1st Carrier Division

the Imperial Japanese Navy division the U.S. Navy division Carrier Division 1 First Carrier Division Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku and two destroyers under attack on 20 June 1944 (80-G-238025).jpg 300px The First Carrier Division's Zuikaku (center) and two destroyers under attack by U.S. Navy carrier aircraft during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. April 1, 1928 – April 10, 1945 Empire of Japan Axis Powers of World War II Imperial Japanese Navy Naval aviation unit Aircraft carrier support Attack on Pearl HarborBattle of RabaulBombing of DarwinIndian Ocean raidBattle of MidwayBattle of the Eastern SolomonsBattle of the Santa Cruz IslandsBattle of the Philippine Sea Chūichi Nagumo Jisaburo Ozawa The First Carrier Division 第一航空戦隊 Dai Ichi Kōkū sentai often abbreviated as 一航戦 Ichikō-sen was an aircraft carrier unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy's First Air Fleet. At the beginning of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, the First Carrier Division consisted of the fleet carriers Akagi and Kaga. The division participated in the Attack on Pearl Harbor and Indian Ocean Raid. After Akagi and Kaga were sunk at the Battle of Midway in June 1942, carriers Shōkaku, Zuikaku, and Zuihō were redesignated as the First Carrier Division. Organization (extract) Date Ships 1 April 1928 (original) Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi 2, Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō 2 and Destroyer Squadron 6: Japanese destroyer Ume 1915 2, Japanese destroyer Kusunoki 1915 2 1 December 1931 Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga 2, Japanese seaplane tender Notoro 2 and Destroyer Squadron 2 : Japanese destroyer Minekaze 2, Japanese destroyer Okikaze 2, Japanese destroyer Yakaze 2, Japanese destroyer Sawakaze 1919 2 15 November 1934 Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō 2, Hōshō and Destroyer Squadron 5: Japanese destroyer Asakaze 1922 2, Japanese destroyer Harukaze 1922 2, Japanese destroyer Matsukaze 1923 2, Japanese destroyer Hatakaze 1924 2 1 December 1937 Kaga and Destroyer Squadron 29: Japanese destroyer Oite 1924 2, Japanese destroyer Hayate 1925 2, Japanese destroyer Asanagi 2, Japanese destroyer Yūnagi 1924 2 15 November 1939 Akagi and Destroyer Squadron 19: Japanese destroyer Isonami 1927 2, Japanese destroyer Uranami 1928 2, Japanese destroyer Ayanami 1929 2, Japanese destroyer Shikinami 1929 2 10 April 1941 Akagi, Kaga and Destroyer Squadron 7: Japanese destroyer Akebono 1930 2, Japanese destroyer Ushio 1930 2 14 July 1942 Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku 2, Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku 2, Japanese aircraft carrier Zuihō 2 1 April 1944 Japanese aircraft carrier Taihō 2, Shōkaku, Zuikaku 15 August 1944 Japanese aircraft carrier Unryū 2, Japanese aircraft carrier Amagi 2 15 December 1944 Amagi, Unryū, Japanese aircraft carrier Katsuragi 2, Japanese aircraft carrier Jun'yō 2, Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūhō 2 10 April 1945 dissolved Commander Rank Name Date1 R.ADM Sankichi Takahashi 1 April 1928x Disbanded 10 December 19282 R.ADM Sankichi Takahashi 1 April 19293 R.ADM Yurikazu Edahara 30 November 19294 R.ADM Takayoshi Katō 1 December 19305 R.ADM Koshirō Oikawa 15 November 19326 R.ADM Isoroku Yamamoto 3 October 19337 R.ADM Hideho Wada 1 June 19348 R.ADM Saburō Satō 15 November 19359 R.ADM Shirō Takasu 1 December 193610 R.ADM Jin'ichi Kusaka 1 December 193711 R.ADM Boshirō Hosogaya 25 April 193812 R.ADM Jisaburō Ozawa 15 November 193913 R.ADM Michitaro Tozuka 1 November 194014 V.ADM Chūichi Nagumo 10 April 194115 V.ADM Jisaburō Ozawa 11 November 194216 R.ADM Keizō Komura 1 October 194417 R.ADM Sueo Ōbayashi 10 December 1944x vacant post 10 February 1945x dissolved 10 April 1945 The First Carrier Division participated in the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history, the Battle of the Marianas, and specifically the aircraft carrier Battle of the Philippine Sea (the so-called “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”) on 19–20 June, where the Japanese naval forces were decisively defeated with heavy and irreplaceable losses to their carrier-borne and land-based aircraft.https://books.google.com/books?id=6z7quhWS-BoC&q=first+carrier+division&pg=PA377 Aircraft Carriers: A History of Carrier Aviation and Its Influence on World Events, 1946-2006 II Norman Polmar 377–400 January 24, 2008 Washington, D.C. Potomac Books Inc 978-1574886658 hardcover June 1, 2014 As a result of the massive losses suffered to her airgroup, Zuikaku would play a support role in the Japanese fleet from this point on, up until her sinking during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. References Peattie Mark R. 1999 Sunburst: The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power 1909-1941 Naval Institute Press Annapolis, Maryland 1-59114-664-X The Maru Special series, http://www.kojinsha.co.jp/ Ushio Shobō (Japan) Ships of the World series, http://www.ships-net.co.jp/ Kaijinsha, (Japan) Further reading https://books.google.com/books?id=6z7quhWS-BoC&q=first+carrier+division&pg=PA377 Aircraft Carriers: A History of Carrier Aviation and Its Influence on World Events, 1946-2006 II Norman Polmar 377–400 January 24, 2008 Washington, D.C. Potomac Books Inc 978-1574886658 hardcover June 1, 2014 1 Category:Units of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Category:Military units and formations established in 1928 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945