Yoshio Shiga
Encyclopedia
was an officer, ace
fighter
pilot, and leader in the Imperial Japanese Navy
(IJN) during the Second Sino-Japanese War
and the Pacific theater
of World War II
. At the December 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor
, Shiga led one of the aircraft carrier Kaga's
fighter divisions during the first strike on American forces on Oahu
. The number of his Zero fighter was AII-105. Shiga continued as a fighter division commander on Kaga until April 1942.
In May 1942, then Lieutenant Shiga took command of aircraft carrier Jun'yō's fighter group, a post he held until December 1942. During this time, Shiga led the carrier's fighters in the battles of Dutch Harbor
and the Santa Cruz Islands
.In the latter battle, he attacked the US carrier, Honet and Enterprise that were both major damaged. He subsequently commanded the aircraft carrier Hiyō's
fighter group from December 1942 through January 1943 while the carrier was in port in Japan.
After promotion to Lieutenant Commander, Shiga was assigned as air officer to the 343 Air Group which was engaged in homeland defence in Japan, based at Matsuyama Air Base, in December 1944. He is famous for his strong objection againt the tactic of suicide attack (Kamikaze
) and saved many lives of Japanese young pilots.
After the war, Shiga became president of police equipment manufacturer Nobel Kōgyō and made many devices such as bulletproof vests and extractable police batons for Japanese police. He died on 25 November 2005.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
pilot, and leader in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
(IJN) during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
and the Pacific theater
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At the December 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, Shiga led one of the aircraft carrier Kaga's
Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga
Kaga was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy , named after the former Kaga Province in present-day Ishikawa Prefecture...
fighter divisions during the first strike on American forces on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. The number of his Zero fighter was AII-105. Shiga continued as a fighter division commander on Kaga until April 1942.
In May 1942, then Lieutenant Shiga took command of aircraft carrier Jun'yō's fighter group, a post he held until December 1942. During this time, Shiga led the carrier's fighters in the battles of Dutch Harbor
Battle of Dutch Harbor
The Battle of Dutch Harbor took place on 3-4 June 1942, and was a minor air and naval battle of the Aleutian Islands Campaign of World War II between Imperial Japanese Navy and United States Army and Navy forces.-Overview:...
and the Santa Cruz Islands
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or in Japanese sources as the , was the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the fourth major naval engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial...
.In the latter battle, he attacked the US carrier, Honet and Enterprise that were both major damaged. He subsequently commanded the aircraft carrier Hiyō's
Japanese aircraft carrier Hiyo
Hiyō was a of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Begun as an ocean liner in 1939, she was purchased by the Navy Ministry in 1941 for conversion to an aircraft carrier...
fighter group from December 1942 through January 1943 while the carrier was in port in Japan.
After promotion to Lieutenant Commander, Shiga was assigned as air officer to the 343 Air Group which was engaged in homeland defence in Japan, based at Matsuyama Air Base, in December 1944. He is famous for his strong objection againt the tactic of suicide attack (Kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
) and saved many lives of Japanese young pilots.
After the war, Shiga became president of police equipment manufacturer Nobel Kōgyō and made many devices such as bulletproof vests and extractable police batons for Japanese police. He died on 25 November 2005.