Second Carrier Division

The Second Carrier Division (第二航空戦隊, Dai Ni Kōkū sentai, Ni Kōsen) was an aircraft carrier unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy's First Air Fleet. At the beginning of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, the Second Carrier Division consisted of the fleet carriers Sōryū and Hiryū. Both carriers were sunk at the Battle of Midway in June 1942 and were replaced by Jun'yō and Ryūjō.

Second Carrier Division
Aircraft on the carriers Sōryū and Hiryū prepare to launch to attack Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
ActiveNovember 15, 1934 July 10, 1944
CountryEmpire of Japan
AllegianceAxis Powers of World War II
BranchImperial Japanese Navy
TypeNaval aviation unit
RoleAircraft carrier support
EngagementsAttack on Pearl Harbor
Battle of Wake Island
Bombing of Darwin
Indian Ocean Raid
Battle of Midway
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
Battle of the Philippine Sea
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Yamaguchi Tamon
Kakuji Kakuta

Organization (extract)

DateShips
15 November 1934 (original)Akagi and Destroyer Squadron 2 : Minekaze, Okikaze
1 December 1936Kaga and Destroyer Squadron 22 : Satsuki, Minazuki, Fumizuki, Nagatsuki
15 December 1938Sōryū, Ryūjō and Destroyer Squadron 12 : Shinonome, Usugumo, Shirakumo, Murakumo
15 November 1939Hiryū, Sōryū and Destroyer Squadron 11 : Fubuki, Shirayuki, Hatsuyuki
15 November 1940Hiryū, Sōryū and Destroyer Squadron 23 : Kikuzuki, Mikazuki, Mochizuki, Yūzuki
14 July 1942Jun'yō, Ryūjō
1 April 1943Jun'yō, Hiyō, Ryūhō
10 July 1944dissolved

Commander

RankNameDateNote
1R.ADMEikichi Katagiri15 November 1934
2Capt./R.ADMRokurō Horie15 November 1935Rear-Admiral on 1 December 1936
3R.ADMNishizō Tsukahara1 December 1937
4R.ADMTeizō Mitsunami15 December 1937
5R.ADMTomoshige Samejima1 September 1938
6R.ADMMichitarō Totsuka20 October 1939
7R.ADM/V.ADMTamon Yamaguchi1 November 1940Vice-Admiral on 5 June 1942, KIA on 6 June 1942
8R.ADM/V.ADMKakuji Kakuta14 July 1942Vice-Admiral on 1 November 1942
9R.ADMMunetaka Sakamaki22 May 1943
10R.ADMTakatsugu Jōjima1 September 1943
xdissolved10 July 1944

References

  • Peattie, Mark R. (1999). Sunburst: The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power 1909-1941. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-664-X.

Bibliography


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