Lt 小林保平 → in November, when the carrier air groups moved forward, he went to Rabaul, and after the main body withdrew he remained with the 253rd Naval Air Group, flying interceptions daily until he returned to Japan in 1944.3 (first combat 2 November, 3 shot down) → after returning home he served as an instructor at the Tsukuba Naval Air Group and elsewhere, then in 1944.8 transferred to the 634th Naval Air Group, taking part in the air battle off Taiwan and the Philippines air battles → 1945.2 withdrew from Taiwan and was an instructor for special attack training at the Hakata Naval Air Group at the end of the war