Hirohide Fushimi 伏見 博英
Imperial Japanese Navy

Background
Hirohide Fushimi 伏見 博英 was born October 4, 1912 the 4th son of Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu in Tokyo in Japan. He was the younger brother of Prince Fushimi Hiroyoshi, Prince Kachō Hirotada and Marquis Kachō Hironobu.

During October 1932, he became a member of the House of Peers in the Diet of Japan. On April 1, 1936, by order of Emperor Hirohito, he was allowed to establish his own household and after renouncing his imperial title was named a count. He enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and attended the Japanese Naval Academy 62nd class at Eta Jima. In Navy service, he was promoted to the rank of Lt. Commander.

Mission History
On August 21, 1943 passenger aboard L2D "Cedar Tree" on a flight from Kendari Airfield on Celebes (Sulawesi) bound for Maccasar Airfield. Before take off, passenger LtCdr Hirohide Fushimi requested the flight be delayed to use the bathroom and took off ten minutes late. While flying over Bono Bay (Gulf of Boni) in cumulus clouds spotted by B-24D "Juarez Whistle" 42-40496 piloted by Captain Augustus "Gus" V. Connery on a bombing mission against Pomalaa on Celebes (Sulawesi). The bomber crew identified the plane as a Japanese "Tabby" and saw the Japanese rising sun (Hinomaru) insignia on the plane. Immediately, the top turret gunner opened fire aiming at the engines, fuselage windows and down to the tail causing the plane to catch fire and nose down. As the burning plane descended, the bomber crew photographed this Tabby on fire and smoking over Bono Bay and observed it to crash.

In fact, the burning L2D made a controlled landing in Bono Bay. Aboard, pilot Yoshio Yamada was killed in the crash and passenger Lt. Hirohide Fushimi was wounded. After the crash, the survivors were rescued. On August 26, 1943, LtCdr Kushimi died from his injuries.

Memorials
Fushimi is buried at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.

References
Thanks to Minoru Kamada for additional research and analysis

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