Naoshi Kanno

Naoshi Kanno (Japanese: 菅野直, 23 September 1921 – 1 August 1945) was a Japanese fighter ace[2][3] in World War II. He is credited with 25 confirmed kills.[4]

Naoshi Kanno
Naoshi Kanno c. 1945
Born(1921-09-23)23 September 1921
Miyagi Prefecture or Pyongyang (Korea under Japanese rule),[1] Japan
Died1 August 1945(1945-08-01) (aged 23)
Off Yakushima, Ōsumi Islands, Japan
AllegianceEmpire of Japan
Service/branchImperial Japanese Navy
Years of service1943–1945
RankHikotai leader
Unit343rd Naval Air Group
Battles/warsWorld War II

Life and career
Kanno's Kawanishi N1K had extra stripes painted on it as he hoped they would lure enemies into attacking him.[5]

Kanno enrolled in the Japanese Navy Academy in December 1938, graduating in February 1943 in the 70th class.[4] Upon completion of flight school, he was assigned to the front lines in April 1943, joining the 343rd Naval Air Group, quickly becoming a squadron commander (buntai leader) and by July 1944, leading (as the hikotai leader) the 306th Squadron of the 201st Naval Air Group.[4] He gained the reputation as a rebellious but skillful fighter pilot.[4] Initially based in Micronesia, his unit fought many engagements over the Philippines and the Yap island.[4] On 27 October 1944 he claimed to have shot down 12 Grumman F6F fighter planes.[4] He made requests to transfer to a kamikaze unit, but those were denied as he was considered too valuable a pilot to sacrifice.[4] In December 1944 he became the squadron commander of the 301st Squadron of the 343rd Air Group.[4] His unit moved back to the Kyushu in the Japanese home islands toward the end of the war.

His final mission took place on 1 August 1945, two weeks before the end of the war, when he took off to intercept a group of B-24 bombers escorted by P-51 Mustang fighters off the island of Yakushima south of Kyushu. He sustained damage when a barrel of his gun exploded, and went missing in action shortly afterwards, presumed dead.[4] His remains were never found. He was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant in the following month.[4]

In fiction

Kanno is one of the protagonists of the Drifters manga and anime, where he was voiced by Tatsuhisa Suzuki.[6][7]

References
  1. 碇義朗『最後の撃墜王 紫電改戦闘機隊長菅野直の生涯』光人社NF文庫p35-36
  2. Ikuhiko Hata; Yasuho Izawa (1989). Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in World War II. Naval Institute Press. p. 404. ISBN 978-0-87021-315-1.
  3. Yasuho Izawa; Tony Holmes (21 April 2016). J2M Raiden and N1K1/2 Shiden/Shiden-Kai Aces. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 95–. ISBN 978-1-4728-1262-9.
  4. Ikuhiko Hata; Yashuho Izawa; Christopher Shores (1 March 2013). Japanese Naval Fighter Aces: 1932–45. Stackpole Books. pp. 247–248. ISBN 978-1-4617-5119-9.
  5. Tony Holmes (24 January 2019). Hellcat vs Shiden/Shiden-Kai: Pacific Theater 1944–45. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-4728-2973-3.
  6. "Drifters: Battle in a Brand-New World War Season 1 Review". Anime UK News. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  7. "Naoshi Kanno". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
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