735:
157:
940:
61:
530:
1009:. Tominaga decided to put his remaining forces into "Operation Te". 30 Mitsubishi Ki-21 fighter planes, 17 Mitsubishi Ki-21 heavy bombers accompanied the transport planes. On December 6, "Operation Te" was carried out, and paratroopers and forced landings were carried out at each airfield. Of the 14 transports that went to Tacloban, 12 were shot down and two crash landed.
133:
1012:
A total of 26 transport planes went to Bayug and San Pablo
Airfields. Twenty of the transport planes survived, but all were hit by heavy anti-aircraft fire. The Japanese overwhelmed enemy resistance and occupied both airfields, destroying airfield equipment and one C-45 Expedator, five L-5 Sentinels,
572:
4th
Division was transferred in late May to the Fourth Air Army and relocated from Manchuria to the Philippines as did the Fourth's Headquarters, which located to Manila. The Fourth's 7th Air Division continued to operate in the New Guinea theatre after the destruction of most of the 6th Air Division
423:
By the beginning of August the operational strength of the 4th Air Army was 130 of its 200 aircraft. This was under a third of its complement on paper. Illness among aircrew and lack of replacement aircraft were contributing factors in addition to the combat attrition. On 12 August the Air Army began
143:
joined the
Imperial Japanese Army infantry in 1910. He attended the Japanese War College, graduating in 1921. His first command of the Army Air Service was the 8th Air Regiment in 1933. Eventually he was promoted to major general in command of the 2nd Air Division based in Manchukuo. For a brief time
109:
showed this force to be inadequate in the face of the growing strength of the Allied air forces. To meet this gap the 68th and 78th
Sentais of the 14th Air Brigade were sent to the 6th Air Division arriving in late April, followed by the 13th and 24th Sentai which arrived in late May. The 11th Sentai
584:
With these losses and following the example of the
Imperial Japanese Navy's 1st Air Fleet which was also based at Manila the Fourth Air Army began forming tokubetsu kōgekitai (特別攻撃隊), which literally means "special attack units". The term tokubetsu kōgekitai is usually abbreviated to tokkōtai (特攻隊).
443:
in
January 1944 the 4th Air Army had about 100 operational aircraft. These attempted to counter-attack the invasion force but were unsuccessful and by the beginning of February there were only 50 operational aircraft. To overcome this deficiency the 33rd, 45th, 60th, 75th, and 77th Sentai of the 2nd
104:
on 18 December which were later sent to New Guinea. They were followed by heavy bomber units from Burma which were deployed to New Guinea. By 4 January 1943 there were 164 army aircraft stationed in the area. They operated primarily out of Wewak and other smaller bases in New Guinea. The loss of the
1004:
was larger with a total of 450 airborne crew members; 204 from Bayug
Airfield, 72 from Bayug Airfield, 36 from Sampablo Airfield, 104 from Drag Airfield, and 44 from Tacroban Airfield. The plan was for the paratroopers to occupy the airfield along with following ground troops of the 14th Area Army.
431:
By
September the operational strength had built up to 60-70 aircraft and the airbase at Hollandia was strengthened to provide more depth to the 4th Air Army's dispersion. In October the 7th Air Division was transferred to the 2nd Area Army which had been relocated to the East Indies and New Guinea.
118:
was transferred to Wewak from the Dutch East Indies on 19 June. The 7th Air
Division was a relatively new unit having been created in January and the units transferred were the 59th Sentai (fighters), 5th Sentai, 7th Sentai (heavy bombers) and 61st Sentai (heavy bombers). As a result of this move a
76:
and significant losses of aircraft based at Rabaul, the
Imperial Japanese Navy requested the Army to send reinforcements for the air effort in the Solomon's and New Guinea. This request was initially declined as the army considered its forces were spread too thinly throughout occupied territories.
