OT Navies in WWII

[dragoon500ly]

Colonel Ichiki sums up the Japanese attitude: "Spirit" can overcome everything. Even being outnumbered and outgunned, and lacking tanks and heavy artillery, "Japanese spirit" can overcome all obstacles.

According to John Toland's The Rising Sun, Ichiki burned his colors just as one of the tanks found him and a small group of soliders. Before he could be mown down with the others, he killed himself.

The exact cause of Ichiki's death is unknown. The Japanese Self Defense Agencies' official history states that he burned his regimental colors (but his detachment was a reinforced battalion group, so why would he have the regiment's colors) and then committed suicide; so Toland is simply repeating part of the line. There is a Marine Corps monograph that states that a high ranking officer killed himself as a tank was approaching him, again possible.

But there is also a story from one of the Japanese survivors that states that Ichiki went forward to rally his men and never returned. Of all the stories, I find this the most plausible because it jives with Ichiki's character, AND it explains why his remaining troops fell back to the coconut grove and underwent their odd paralysis. The next morning as 1st Bn, 1st Marines were making their attack, the Japanese defense was disjointed and had little, if any, central direction, exactly the situation a unit that had lost its higher officers would have reacted.

All respect to John Toland, he's a great author, but I believe that Ichiki met his death in the early morning hours before the Marine counterattack.

[Matt Wiser]

The battalion he led was 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment: Ichiki was the Regimental commander. His regimental command group was with the advance echelon, and thus had the regimental colors. The rest of the 28th Infantry were to follow up a week later, but Ichiki's "spirit" got the better of him and this battalion was wiped out as a result.

[Raellus]

I highly recommend James D. Hornfischer's Neptune's Inferno, about the naval side of the Guadalcanal campaign. Just the prologue is beautiful. As he rightly points out, it was really the only part of the Pacific War during which both sides were operating from positions of parity. The naval casualty figures from the year-long campaign are nearly identical.

Actually, all of Hornfischer's work is very good- his Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors about the Battle off Samar (part of the larger Leyte Gulf battles) is excellent.

[dragoon500ly]

The battalion he led was 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment: Ichiki was the Regimental commander. His regimental command group was with the advance echelon, and thus had the regimental colors. The rest of the 28th Infantry were to follow up a week later, but Ichiki's "spirit" got the better of him and this battalion was wiped out as a result.

Hmm, while the 28th Infantry Regiment did fight on Guadalcanal, Ichiki's 2nd Echleon was simply the support troops of the 2nd Battalion and a detachment from the regimental gun company. An intresting footnote is that there is a report of the 28th burning its regimental colors some time later. If that report is true, and if the JSDF official history is true and the regimental colors were burned, then either the regiment had two sets of colors or somebody is mistaken somewhere. And lots of luck trying to nail down which!

Myself, I believe that some sort of color was burned, the real question is was this the color presented by the Emperor himself or some kind of "field" color

[Matt Wiser]

Found this at j-aircraft.org's forum: it's in their section about the ships of the Imperial Navy, and mentions the Ichiki Detachment.

Re: Ichiki Detachment
Reply #1 on: March 10, 2011, 09:59:28 pm >>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Probably off topic, but to follow up from Bloody Ridge The Battle that Saved Guadalcanal, by Michael S. Smith

Ichiki's First Echelon - taken from Senshi Sosho, 14:292

Detachment Headquarters (with one 70mm gun) - 164
2d Battalion, 28th Infantry (-) - 603
2/28 Headquarters (23)
1st Company (105)
2nd Company (105)
3rd Company (105)
[each company with two platoons only]
2/28 Machine Gun Company
2/28 Gun Platoon (50) (two 70mm guns)
1st Company, 7th Engineer Regiment (150)

Total: 917

Transported to Guadalcanal aboard destroyers Kagero, Hagikaze, Arashi, Tanikaze, Hamakaze, Urakaze (commanded by RAdm Tanaka Raizo), to depart 16 August 1942 and proceed directly to Guadalcanal, landing troops on Taviu Point on evening of 18 August 1942

Each destroyer carrying approximately 150 troops and equipped with two motorboats, two cutters and seven collapsible boats (Hamakaze and Urakaze only had six of the later). Ichiki sailed aboard Arashi.

AND


Ichiki's Second Echelon (commanded by Major Mizuno Takeshi) (1,411 troops) also to depart Truk 16 August 1942 aboard transports Daifuku Maru and Boston Mau, to land Taivu point evening of 23 August 1942. Escorted by CL Jintsu and Patrol Boats 34 and 35.

Ichiki Detachment had two antitank companies: the 28th Regimental Antitank Company (4 37mm guns) and the attached 8th Independent Antitank Company (6 37mm guns)



Here is an interesting look at the Ichiki Detachment of Guadalcanal fame. This is a Babel Fish translation. My notes are in brackets. I have moderately rewritten the translation. It is interesting to note that his detachment included an antitank company, but I guess they were left in the second echelon and not included in the disastrous first echelon. Maybe they never landed, for I cant find them in Franks Guadalcanal OB. I found them later with an OB for the 16th Division on Leyte.

"formation of Ichiki Detachment, the 7th Divisions 28th Infantry Regiment, consisted of 1st Company, 7th Engineers and the 8th Independent Rapid Fire Artillery Company [antitank], staff approximately 2000 names.

