Moriyasu Hidaka

Moriyasu Hidaka graduated from the 66th class of Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1938. He completed his fighter pilot specialization in June 1940 at Tsukuba Air Group.[1]

Lieutenant (junior grade) Hidaka was one of the division leaders (Buntaichō) on carrier Hōshō from December 1941 to April 1942. After that he was transferred to the carrier Zuihō, where he also served as division leader.[1]

Prior to the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, Lieutenant Hidaka was temporarily transferred to the carrier Zuikaku as a part of Ayao Shirane's fighter squadron. During the battle, he led six Mitsubishi A6M Zeros escorting 27 Aichi D3A dive bombers, led by Lieutenant Commander Mamoru Seki, against the US carrier fleet. While Seki coordinated the dive bombing attack, Lieutenant Hidaka and his fighters engaged the intercepting Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters that comprised the fleet's combat air patrol (CAP). This action prevented part of the CAP from attacking the dive bombers, and resulted in at least one Wildcat destroyed. However, his group suffered heavy casualties in exchange, losing three Zeros (including both of his wingmen). After the battle, he was transferred back to Zuihō.[2]

In late October 1942, Lieutenant Hidaka participated in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. He led a group of nine Zuihō Zeros to escort the first strike wave against the US carriers that consisted of 21 D3A dive bombers and 20 B5N torpedo bombers, all under the command of Lieutenant Commander Shigeharu Murata. Additional escort consisted of four Shōkaku Zeros led by Lieutenant Hisayoshi Miyajima, and eight from Zuikaku led by Lieutenant Shirane. On the way to the enemy carriers, they encountered a US strike from Enterprise on a reciprocal course. Lieutenant Hidaka made the decision to abandon his escort duty and attack the enemy strike force. They decimated the USN Grumman TBF Avenger bombers (two were shot down and two had to return) and their escorting Wildcat fighters (three were shot down and one had to return), at the cost of two Zeros shot down, two missing, and one severely damaged. Low on ammunition and fuel, they returned home without finding their own bombers. Lieutenant Hidaka's action left the Japanese strike force with considerably fewer escorting Zeros and may have contributed to the resulting heavy losses among Japanese aircraft and aircrew, including the highly valued Lieutenant Commander Murata.[3]

In November 1943, he was transferred to the carrier Jun'yō, where he became its air group commander (Hikōtaichō). He was later serving in land-based units (304th Air Group and 252nd Air Group) until the end of the war.[1]

Lieutenant Commander Hidaka survived the war and later served in Japan Self-Defense Forces. He was also a test pilot for Fuji Heavy Industries.[1]

Notes

Sources

• Hata, Ikuhiko; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2011). Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and their aces, 1932-1945. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 9781906502843.
• Lundstrom, John B. (2005b). First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8.