992:
Tominaga, after consulting with Takushiro Hattori, the chief of the Operations Division of the General Staff, sought to use an airborne special attack operation to neutralise the enemy air bases. Tominaga put his proposal to General Tomoyuki Yamashita, commander of the 14th Area Army. Yamashita
576:
The bulk of the 4th Division was deployed in central and southern Philippines in anticipation of an enemy invasion. Its task was to initially attack carriers and convoys in conjunction with the IJN's 5th Base Air Force. Once the enemy landed its focus would be to attack troop transports and
585:
These units were tasked with kamikaze attacks on enemy shipping, particularly carriers. On 16 January 1945 Tominaga transferred his headquarters from Manilla to Taiwan on his own initiative. This move should have resulted in him being court-martialed but because of the intervention from
996:
The target of the first attack with four transports was the airfield in at Brauen on 26 November but was unsuccessful with one transport making a forced landing at an enemy airfield at Valencia Airfield. The whereabouts of the remaining three aircraft were unknown.
167:
graduated from the army academy in May 1913. Tominaga held mainly non-combat positions through his military career, reaching the rank of major general by 1939 and lieutenant general by 1941. Tominaga continued in mainly administrative roles under the
573:(disestablished at that time) and participated in the final battles of the campaign. Over 100 of the Divisions aircraft were destroyed at Halmahera on 27 July 1944. Lieutenant General Kyoji Tominaga was placed in charge of the Fourth Air Army.
567:
was responsible for operations to the west of and including Borneo. The plan was to combine both Air Army's in the Pacific sector should a decisive battle come about. A large scale reinforcement of the 4th Air Army also to happen. The
545:
in strength achieving complete surprise and destroying 150 planes on the ground. The Fourth Air Army was transferred from the 8th Area Army to the Southern Army command on 15 April. The Forth's headquarters was transferred to
1163:
540:
A total of 300 aircraft had been assembled at Hollandia by 25 March of which only 150 were operational. The Fourth Army headquarters also moved there at this time. In a repeat of the enemy attack Wewak enemy aircraft
589:, it only resulted in him being demobilised. The remaining units of the Fourth Air Army were transferred to the Third Air Army and 14th Area Army. The Fourth Air Army ceased to exist on 24 February 1945 during the
113:
Intelligence reports indicated that the Allies were building airfields in the New Guinea highlands at Mount Hagen and Bena Bena. These created a threat to the air bases at Wewak and Madang. To meet this change the
554:. Major Genenral Masazumi Inadana arrived at Hollandia on 11 April to take over the 6th Air Division. On 22 April the enemy captured the base and remaining aircraft effectively wiping out the 6th Air Division.
562:
The Fourth Air Army's move to Manado also included a change to its operational area. This was expanded to include the Philippines and eastern Dutch East Indies (including Western New Guinea). Alongside it the
428:
on Wewak and other bases between 17 and 21 August which destroyed 100 of the 4th Air Army aircraft. The operational strength was now only 30 aircraft and insufficient to hinder enemy air operations.
1148:
1143:
1104:
Reports of General MacArthur: Japanese operation in the southwest Pacific area, compiled from Japanese Demobilization Bureaux records; Chapter X: Western New Guinea Operations (army.mil)
85:
at the beginning of September brought about a change in the army's stance with a proposal being put forward to provide two fighter and two bomber air groups until
97:
was committed to the New Guinea front. The intention being that this would be a temporary arrangement until the front was secured and Port Moresby captured.
1013:
and 14 other aircraft on the ground. Although the operation was successful, Tominaga was disappointed that so few enemy aircraft had been destroyed.
1158:
172:
cabinet until its fall in July 1944. On 30 August Tominaga became commander of the Fourth Air Force. The appointment was noted with surprise by the
1153:
977:
transport aircraft of 208th Sentai to drop Taiwanese Takasago Volunteers, the so-called Takasago Volunteers, and the Takachiho Paratroopers (
734:
730:(飛行第11戦隊), 31st Sentai (飛行第31戦隊), 71st Sentai (飛行第71戦隊), 72nd Sentai (飛行第72戦隊), 73rd Sentai (飛行第73戦隊), and 200th Sentai (飛行第200戦隊).
1078:
The Battle for Leyte, 1944: Allied and Japanese Plans Preparations and Execution, Milan Vego, Naval Institute Press, 11/03/2013
1127:
Fighters of the Dying Sun, The Most Advanced Japanese Fighters of the Second World War, Justo Miranda, Fonthill Media, 2021
636:
647:
7th Hiko Shidan 第7飛行師団 - based in Dutch East Indies and New Guinea (transferred to the Third Air Army in February 1945)
119:
new Air Army, the 4th, was created with its headquarters based at Rabaul to command the 6th and 7th Air Divisions.
