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2nd Carrier Division (Imperial Japanese Navy)

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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

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.

Organization (extract)

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

Commander

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Rank Name Date Note
1 R.ADM Eikichi Katagiri 15 November 1934
2 Capt./R.ADM Rokurō Horie 15 November 1935 Rear-Admiral on 1 December 1936
3 R.ADM Nishizō Tsukahara 1 December 1937
4 R.ADM Teizō Mitsunami 15 December 1937
5 R.ADM Tomoshige Samejima 1 September 1938
6 R.ADM Michitarō Totsuka 20 October 1939
7 R.ADM/V.ADM Tamon Yamaguchi 1 November 1940 Vice-Admiral on 5 June 1942, KIA on 6 June 1942
8 R.ADM/V.ADM Kakuji Kakuta 14 July 1942 Vice-Admiral on 1 November 1942
9 R.ADM Munetaka Sakamaki 22 May 1943
10 R.ADM Takatsugu Jōjima 1 September 1943
x dissolved 10 July 1944

References

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  • 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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