Are Japanese Army Sentai operation records on JACAR?

[CHen10]

Are the Japanese Army sentai operation records on this website:

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records is a full-fledged digital archives under Japan National Archives providing Japanese modern historical records of relationship with various neighboring countries and regions access through the Internet.

www.jacar.go.jp

If not are they accessible anywhere else?

Thanks

 

[Shinpachi]

Here are full lists.
These were made to calculate pension in the postwar.

 

[CHen10]

If I wanted to find the 85th sentai's combat log for example how would I use this link?

 

[Shinpachi]

These are the 85th sentai history from March 1, 1941 to August 3, 1945.

About combat log, 2 pages for the period from March 1 to March 31, 1945 are available from -

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, National Archives of Japan

 

[Shinpachi]

Local Wikipedia tells followings from Hiroshi Umemoto's book "Japanese army air force fighter units in World War II" -

The 85th Sentai

In early July 1944,
Began to updated the model to Ki-84. 4 were brought to Guangdong from Hankou.
As of August 1, the sentai owned 22 Ki-44s and 3 Ki-84s.
9 Ki-84s were added from Hankou soon.

In September 26,
the 22nd Sentai handed over 6 out of 9 Ki-84s to the 85th Sentai and returned to the homeland to prepare for the Philippine Air Battle.

In October,
85th Sentai fought well against the P-51B/Cs.

On October 4,
Captain Wakamatsu led 4 Ki-84s and 4 Ki-44s for patrol near Wuzhou when several P-51B/Cs of the US 76th Fighter Squadron attacked the ground. Wakamatsu and his team downed 4 with no damage on Wakamatsu side.

On December 18,
12 Ki-84s of the 85th Sentai and 13 Ki-43s from the 25th Sentai encountered a US large formation, including B-29s, in Hankou.
3 Ki-84s and 2 Ki-43s, including Wakamatsu's, were lost. Combined with AA fire, 4 P-51s, 1 P-40 and 1 B-29 were shot down.

On January 3, 5, 6 and 14, 1945,
Hankou air raid by the US. 85th Sentai and 25th Sentai intercepted. 6 were lost in action but, combined with AA fire, 8 P-51s and 4 P-47s were shot down.

On January 17,
The 85th Sentai and 25th Sentai intercepted P-47s. 1 each (total 2) were lost. 2 P-47s were shot down.

Ki-84 of 85th Sentai (front)

 

[CHen10]

Thank you very much for your responses. The first pages you posted here appear to just be the locations of where the 85th Sentai were based:

These are the 85th sentai history from March 1, 1941 to August 3, 1945.
View attachment 771609View attachment 771610View attachment 771611View attachment 771612

About combat log, 2 pages for the period from March 1 to March 31, 1945 are available from -

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, National Archives of Japan

 

[CHen10]

This is what I was looking for and some of the combats mentioned are new to me. I am interested in learning more about these ones you mentioned here:

On January 3, 5, 6 and 14, 1945,
Hankou air raid by the US. 85th Sentai and 25th Sentai intercepted. 6 were lost in action but, combined with AA fire, 8 P-51s and 4 P-47s were shot down.

On January 17,
The 85th Sentai and 25th Sentai intercepted P-47s. 1 each (total 2) were lost. 2 P-47s were shot down.

Are there any books or websites you would recommend I use in order to learn more details about these battles?


One more thing, do you have 85th or 22nd sentai victory claims on 13 and 14 August 1945 over Korea?

These two P-47Ns were shot down over Korea in engagements with the 85th and 22nd sentai:

P-47N loss of 13 Aug 1945 (# 3) was 44-88232, damaged by Ki-43 near Seoul and lost. MACR 14840, Pilot 1st Lt Dallas G. Yeargain POW. See National Archives NextGen Catalog

Another P-47N of 507th FG lost was 44-88118, shot down by a Ki-44 on 14 Aug 1945, also in the Seoul area. See MACR 14871 here: National Archives NextGen Catalog
Pilot 2nd Lt William L. McDaniel, Jr. POW.



Do you have any victory claims made by these two sentais on these days?

 

[Shinpachi]

"Japanese Army Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces: 1931-1945" by Ikuhiko Hata and Yasuho Izawa will be a bible.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/Japanese-Force-Fighter-Units-Their/dp/1902304896

As far as I have researched, such a regional combat in Korea seems to be paid little attention by historians.

 

[CHen10]

Thanks for the amazon link. It's fine because I already have loads of books that are really big!

"Japanese Army Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces: 1931-1945" by Ikuhiko Hata and Yasuho Izawa will be a bible.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/Japanese-Force-Fighter-Units-Their/dp/1902304896

As far as I have researched, such a regional combat in Korea seems to be paid little attention by historians.

One strange thing I noticed about August 1945 is that there seems to be confusion over Korea and Kyushu.

On 13 August 1945 Oscar Perdomo was credited with five victories in one day but some sources say it happened at Keijo, Korea while others say Kyushu.

