Carrier Row under attack photo #1
Six Soryu Kates attacked the carrier row, but the aircraft carriers were at sea, under mission. The only ships here
are USS Utah, Tangier, Raleigh and Detroit. One torpedo hits Raleigh and two torpedoes hit Utah.
Juzo Mori photo #1
In his autobiography, the late Juzo Mori said he flew KATE number "12". Many thought he referred to the KATE
flown at Pearl Harbor (thus BI-312), however BI-312 was carrying an 800kg bomb and Mori detailed his torpedo
attack in his book. We suspect the "12" was in China (thus 3-312). There were eight civilian light aircraft airborne
during the attack. One Aeronca "Tandum" of Gambo Flying Service, flown by Roy Vitousek, a renter, flew "into" a
Japanese KATE formation. This action is confirmed by (now late) Juzo Mori, Soryu torpedo KATE pilot, who told his
gunner to scare the plane away.
INFO CREDIT:
http://www.pearlharborattacked.com and David Aiken.
BII-302 was flown by a wingman, PO3c Yasumi Oku. Its torpedo hits USS West Virginia.
Utah final torpedo's hit photo #1
BII-306 was flown by a shotaicho, PO3c Takuro Yanagimoto (pilot), WO Noriyoshi Yumoto (navigator/observer - shotaicho)
and PO1c Hironori Narasaki (gunner/radioman).
BII-315 Hasegawa's boxart
BII-315 was not assigned number of Hiryu carrier bomber/torpedo unit and did NOT fly above Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941.
INFO CREDIT: Mr. David Aiken.
BII-315 Hasegawa's boxart of model kit scale 1/72 – kit number 00137.
This box has three tail codes for Nakajima B5N2 Kate: tail code BII-315 from carrier Hiryu, Pearl Harbour,
7 December 1941 + tail code 3-317 of 12th Kokutai, China, 1940-41 and tail code AI-301 of carrier Akagi,
flown by Cmdr. Mitsuo Fuchida, Indian Ocean, April 1942. BII-315 was not assigned number of Hiryu carrier
bomber/torpedo unit and did NOT fly above Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941.
INFO CREDIT: Mr. David Aiken.
Hasegawa's B5N2 tail code BII-315 model kit.
PHOTO CREDIT: Hasegawa's site.
BII-320 was flown by a buntaicho of carrier Hiryu. The crew were Lt. Hirata Matsumura (pilot), PO1c Takeo Shiro (navigator/observer) and PO1c Sadamu Murai (gunner/radioman). Its torpedo hits USS West Virginia.
Lt. Matsumura photo #1.
Lieutenant Hirata Matsumura, leading the flights from Hiryu and Soryu, did not want to waste his torpedo on anything but
a carrier or a battleship. Article "Torpedoing Pearl Harbor" - by David Aiken - Military History magazine - December 2001.
Battleship Row photo under attack #3
"Matsumura's navigator, Petty Officer 1st Class Takeo Shiro, photographed Petty Officer 3rd Class Yasumi Oku's
torpedo hit on West Virginia (listing third from left). The frothing white water at right center is from a torpedo stuck in
the harbor bottom." - article Torpedoing Pearl Harbor - by David Aiken - Military History magazine - December 2001.
BII-321 was flown by a shotaicho , PO1c Toshio Takahashi. Its torpedo was launched incorrectly and it dived to the harbor's bottom.
BII-322 was flown by a wingman, F1c Sunao Urata.
Torpedo attack results:
USS Oklahoma (9 hits), USS California (3 hits), USS West Virginia (9 hits), USS Utah (2 hits), USS Raleigh (1 hit),
USS Helena (1 hit) and USS Nevada (1 hit).
BII-325 was flown by a wingman. Its torpedo hits USS Oklahoma. The crew were PO1c Hachiro Sugimoto (pilot),
PO2c Taisuke Maruyama (observer) and (?) (radioman/gunner). You can read some info about Maruyama at:
http://starbulletin.com/2001/12/09/news/story3.html
Taisuke Maruyama photo #1
PO2c Taisuke Maruyama (observer). Photo credit and more info about Maruyama go to:
http://www.aviationartstore.com/pilot_maruyama.htm
BII-326 was flown by a wingman, PO2c Toshio Kasajima (pilot). The AA fire was severe and 29 holes was find
in this Kate after its return to the Hiryu carrier. Because this, its torpedo didn't hit any vessel.
BII-327 was flown by a junior buntaicho of carrier Hiryu. The crew were LT JG Hiroharu Kadono (pilot),
CPO Masaji Inada (navigator/observer) and ? (gunner/radioman). Its torpedo hits USS Oklahoma.
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