森貢

War record

Born in Shizuoka Prefecture in 1908 → 1927 entered the Navy; 1929.5 graduated from the 14th pilot trainee course (one of the veterans of the fighter arm) → 1932, in the first Shanghai Incident, he went out aboard Kaga, moved forward to Shanghai airfield and flew direct ground support and patrols, but the fighting soon stopped → after the 〔Omura Naval Air Group〕, attachment to Akagi, the 〔Tsukuba〕 and Tateyama Naval Air Groups, he was attached to the 〔13th Naval Air Group〕 in 1938.1 and transferred to the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕 in the reorganisation of March → a week after joining, on 2.18, he flew as a section leader in company with the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕 (commanded by Lieutenant 金子) escorting medium bombers in the first raid on Hankou; he showed his skill in single combat against more than thirty intercepting enemy fighters and shot down four at a stroke in his first action (two of them through head-on collisions brought on by the "katasukashi" dodge) → for about a year, until he returned home in 1939.1, he took part in attacks on Hankou, Nanchang and elsewhere, scoring every time, and was given the Order of the Golden Kite, 5th class, an unusual award (the number he shot down in this period is not known) → from 1939.1 instructor at the Suzuka Naval Air Group; promoted Flight Warrant Officer in May the following year; put on the reserve list but recalled the same day; in 1942.7 he was posted to Hiyō and returned to front-line service (aged 34) → October moved up to Rabaul and Buin, and for about a month took part in several attacks on Guadalcanal, shooting down an F4F on the 11th and a dive-bomber on the 14th, though he was hit and force-landed and was rescued → in April the following year he was sent to Rabaul again for Operation "I" and added two more in the attacks on Guadalcanal, Oro Bay, Port Moresby and Milne Bay → May promoted Ensign, returned home and became a test pilot at the Naval Air Technical Arsenal → promoted Lieutenant j.g. in August the following year and retired at the same time. He died of illness in his home district in 1960.