橋口嘉郎

War record

Born in Fukuoka; 1937 entered the navy → 1938.9 graduated from the 42nd Pilot Trainee Course → Saeki / Oita / Omura Naval Air Groups → 1939.6 posted to the 12th Naval Air Group and sent to Central China → 1939.10 wounded in an enemy bombing; hospitalised for over two months before recovering → 1940.1 returned as an instructor to Suzuka → 1941.11 attached to the 3rd Naval Air Group (later the 202nd Naval Air Group); after the outbreak of war he fought through the Philippines and Netherlands East Indies air operations → 1942.2.9 he strafed and set fire to the wireless station on ヤンデ Island but took a through-and-through gunshot wound in the right thigh from defensive fire; he stopped the bleeding in the cockpit and flew 2 hours 40 minutes back to base → 1942.4 to summer, took part in the attacks on Darwin → from 1942.9, about two months at Rabaul, taking part in several attacks on Guadalcanal; on 10.18 his section shared in 7 victories → 1942.11 returned to the Southwest Area, where he flew as wingman to successive squadron leaders in the Darwin attacks → 1943.6 transferred to the Oita Naval Air Group → 1943.12 trained as senior pilot of the carrier force (the Shokaku fighter unit of the 601st Naval Air Group) → 1944.6 sortied in Operation A-Go and survived → 1944.7 transferred to Fighter Squadron 164 of the 653rd Naval Air Group → 1944.10, travelling overland towards Okinawa to join Operation Sho-Go, he turned back with engine trouble and instead embarked in the carrier Chiyoda for the battle off the Philippines → 1944.10.25 missing when his carrier (Chiyoda) sank; officially declared killed