A NARA set of photos today features a very badly wrecked Nakajima B6N "Tenzan" (Jill) belonging to the Okinawa Kokutai, as indicated by the katakana "オキ-" (OKI-) on the tail. This rather obscure naval escort IJNAF unit was established on April 15, 1944, with 40 Aichi E13A "Jake" seaplanes and 24 torpedo bombers, and primarily conducted maritime escort duties between Kagoshima and Okinawa. It was integrated into the 951st Kokutai on December 15, 1944.
It was deployed across various locations in the Ryukyu Islands, but its main base was IJN's Oroku Airfield (小禄飛行場) on Okinawa, which opened in 1933 as a civilian airfield. It took its name from the village with the same name in the area but changed at least three times from "Oroku" to "Naha" and back. During WWII, it was known as "Naha Airfield." In January 1943, the "Ryukyu Islands Area Kokutai" (Nanseishoto Homen Kokutai) was designated as the administrative unit for air bases in the Ryukyu Islands. Its headquarters was established at this base, and the Oroku Detachment of the 3rd Reconnaissance Hikotai, 25th Koku Sentai (Air Fleet), was permanently stationed there. However, following air raids from October 1944, the base lost all its aircraft and ceased functioning as an airfield. It was subsequently occupied by US forces during the invasion in April 1945.
Nakajima B6N2 "Tenzan" (Jill) of the Okinawa Kokutai. The aircraft was found in dilapitated condition under a wrecked hangar at Oroku/Naha Airfield. According to the original caption:
"A view of the devastated hangar at Naha Airfield. A wrecked Jill is the only plane in the hangar; an M2A1 is visible in the background"
A closeup of the same aircraft.
The same Nakajima B6N2 "Tenzan" (Jill) of the Okinawa Kokutai, found at Oroku/Naha Airfield from a different angle confirms the unit's marking "オキ-" (OKI-).
One last photo of the same aircraft.
It is not easy to tell the difference between a Nakajima B6N2 "Tenzan" (Jill) and a Nakajima C6N1 "Saiun" (Myrt), especially if the aircraft in question is in really bad condition. The photos of the particular aircraft help us out by showing the small fuselage windows present in the "Tenzan" but absent in the "Saiun," and the peculiarly angled radio antenna mast of the "Tenzan." Note also the position of the horizontal tail surfaces.
Another photo of an OkinawaKu aircraft, this time it's the tail of a Nakajima B5N "Kate".
Nohara Shigeru created artwork for the Nakajima B5N "Kate" seen in the previous photo, and was featured in FAOW #32.
"East China Sea Anti-Submarine Attack" - February 27, 1944
The "Tamo 05 Convoy" consisting of Nippon Maru (former Swedish ship Nimpu), San Luis Maru, Chihaya Maru, France Maru, Shunten Maru, Bokuyo Maru and Aso Maru, escorted by Patrol Boat 38 (ex-destroyer Yomogi), Auxiliary Gunboat Chojusan Maru and Auxiliary Subchaser/Minesweeper Tama Maru No. 7, came under attack by a US submarine.
According to "combinedfleet" :
"CEYLON MARU is carrying 148 military passenger, 4,000-tons of bauxite and 300-tons of general cargo.
27 February 1944:
East China Sea. At 2058, LtCdr (later KIA) John A. Moore's (USNA ’32) USS GRAYBACK (SS-208) uses her last two torpedoes on CEYLON MARU. Hit aft in the No. 3 hold, she floods and at 2103 sinks by the stern off Ojika Island, NE Kyushu at 31-35N, 127-47E. 95 troops and 46 crewmen are KIA."
