相生高秀

War record

Born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1912 → 1931 graduated with 〔the 59th class of the Naval Academy〕 → 1934.7 〔the 25th flight training course〕 → Tateyama Naval Air Group, Ryūjō, Saeki Naval Air Group → 1937.7 posted to the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕, detached to Zhoushuizi → back to Ōmura → in August, for the Shanghai Incident, moved up to 公大 airfield; patrols with the Type 95 fighter and cooperation with the ground fighting → December promoted Lieutenant, division leader of the Kasumigaura Naval Air Group → 1938.3 division leader of the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕, central China front → first action 4.29, the attack on Hankou (two I-15s shot down) → 6.26 the attack on Nanchang (after a hard fight, two shot down by each aircraft) → several air battles over Hankou → December division leader aboard Akagi → 1939.10 temporarily posted to the 〔12th Naval Air Group〕 (south China operations) → 1940.1 back to Akagi; after the Ōita Naval Air Group and the 〔Yokosuka Naval Air Group〕 he was squadron leader aboard Ryūjō when the war began → on 8 December, the attack on Davao from off Mindanao (no opposition) → 1942.2 squadron leader of the 〔3rd Naval Air Group〕; November, Lieutenant Commander → squadron leader of the 〔202nd Naval Air Group〕 until 1943.4 (the Darwin attacks; led from the front in the Guadalcanal offensive) → 1944.8 squadron leader of the 〔601st Naval Air Group〕 (ground command) → 1944.10 Zuikaku was sunk in the Battle off the Philippines; he was picked up by a destroyer and landed in the Philippines → returned home in the spring of 1945 and ended the war as executive officer of the 〔343rd Naval Air Group〕. After the war he joined the Maritime Self-Defense Force and retired as a vice admiral, Commander of the Self-Defense Fleet.