106:
82:
727:
101:
1118:
Desperate Sunset: Japan’s kamikazes against Allied ships - 1944–45, Mike Yeo, Bloomsbury Publishing, 26/12/2019
723:
115:
94:
33:
29:
569:
49:
1087:
424:
attacking enemy air bases at Wau, Salamaua, Hagen, Bena Bena, and elsewhere in New Guinea. This prompted a
564:
145:
21:
581:
but by the 28 October these divisions had been decimated by enemy fighters and bombing of its airfields.
90:
156:
939:
78:
73:
69:
164:
985:
978:
542:
314:
Headquartered at Wewak with additional bases Madang and other minor airfields from mid-July 1943:
974:
45:
993:
approved Tominaga's operation on the basis that it would assist the defence of the Philippines.
806:
440:
140:
602:
2nd Hiko Shidan 第2飛行師団 - based in Philippines (transferred to Third Air Army 1 January 1945)
425:
389:
378:
60:
41:
590:
578:
177:
37:
847:
491:
457:
Remnants Headquartered at Wewak with additional bases Madang and other minor airfields
393:
348:
337:
326:
319:
93:
being unsuccessful, on 18 November the Army and Navy reached an agreement whereby the
1137:
925:
898:
876:
855:
827:
534:
52:
areas of operations. The headquarters was at Rabaul. Disestablished in January 1945.
984:
Because of the negligible impact of bombers and fighters attacking the enemy in the
989:
918:
433:
100:
The first unit to arrive at Rabaul were 60 Nakajima Type 1 "Oscar" fighters of the
86:
529:
1057:
extracted from Kumaichi Teramoto --Knowledge (ja-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog)
586:
169:
132:
1045:
628:
28th Independent Squadron (Chief) (Wonharu): Lieutenant Colonel Shingo Kunieda
20:(Japanese: 第4航空軍, romanized: Kōkū gun) was a land-based aviation force of the
653:
Independent Flight 73rd Company (Military Detective): Major Harunari Kanemasa
148:
before being assigned to command the newly formed 4th Air Army in July 1943.
436:. The 6th Air Division continued its operations out of Wewak at this time.
306:
Formed at Rabaul in June 1943 and under the 8th Area Army till March 1944.
551:
173:
784:
973:
In addition to special attacks on ships, the Fourth Air Army used its
662:
208th Sentai (飛行第208戦隊) (Light Bomb): Lieutenant Colonel Seiki Kashima
547:
25:
1046:
Japanese air operations over New Guinea during the Second World War
318:
13th Sentai - 飛行第13戦隊 (Major Nagano Tsunao) - transferred from the
938:
733:
635:
4th Hiko Shidan 第4飛行師団 - based in Philippines (transferred to the
528:
155:
131:
59:
678:
Independent Flight 70th Squadron (Chief): Major Kurayasu Ichikawa
625:
65th Sentai (飛行第65戦隊) (Raid): Lieutenant Colonel Masao Ishihara
89:
was captured. With further assessment of the situation and the
1164:
Units and formations of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
670:
61st Sentai (飛行第61戦隊) (Heavy Bomber): Major Shozaburo Horikawa
577:
concentrations. The 2nd and 4th Divisions participated in the
302:
4th Kokugun Headquarters (Lieutenant General Kunachi Teramoto)
36:(Hiko Shidan). The air army was responsible for covering the
611:
32nd Sentai (飛行第32戦隊) (Light Bomb): Major Masayoshi Okamura
681:
75th Sentai (飛行第75戦隊) (Light Bomb): Lieutenant Colonel Doi
310:
6th Hiko Shidan 第6飛行師団 (Lieutenant General Giichi Itahana)
366:
7th Hiko Shidan 第7飛行師団 (Lieutenant General Einosuke Sudo)
617:
70th Sentai (飛行第70戦隊) (Battle): Major Katsumi Naganawa
370:
Headquarters at Wewak from 7 July to 30 October 1943:
745:
722:- drawn from the Fourth Air Army 30th Fighter Corps,
614:
66th Sentai (飛行第65戦隊) (Light Bomb): Major Tatsuo Sato
432:
The 7th Air Division headquarters was transferred to
1149:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
642:
Independent Flight 52nd Company: Major Takeo Teshima
180:
whether Tominaga knew anything about the air force.
