Carrier Striking Task Force
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Kido Butai (機動部隊), or informally known as the Pearl Harbor task force or also known as Carrier Striking Task Force was the Primary Japanese Carrier task force of the Imperial Japanese Navy (日本海軍, Nihon Kaigun) and was considered the single most powerful fleet of naval aviation power in the world until the disasterous Battle of Midway which resulted in the destruction of four of their six aircraft carriers and a severe loss of experienced pilots. It was a major part and bulk of the Imperial Japanese Navy forces.
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[edit] Organization of Kido Butai for Pearl Harbor specifically
The task force for attack on Pearl Harbor were launched by several classifications or units of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service.
[edit] Air Attack Force
Commander: 1st Air Fleet Commander Strength: 1st Air Fleet 1st Carrier Division CV Akagi CV Kaga 2nd Carrier Division CV Hiryu CV Soryu 5th Carrier Division CV Zuikaku CV Shokaku Duties: Air Attacks
[edit] Screening Unit
Commander: 1st Destroyer Squadron Commander
Strength: 17th Destroyer Division
(Nagara Flagship)
18th Destroyer Division
(Akigumo Flagship)
Duties: Screening and escort
[edit] Support Force
Commander: 3rd Battleship Division Commander
Strength: 3rd Battleship Division
(less the 2nd section)
8th Cruiser Division
Duties: Screen and support
[edit] Patrol Unit
Commander: 2nd Submarine Division Commander
Strength: I-19 (Flagship)
I-21
I-23
Duties: Patrol
[edit] Midway Bombardment Unit
Classification: Midway Bombardment Unit
Commander: 7th Destroyer Division Commander
Strength: 7th Destroyer Division
(less the 2nd section)
Duties: Midway air base attack
[edit] Supply Force
Overall Commander: Kyokuto Maru Commander
Classification: Supply Force (1st Supply Unit)
Commander: Kyokuto Maru Commander
Strength: Kenyo Maru
Kyokuto Maru
Kokuyo Maru
Shinkoku Maru
Akebono Maru
Duties: Supply
[edit] Supply Force (2nd Supply Unit)
Commander: Toho Maru Inspector
Strength: Toho Maru
Toei Maru
Nippon Maru
Duties: Supply [1]
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[edit] Air attack organization
1st Attack Units CO Commander Fuchida 1st Group CO do 1st Attack Unit CO do 15 Kates each fitted with a 800-kg Armor Piercing Bomb for level (high altitude) bombing. 2nd Attack Unit CO Lt Cmdr Hashiguchi 15 Kates-Same bombs as 1st Attack Unit. 3rd Attack Unit CO Lt Abe 10 Kates-Same bombs as 1st Attack Unit. 4th Attack Unit CO Lt Cmdr Kusmi 10 Kates-Same bombs as 1st Attack Unit. 1st Torpedo Attack Unit CO Lt Cmdr Murata 12 Kates each fitted with an Aerial Torpedo, Mark 91. 2nd Torpedo Attack Unit CO Lt Kitajima 12 Kates-Same torpedoes as 1st Torpedo Attack Unit. 3rd Torpedo Attack Unit CO Lt Nagai 8 Kates-Same torpedoes as 1st Torpedo Attack Unit. 4th Torpedo Attack Unit CO Lt Matsumura 8 Kates-Same torpedoes as 1st Torpedo Attack Unit.
2nd Group CO Lt Cmdr Takahashi
15th Attack Unit CO do
27 Vals each fitted with a 250-kg Anti-ground (general purpose)
bomb for dive bombing.
16th Attack Unit CO Lt Sakamoto
27 Vals-Same bomb as 15th Attack Unit.
3rd Group CO Lt Cmdr Itaya
1st Fighter Combat Unit CO do
9 Zekes for air control and strafing
2nd Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Shiga
9 Zekes-Same Mission
3rd Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Suganami
9 Zekes-Same Mission
4th Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Okajima
6 Zekes-Same Mission
5th Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Sato
6 Zekes-Same Mission
6th Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Kaneko
6 Zekes-Same Mission
2nd Attack Units 1st Group CO Lt Cmdr Shimazaki 6th Attack Unit CO do 27 Kates each fitted with a 250-kg Anti-ground (general purpose bomb and six 60-kg Ordinary bombs for level (high altitude) bombing. 5th Attack Unit CO Lt Ichihara 27 Kates-Same bombs as 6th Attack Unit
[Page 16] Chart 2 (Cont'd)
2nd Group CO Lt Cmdr Egusa
13th Attack Unit CO do
18 Vals each fitted with a 250-kg Ordinary bomb for dive bombing.
14th Attack Unit CO Lt Kobayashi
18 Vals-Same bombs as 13th Attack Unit
11th Attack Unit CO Lt Chihaya
18 Vals-Same bombs as 13th Attack Unit
12th Attack Unit CO Lt Makino
18 Vals-Same bombs as 13th Attack Unit
3rd Group CO Lt Shindo
1st Fighter Combat Unit CO do
9 Zekes for air control and strafing
2nd Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Nikaido
9 Zekes-Same Mission
3rd Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Iida
9 Zekes-Same Mission
4th Fighter Combat Unit CO Lt Kumano
9 Zekes-Same Mission