As for the 17th Army and the 8th Fleet divided Ichiki Detachment into 2 echelons, riding separately 1st echelon approximately 900 names in six destroyers.

163 men in the task force headquarters, 23 men in battalion headquarters, 420 infantrymen in 4 companies (submachine gun 36, grenade discharge 24), machine gun party 110 name (with 8 heavy machine guns), 50 men with one platoon of battalion guns (2 infantry guns), 150 engineers in 1 company embarks and is dispatched. Remainder of the task force with the Yokosuka 5th special naval landing would be sent in a 2nd echelon by transports. Or more in a manner of speaking was infantry 1 battalions and as for the portable ammunition of the infantry unit each 250 [rounds per man], food was limited to 7 day's amount.

History

Ichiki Detachment history (1942 May ~ August)
May With the infantry 28th regiment mainstay in Hokkaido Asahikawa city for the Midway capture especially is formed. Task force leader the 28th Regimental Commander is Colonel Ichiki.

May 14th early morning, they boarded a train and starting the Asahikawa city station which is made quiet. Embarking to the wafter Yoshihiro Maru and the Nankai Maru counterespionage system May 18th two, the Hiroshima Ujina departured the port.

Starting, 2 days later, fact of the Midway island capture maneuvers is told to the officers and men for the first time. May 25th entered Saipan port. With the anchorage which is surrounded in the coral reef, the collapsible boat (the folding palpus). Intensive training of the opposed landing which you use was executed.
May 28th Saipan combat mission. From Saipan, guard of the warships is received.

We receive sad news of defeat of the June 6th. Furthermore as for large portion of the guard warships it came to the point of continuing advance, but the transports which carry Ichiki Detachment reverses.

16 day Guam landing. Nearly 2 months from now on, stationing life which utilizes the old US military barracks mark is led. An order to return to Japan arrives on August 6. August 7th early morning, embark to two transports and departs, but, the person of most is surprised the following 8th morning awaking. The transport which place by your, in the Guam of the expectation which yesterday morning departs port. Because it anchored. By August 8th that way wafter departure Guam.

In August 12th Truk Island approaches. As for Ichiki Detachment, the 1st echelon and it means to be divided into the 2nd echelon. As for the August 16th 1st echelon as an advance element, in six destroyers the amount riding. Guadalcanal destination is announced to everyone midway.

It lands to the August 18th nighttime Guadalcanal island [taibo] promontory.

Source is //www.ssystem.net/42.html

[RN7]

Best Fighter Planes of WW2

EUROPE
EARLY WAR PERIOD
Messerschmitt Bf 109: The Bf 109 fighter was flown by many Luftwaffe aces during WW2, including Erich Hartmann the leading fighter ace of all time, Gerhard Barkhorn the second highest scoring ace of all time, and the top scoring German ace over Western pilots Hans-Joachim Marseille. The Bf 109 first saw combat in the Spanish Civil War were German Condor Legion pilots quickly gained superiority over Russian I-15 and I-16 fighters used by the Communists. By 1939 the D model with a top speed of 304 mph equipped all German fighter squadrons, and in 1939-40 proved more than a match for the frontline fighters of Poland, Belgium, Holland and France. By the Battle of Britain the Bf 109E was coming into service with a top speed of 354 mph, and compared well against early British Spitfires. By 1942 the Bf 109G Gustav was reaching over 400 mph and was being used on all fronts, including ground attack, bomber interception and photo recon missions. Although the Bf 109 was a fine fighter it has some flaws such as a cramped cockpit, restricted rear visibility and a narrow track undercariage that made ground handling tricky. Its control also became progressively heavier as speed increased, and although manuverability was very good at low and medium speed, it deteriorated greatly at high speed. It was also short ranged which limited its tactical use.

Supermarine Spitfire: Most British WW2 aces flew the Spitfire, which proved to be a very adaptable fighter and in various versions served throughout the war period in all theatres. The Spitfire's all metal stressed-skin was a new technology at this time and delayed its production. When the war started the RAF insisted in holding most of its modern fighters in Britain and no Spitfires were sent to France. The Spitfire Mk. IA was powered by the famous Rolls Royce V-12 Merlin II engine, giving the early Spitfire a top level speed of about 360 mph and a climb rate of 2,530 ft./min. By the the Battle of Britain, markedly improved climb and acceleration rates had been achieved and fitted. Performance was similar to the Bf 109E, with the Spitfire being slightly faster and more maneuverable and the Bf 109 being faster in the dive and with a superior roll rate and having a performance edge above 20,000 ft. Early Spitfires were not fitted with fuel injection, and the engines would quit for lack of fuel if the aircraft pulled negative g's during a maneuver or was flown upside down. This problem was not fully solved until improved pressure carburetors were adopted in 1943. Later Spitfires models kept pace with upgraded Bf 109s and Fw 190s, incorporating many detail improvements and better streamlining, and top speeds of 450 mph. Overall the Spitfire was an exceptional fighter which excelled in the interceptor role it took on during the Battle of Britain. However like most other European fighters its primary shortcoming was its short range which became a serious fault when the RAF went over to the offensive.

[Targan]

Gentlemen, just a quick reminder that if information posted is partly or wholly sourced from works not originally authored by the poster, it needs to have some sort of attribution attached.

[Matt Wiser]

Fellas, has anyone been to this site Plenty of info about the ships, aircraft, subs, and ordnance of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

http://www.combinedfleet.com/kaigun.htm