656:
13th Sentai (飛行第13戦隊) (Battle): Major Hisao Machida
659:24th Sentai (飛行第24戦隊) (Battle): Major Koichi Shoji
1144:Military units and formations established in 1943
1067:
359:Ki-61's operating from Boram Airfield near Wewak
961:
713:
68:In August 1942, as a result of the loss in the
955:
707:
1005:The corresponding ground operation was named
622:13th Hikodan: Lieutenant Colonel Rokuo Eyama
322:to the 6th Hikodan in New Guinea in May 1943
8:
1048:, Journal of the Australian War Memorial.
1000:The second operation on 6 December named
444:Area Army were lent to the 4th Air Army.
329:of which 11 were available by 31 May 1943
1114:
1112:
1110:
1040:
1038:
1036:
1034:
1032:
1030:
1028:
1026:
675:3rd Wing Command: Colonel Tomomi Miyake
351:operating from Boram Airfield near Wewak
187:
1022:
1100:
1098:
1096:
533:Hollandia airfield after raids by the
439:By the time of the enemy landings at
7:
742:damaged by Fourth Air Army kamikaze
608:6th Hikodan: Colonel Ono Monnosuke
14:
803:Transport claimed but not proven
110:was relocated to Taisho, Japan.
64:Japanese aircraft at Rabaul 1942
28:in June 1943, consisting of the
1159:1945 disestablishments in Japan
988:caused by enemy aircraft from
1:
1068:https://ja.wikipedia.org/富永恭次
889:1st, 11th, 72nd, 73rd Sentai
340:operating from Dagua Airfield
1154:1943 establishments in Japan
1088:Ki-45 Toryu by Srecko Bradic
412:Ki-21 or Ki-49 heavy bombers
962:
714:
1180:
935:Airborne and ground attack
107:Battle of the Bismarck Sea
979:Raiding Regiments 3 and 4
956:
763:
760:
757:
754:
751:
748:
708:
597:Combat Units in July 1944
1090:, retrieved 1 April 2022
1044:Shindo, Hiroyuki. 2001,
981:) onto enemy airfields.
176:who asked war minister
83:Battle of Edson's Ridge
44:and the Territories of
944:
911:73rd and 200th Sentai
743:
537:
515:77th Sentai - 飛行第77戦隊
507:75th Sentai - 飛行第75戦隊
499:60th Sentai - 飛行第60戦隊
488:45th Sentai - 飛行第45戦隊
480:33rd Sentai - 飛行第33戦隊
409:61st Sentai - 飛行第61戦隊
404:Ki-43's based at Dagua
401:59th Sentai - 飛行第59戦隊
356:78th Sentai - 飛行第78戦隊
345:68th Sentai - 飛行第68戦隊
334:24th Sentai - 飛行第24戦隊
161:
137:
65:
22:Imperial Japanese Army
943:Kaoru Kuteitai in L2D
942:
737:
532:
475:Loan from 2nd Kokugun
470:78th Sentai - 飛行第78戦隊
467:68th Sentai - 飛行第68戦隊
464:24th Sentai - 飛行第24戦隊
461:13th Sentai - 飛行第13戦隊
297:Initial Units in 1943
159:
135:
91:Kokoda Track campaign
63:
690:Special Attack Units
386:7th Sentai - 飛行第7戦隊
374:5th Sentai - 飛行第5戦隊
290:Unit disestablished
79:Kawaguchi Detachment
70:Battle of the Tenaru
986:Battle of Ormoc Bay
448:Units in March 1944
123:Commanding Officers
1007:Operation Japanese
945:
778:Ki-84 Ia (maybe)
744:
639:in February 1945)
543:attacked Hollandia
538:
502:Ki-21 heavy bomber
162:
138:
77:The defeat of the
66:
932:
931:
813:25 December 1944
791:20 December 1944
769:17 December 1944
570:Second Air Army's
325:complement of 20
294:
293:
141:Kumaichi Teramoto
136:Kumaichi Teramoto
128:Kumaichi Teramoto
