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| IJN Shōkaku  Artwork   USN June 9, 1942 |
Pilot PO1c Yoshio Saito / PO1c Akira Akao Observer WO Masanobu Shibata / PO1c Noriyoshihiro Otake Radio PO3c Seikaku Tsunemae / S1c Kazuo Sakahita Ditched May 7, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Nakajima. True serial number unknown. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber Kanko / B5N Kate manufacture number unknown. Wartime History Assigned to the Shōkaku with tail number EI-306. This aircraft had a white vertical stripe on the fuselage and horizontal strip on below the tail number. Mission History On May 7, 1942 during the Battle of the Coral Sea took off from Shōkaku with B5N Kate EI-302 on a search mission for the American fleet. The crews aboard each aircraft are known, but not which of the two bombers they were aboard. The pair spotted two enemy vessels they reported to be an aircraft carrier and a cruiser. In fact, they were fleet oiler USS Neosho (AO-23) and destroyer USS Sims (DD-409). The pair loitered in the area too long and ran low on fuel and were unable to reach Shōkaku. Instead, both aircraft proceeded to the Indispensable Reef and ditched onto the reef. Fates of the Crew The crews survived the landing unhurt and burned the cockpit area of each aircraft to destroy them. Afterwards, both crews were rescued by Japanese destroyer Ariake. Wreckage A month later on June 7, 1942 the wreckage of this Kate was spotted from the air by a US Navy PBY Catalina from Patrol Squadron 71. Two days later, a PBY Catalina landed nearby to inspect and photographed the wreckage. Possibly, the wreckage was recovered by the USS Tangier AV-8. References Thanks to Jim Sawruk for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 2, 2021 |
 Kate |
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