4th Carrier Division (Imperial Japanese Navy)

Fourth Carrier Division
Ise in October 1944, during the Battle off Cape Engaño
Active	December 1, 1937 – July 14, 1942 May 1, 1944 – March 1, 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	Axis Powers of World War II
Branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Type	Naval aviation unit
Role	Aircraft carrier support
Engagements	Battle of the Coral Sea Aleutian Islands Campaign Battle of Leyte Gulf Operation Kita
Commanders
Notable commanders	Kakuji Kakuta
Insignia
Identification symbol	Notoro 1937 Notoro (ノトロ) Ryūjō 1941–42 DI-xxx Taiyō, Shōhō, Jun'yō 1941-42 DII-xxx May 1944 634-xxx

The 4th Carrier Division (第四航空戦隊, Dai Yon Kōkū Sentai, or Yon Kōsen) was a seaplane tender and aircraft carrier unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet.

Organization

Date	Higher unit	Ships and air units
1 December 1937 (original)	Combined Fleet	Notoro, Kinugasa Maru
1 August 1938	disbanded
1 April 1941	1st Air Fleet	Ryūjō
11 August 1941		Ryūjō, Destroyer Squadron 3 : Shiokaze, Hokaze
10 December 1941		Ryūjō, Kasuga Maru (Taiyō), Destroyer Squadron 3 : Shiokaze, Hokaze
1 April 1942		Ryūjō, Shōhō
3 May 1942		Ryūjō, Shōhō, Jun'yō
20 May 1942		Ryūjō, Jun'yō
14 July 1942	disbanded
1 May 1944	3rd Fleet	Hyūga, Ise, 634th Naval Air Group
15 October 1944		Jun'yō, Ryūhō, Hyūga, Ise
(24 October 1944)		Hyūga, Ise
15 December 1944	2nd Fleet	Hyūga, Ise
1 March 1945	disbanded

Commander

	Rank	Name	Date
1	R.ADM	Tomoshige Samejima	1 December 1937
x		disbanded	1 August 1938
x		vacant post	1 April 1941
2	R.ADM	Torao Kuwabara	10 April 1941
3	R.ADM	Kakuji Kakuta	1 September 1941
x		disbanded	14 July 1942
4	R.ADM	Matsuda Chiaki	1 May 1944
x		disbanded	1 March 1945

Bibliography

• "Monthly The Maru" series, and "The Maru Special" series, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan)
• "Monthly Ships of the World" series, "Kaijinsha". (Japan)
• "Famous Airplanes of the World" series and "Monthly Kōku Fan" series, Bunrindō (Japan)