34:7th Air Divisions
1171:
1128:
1125:
1119:
1116:
1105:
1102:
1091:
1085:
1079:
1076:
1070:
1064:
1058:
1055:
1049:
1042:
969:
968:
965:
959:
958:
950:Kaoru Detachment
905:13 January 1945
883:12 January 1945
862:10 January 1945
746:
721:
720:
717:
711:
710:
426:retaliatory raid
188:
116:7th Air Division
95:6th Air Division
42:Dutch New Guinea
1179:
1178:
1174:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1169:
1168:
1134:
1133:
1132:
1131:
1126:
1122:
1117:
1108:
1103:
1094:
1086:
1082:
1077:
1073:
1066:extracted from
1065:
1061:
1056:
1052:
1043:
1024:
1019:
966:
953:
937:
917:Escort Carrier
846:Escort Carrier
834:8 January 1945
738:Escort carrier
718:
705:
697:
695:Shipping attack
692:
599:
591:Battle of Luzon
579:Battle of Leyte
560:
527:
477:
455:
453:6th Hiko Shidan
450:
421:
368:
312:
304:
299:
186:
178:Hajime Sugiyama
154:
144:he command the
130:
125:
58:
38:Solomon Islands
18:Fourth Air Army
12:
11:
5:
1177:
1175:
1167:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1136:
1135:
1130:
1129:
1120:
1106:
1092:
1080:
1071:
1059:
1050:
1021:
1020:
1018:
1015:
971:
970:
963:Kaoru Kūteitai
936:
933:
930:
929:
923:
915:
912:
909:
906:
902:
901:
896:
893:
890:
887:
884:
880:
879:
874:
871:
868:
866:
863:
859:
858:
853:
844:
841:
838:
835:
831:
830:
825:
822:
819:
817:
814:
810:
809:
804:
801:
798:
795:
792:
788:
787:
782:
779:
776:
773:
770:
766:
765:
762:
759:
756:
753:
750:
732:
731:
696:
693:
691:
688:
687:
686:
685:
684:
683:
682:
679:
673:
672:
671:
665:
664:
663:
660:
657:
654:
645:
644:
643:
637:14th Area Army
633:
632:
631:
630:
629:
626:
620:
619:
618:
615:
612:
606:
598:
595:
565:Third Air Army
559:
556:
526:
523:
522:
521:
520:
519:
513:
512:
511:
505:
504:
503:
497:
496:
495:
486:
485:
484:
476:
473:
472:
471:
468:
465:
462:
454:
451:
449:
446:
420:
417:
416:
415:
414:
413:
407:
406:
405:
399:
398:
397:
384:
383:
382:
381:based at Wewak
367:
364:
363:
362:
361:
360:
354:
353:
352:
343:
342:
341:
332:
331:
330:
320:First Air Army
311:
308:
303:
300:
298:
295:
292:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
278:
275:
272:
269:
265:
264:
261:
259:
256:
253:
252:
249:
246:
243:
240:
239:
236:
233:
230:
226:
225:
222:
220:
218:
215:
214:
211:
209:
206:
202:
201:
198:
195:
192:
185:
182:
165:Kyoji Tominaga
160:Kyoji Tominaga
153:
152:Kyoji Tominaga
150:
129:
126:
124:
121:
57:
54:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1176:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1124:
1121:
1115:
1113:
1111:
1107:
1101:
1099:
1097:
1093:
1089:
1084:
1081:
1075:
1072:
1069:
1063:
1060:
1054:
1051:
1047:
1041:
1039:
1037:
1035:
1033:
1031:
1029:
1027:
1023:
1016:
1014:
1010:
1008:
1003:
998:
994:
991:
987:
982:
980:
976:
964:
952:
951:
947:
946:
941:
934:
927:
926:Lingayen Gulf
924:
922:
921:
916:
913:
910:
907:
904:
903:
900:
899:Lingayen Gulf
897:
894:
891:
888:
885:
882:
881:
878:
877:Lingayen Gulf
875:
872:
869:
867:
864:
861:
860:
857:
