武藤金義

War record

Born in Aichi Prefecture; entered the Kure Naval Barracks as an engine-room rating in 1935 → six months later passed into the 32nd pilot trainee class, and after graduating was posted to the 〔Omura Naval Air Group〕 → on the outbreak of the China Incident he was taken into the 〔13th Naval Air Group〕 as an Aviation Seaman 1st Class and sent to the central China front; his first action was the attack on Nanjing on 4 December, when he fought an I-16 and shot it down → transferred to the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕 and took part in air battles over Nanchang, Hankou and elsewhere until October the following year → after the Ōita, Suzuka and Genzan Naval Air Groups he was posted in September 1941 to the 〔3rd Naval Air Group〕, and with the outbreak of war took part in the Philippine and Netherlands East Indies air campaigns (as No.2 to the squadron leader 横山) → April 1942 transferred to the fighter unit of the Genzan Naval Air Group (later the 〔252nd Naval Air Group〕); November moved up to Rabaul and was active in the air battles over the Solomons and eastern New Guinea until March the following year → November 1943 promoted Flight Warrant Officer and transferred to the Yokosuka Naval Air Group → June–July 1944 moved up to Iwo Jima (air defence and attacks on the task force) → from the beginning of 1945, air defence of the Kantō district; at the end of June he transferred to the 〔343rd Naval Air Group〕 as escort to Lieutenant 菅野, in place of Ensign 杉田, who had been killed → killed in action on 24 July in an air battle over the Bungo Channel.