On 14 August 1945, William McDaniel was shot down by "Tojos" or "Hiens" and yet again some sources say Keijo while others say Kyushu. I found a victory claim made by a Ki-100 which was right on the northern tip of Kyushu on 14 August

I'm curious if you think it's possible to mix up Keijo and Kyushu and what your opinion is on the two events on 13 and 14 August I just mentioned?

 

[Shinpachi]

Keijo(Seoul) is a little bit far from Kyushu though the 85th and 22nd Sentais were going to attack the Allies fleet in Okinawa from Keijo.
Sorry but no idea.

 

[CHen10]

Keijo(Seoul) is a little bit far from Kyushu though the 85th and 22nd Sentais were going to attack the Allies fleet in Okinawa from Keijo.
Sorry but no idea.

No worries, I think I've worked it out actually.

Just one more question:

Does Japanese Army Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces: 1931-1945 have detailed descriptions of the air battles or would you say it's more generic?

 

[Shinpachi]

I thought you had already got it.
In the case of Japanese version

 

[CHen10]

I thought you had already got it.
In the case of Japanese version
View attachment 771816View attachment 771817

Thanks that looks good

 

[Kathryn]

Thanks for the amazon link. It's fine because I already have loads of books that are really big!



One strange thing I noticed about August 1945 is that there seems to be confusion over Korea and Kyushu.

On 13 August 1945 Oscar Perdomo was credited with five victories in one day but some sources say it happened at Keijo, Korea while others say Kyushu.

On 14 August 1945, William McDaniel was shot down by "Tojos" or "Hiens" and yet again some sources say Keijo while others say Kyushu. I found a victory claim made by a Ki-100 which was right on the northern tip of Kyushu on 14 August

I'm curious if you think it's possible to mix up Keijo and Kyushu and what your opinion is on the two events on 13 and 14 August I just mentioned?

We have a scrapbook compiled by a British officer who was stationed at Keijo POW camp in Korea at the time Yeargain and McDaniel arrived in mid-August 1945. Each American airman has written of their crash, capture and arrival at the camp. McDaniel was with a group of eight P-47's sent to look for Yeargain on 15th August 1945 when he was shot down. He made it to a large bay west of Keijo where his plane went into a burning spin and he was forced to jump.

 

[CHen10]

We have a scrapbook compiled by a British officer who was stationed at Keijo POW camp in Korea at the time Yeargain and McDaniel arrived in mid-August 1945. Each American airman has written of their crash, capture and arrival at the camp. McDaniel was with a group of eight P-47's sent to look for Yeargain on 15th August 1945 when he was shot down. He made it to a large bay west of Keijo where his plane went into a burning spin and he was forced to jump.

McDaniel's MACR says he was shot down on 14 August 1945. Does this mean that McDaniel was flying over Kyushu, got hit and ended up crashing in the bay west of Keijo?

 

[Kathryn]

Having looked at it again, it could be that McDaniel got the date wrong, as Yeargain says he was shot down on the 13th and McDaniel then says the following day is the 15th August. McDaniel doesn't mention Kyushu.
I have attached the two relevant pages from the scrapbook plus another that lists the names of 9 Russian crew from a Torpedo Bomber also in the Keijo POW camp at the same time. All of their names and those of the two American airmen appear on the Nominal Roll for the camp, as does my British officer, William John Holohan, of the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire).

 

[CHen10]

Having looked at it again, it could be that McDaniel got the date wrong, as Yeargain says he was shot down on the 13th and McDaniel then says the following day is the 15th August. McDaniel doesn't mention Kyushu.
I have attached the two relevant pages from the scrapbook plus another that lists the names of 9 Russian crew from a Torpedo Bomber also in the Keijo POW camp at the same time. All of their names and those of the two American airmen appear on the Nominal Roll for the camp, as does my British officer, William John Holohan, of the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire).

Do you know which Japanese aircraft shot down McDaniel? Yeargain was shot down by Ki-84s from the 22 or 85 sentai on 13 August over Keijo, but I can't find any Japanese victory claims on 14 August 1945 at Keijo. I do know about a Japanese victory claim over Kyushu on 14 August, where Ogata Naoyuki in a Ki-100 of 59 sentai claimed to have shot down a P-51 over Ashiya airfield, Kyushu. I also found a source which says McDaniel was hit over the coast of Kyushu, and so I thought could Ogata in the Ki-100 have shot down McDaniel? If not Ogata then do you know who?

 

[Kathryn]

I'm sorry. I know nothing more than what is written on the pages of the scrapbook, but they are a primary source.
What is clear from their reports is that Yeargain was shot down by a 'Jap fighter' while flying a P-47 Thunderbolt on 13th August 1945, and that McDaniel was searching for him the next day flying one of 8 P-47's and was shot down over Keijo. They both ended up in the same POW camp.

 

[CHen10]

This can be solved if we can find any Japanese victory claims over Keijo on 14 August 1945. They would be responsible for shooting down McDaniel.