856:Lingayen Gulf
854:
851:
850:
845:
842:
839:
836:
833:
832:
829:
828:Lingayen Gulf
826:
823:
820:
818:
815:
812:
811:
808:
805:
802:
799:
797:unspecified
796:
793:
790:
789:
786:
783:
780:
777:
775:unspecified
774:
771:
768:
767:
747:
741:
736:
729:
725:
716:
704:
703:
699:
698:
694:
689:
680:
677:
676:
674:
669:
668:
667:9th Hikodan:
666:
661:
658:
655:
652:
651:
650:Combat units
649:
648:
646:
641:
640:
638:
634:
627:
624:
623:
621:
616:
613:
610:
609:
607:
604:
603:
601:
600:
596:
594:
592:
588:
582:
580:
574:
571:
566:
557:
555:
553:
549:
544:
536:
535:5th Air Force
531:
524:
517:
516:
514:
509:
508:
506:
501:
500:
498:
493:
490:
489:
487:
482:
481:
479:
478:
474:
469:
466:
463:
460:
459:
458:
452:
447:
445:
442:
437:
435:
429:
427:
418:
411:
410:
408:
403:
402:
400:
396:heavy bombers
395:
391:
388:
387:
385:
380:
376:
375:
373:
372:
371:
365:
358:
357:
355:
350:
347:
346:
344:
339:
336:
335:
333:
328:
324:
323:
321:
317:
316:
315:
309:
307:
301:
296:
289:
286:
283:
281:
280:
276:
273:
270:
267:
266:
262:
260:
257:
255:
254:
250:
247:
244:
242:
241:
237:
234:
231:
228:
227:
223:
221:
219:
217:
216:
212:
210:
207:
204:
203:
199:
196:
193:
190:
189:
183:
181:
179:
175:
171:
166:
158:
151:
149:
147:
142:
134:
127:
122:
120:
117:
111:
108:
103:
98:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
75:
71:
62:
55:
53:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
1123:
1083:
1074:
1062:
1053:
1011:
1006:
1002:Operation TE
1001:
999:
995:
990:Leyte Island
983:
975:Nakajima L2D
972:
949:
948:
919:
848:
840:31st Sentai
739:
701:
700:
605:Combat units
583:
575:
561:
539:
494:light bomber
456:
438:
434:Ambon Island
430:
422:
369:
313:
305:
184:Headquarters
163:
146:1st Air Army
139:
112:
99:
87:Port Moresby
67:
24:. Formed in
17:
15:
852:(possibly)
752:# Aircraft
728:11th Sentai
558:Philippines
102:11th Sentai
74:Guadalcanal
1138:Categories
1017:References
895:U.S. ship
873:U.S. ship
849:Kitken Bay
824:U.S. ship
726:(飛行第1戦隊),
724:1st Sentai
702:Seika Unit
419:New Guinea
377:Ki-45 and
238:Hollandia
50:New Guinea
914:Ki-84 Ia
892:Ki-84 Ia
870:Ki-43 II
843:Ki-43 II
821:Ki-84 Ia
800:Ki-84 Ia
764:Location
715:Seika-tai
525:Hollandia
284:February
200:Location
920:Salamaua
807:San Jose
740:Salamaua
552:Sulawesi
271:January
785:Mindoro
761:Target
379:Ki-46's
349:Ki-61's
338:Ki-43's
327:Ki-45's
277:Taiwan
263:Manila
251:Manado
213:Rabaul
174:Emperor
81:in the
56:Origins
781:PT-75
758:Model
755:Units
548:Manado
441:Saidor
245:April
232:March
224:Wewak
194:Month
26:Rabaul
957:薫空挺隊,
749:Date
518:Ki-43
510:Ki-48
492:Ki-48
483:Ki-43
394:Ki-49
390:Ki-21
268:1945
229:1944
208:July
205:1943
191:Year
46:Papua
709:精華隊,
587:Tojo
258:May
197:Day
170:Tojo
48:and
32:and
16:The
886:21
550:on
392:or
287:24
274:16
248:15
235:25
72:at
30:6th
1140::
1109:^
1095:^
1025:^
960:,
928:.
908:2
865:4
837:3
816:1
794:2
772:1
712:,
593:.
40:,
967:)
954:(
719:)
706:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