According to Wikipedia:
"Grayback's tenth patrol, her most successful in terms of tonnage sunk, was also her last. She sailed from Pearl Harbor on 28 January 1944 for the East China Sea. On 24 February, Grayback radioed that she had sunk two cargo ships on 19 February and had damaged two others (Taikei Maru and Toshin Maru sunk). On 25 February, she transmitted her second and final report. That morning, she had sunk tanker Nanho Maru and severely damaged Asama Maru. With only two torpedoes remaining, she was ordered home from patrol. Due to reach Midway on 7 March, Grayback did not arrive. On 30 March, ComSubPac listed her as missing and presumed lost with all hands.
From captured Japanese records, the submarine's last few days were pieced together after World War II. Heading home through the East China Sea after attacking convoy Hi-40 on 24 February, Grayback used her last two torpedoes to sink the freighter Ceylon Maru on 27 February. Later that same day, a Japanese aircraft carrier-based Nakajima B5N (Allied reporting name "Kate") torpedo bombers, probably launched from the aircraft carrier Zuikaku spotted Grayback on the surface in the East China Sea and attacked, hitting her with a 250-kilogram (551 lb) aerial bomb. According to Japanese reports, the submarine "exploded and sank immediately," but antisubmarine craft were called in to depth-charge the area, clearly marked by a trail of air bubbles, until at last a heavy oil slick swelled to the surface."
So, Wiki says that a "Kate" from Zuikaku sunk the submarine, but combinedfleet mentions: "GRAYBACK is later sunk by Nakajima B5N2 "Kates" of the Okinawa Naval Air Group."
Japanese sources mention that one "Kate" that took off from Oroku Airfield "spotted a surfaced submarine attacking the convoy, bombed it with an anti-submarine bomb No. 25, and scored a direct hit."
Other Japanese sources mention:
"On February 26, 1944, the Greyback was damaged by an attack from Japanese Navy aircraft in the East China Sea. However, the following day the Greyback is presumed to have sunk the Japanese transport ship Ceylon Maru. Records indicate that on the same day, Japanese naval carrier-based attack aircraft spotted and attacked a surfaced submarine in the East China Sea. Reports state this submarine ‘exploded and sank with a great roar.’ The Japanese forces then dispatched anti-submarine patrol vessels to conduct depth charge attacks on an area where a distinct trail of bubbles remained, resulting in a vast amount of oil spilling onto the sea surface."
So, the conclusion from the above is that two attacks on the submarine took place: one from a "Kate" that took off from Oroku/Naha Airfield and damaged the sub and then a second attack by Zuikaku(?) "Kates" that finished(?) it. Followed by depth charge attacks.
As mentioned above, Akimoto and other Japanese sources state that OkinawaKu was established in April 1944, after the incident, nevertheless some Japanese sources mention: "Its status as a kokutai in terms of organisation is questioned due to the absence of documents such as establishment tables or personnel registers. However, personnel orders were actually issued in the Naval Appointment Gazette".
So, if Akimoto's date is correct, then it can't be a "Kate" from OkinawaKu. Perhaps an aircraft from the "Oroku Detachment of the 3rd Reconnaissance Hikotai, 25th Koku Sentai (Air Fleet)"?
On November 11, 2019, the wreck of USS Grayback (SS-208) was discovered off the coast of Japan by veteran ocean explorer Tim Taylor, CEO of Tiburon Subsea, and his ‘Lost 52 Project’ team. This discovery that occurred on 5 June 2019 at a depth of 1,427 feet (435 metres), has been officially confirmed by the United States Navy.
According to the press release:
"In preparing for this expedition, Japanese historical researcher Mr Yutaka Iwasaki, a member of the team, re-translated primary sources and pinpointed locations. He noticed discrepancies in the longitude information within documents written in 1946 after the war. This original error remained uncorrected for 75 years, until the discovery by the “Lost 52 Team”. Mr Iwasaki newly identified and translated Japanese military attack records, enabling the expedition team to reset the search area to the waters southwest of Okinawa. Then, on 5 June 2019, in waters 100 miles (160 km) away from the location indicated by conventional WWII historical records, the team found the Grayback on the final survey line of their last survey area."
Check the video here.
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