The Akutan Zero-- Part 8: What Happened to the Akutan Zero and Koga's Body

Nine wrecked Japanese Mitsubishi Zeros were recovered after Pearl Harbor and were studied as well.

Sadly, the Akutan Zero was destroyed in a  training accident in February 1945.  While it was taxiing for a takeoff, a Curtis Helldiver lost control and rammed into it.   The Helldiver's propeller sliced the Zero into pieces.

From the wreckage, several gauges were salvaged and donated to the National Museum of the United States Navy.  The Alaska Heritage Museum and Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum also have some pieces of it.

A search was led to Akutan Island in 1988 in an attempt to find Ensign Koga's remains.  It was found that the remains  had been exhumed by an American Graves Registration Service team in 1947 and reburied at  Adak Island, further down the Aleutian Chain.

The team, unaware of Koga's significance or identity, marked him as unknown.  The Adak cemetery was excavated in 19553 and the 236 bodies returned to Japan.  The unidentified remains were cremated and it is likely that is what happened to Koga.

--GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 7: Testing Its Capabilities

Data from the captured Zero showed that the United could match or surpass Zeros in most respects except  range without sacrificing pilot armor, self-sealing tanks and fuselage  structure.  The new  F6F  Hellcat would compensatefor the extraweight with additional power.

On September 20, 1942, two months after the Zero's capture, Lt. Commander  Edie R. Sanders took the Akutan Zero  up for its first test flight.  He made 24 test flights between September 29 and October 15

The important thing was that knowledge was gained in how to fight the Japanese plane.

In early 1943, it was transferred to Anacostia Naval Air Station for more tests, including a wind tunnel.

--GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 6: Recovery and Reconstruction

The crash site remained undiscovered for over a month.  On July 10, 1942, an American PBY piloted by  Lt. William Thies spotted the wreckage accidentally.  They returned the next day and recovered Ensign Koga's body from the plane and buried him in a shallow grave.

It took several attempts to get the Zero uprighted and to get it off the muddy land before they were able to get it to a barge and transported to Dutch Harbor where it was loaded onto the USS  St. Mihiel and transported to Seattle.

From there it went to the Naval Air Station near San Diego where repairs were carefully carried out.  The Zero's red Hinomaru roundel was was repainted with American insignia.  The Zero was fit to fly again on September 20. (Imagine had they left the red ball on the plane and a civilian saw it being flown over the U.S. mainland.)

The whole time the plane was under heavy guard.

The United States now had a flyable Zero to test.

--GreGen

Akutan Zero-- Part 5: The End of Koga

Continued from February 14, 2023.

The Japanese claim the shot that caused Ensign Tadayoshi Koga's plane to crash came during the attack on Dutch Harbor.

The fatal shot severed the return oil line and Koga's plane  immediately began trailing oil.  He  reduced speed to keep the engine from seizing for as long as possible.

The three Zeros flew to Akutan Island, 25 miles east of Dutch Harbor which had been designated for emergency landings.  Waiting near the island was a Japanese submarine assigned to pick up downed pilots.  

At the island, they circled until they found a fairly flat piece of ground, but as Koga began his descent they saw there was water on the ground and it was too late for him to pull up.  The landing gear mired in the mud and the plane flipped over and skid to a stop.  

Although the arcraft survived nearly intact, Koga was killed instantly, either due to a broken neck or blunt force to his head.  Koga's wingmen circling above had orders to destroy the plane to prevent its capture, but did not know if Koga was alive or not so did not strafe it.

They left and later the Japanese submarine was driven off by the USS Williamson.

--GreGen

Wreck of USS Albacore (SS-218) Found Off Japan

From the February 17, 2023, Fox Weather "Wreckage of US Navy submarine from World War II found off Japan's coast" by Andrew Wulfeck.

The wreckage of a U.S. submarine found off the northern coast of Japan has been identified as the USS Albacore--  a vessel the Navy believes was sunk by a mine.

Japanese surveys were conducted on the site in 2022.  Dr. Tamaki  Ura and a team from the University of Tokyo used a remotely operated vehicle to obtain video of the wreckage site which is believed to be hundreds of feet under the sea.

The submarine had only been in service for just over two years when she disappears off of one of Japan's northernmost islands.

The last time the ship or crew of 80 was seen was late in October 1944 in Pearl Harbor and Midway.  Just over a week later, a Japanese patrol boat reported seeing  a great deal of oil amidst a debris field not far from Hokkaido, Japan.

It was a Gato-class submarine and credited with sinking ten Japanese ships.  Six of them were combat ships which makes her one of the war's most successful subs.

The United States lost 52 submarines during the war.  Many of their final resting places are not known.

--GreGen

USS Oklahoma Unknown Herman Schmidt to Be Interred at Arlington National Cemetery-- Part 2

More than 81 years after his death, Schmidt's body is finally nearing the end of its earthly journey.  On February 24, 2023,  the young Wyoming man, whose remains were interred for decades in a national cemetery in Hawaii, albeit unknown, will be interred with highest honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Gary Bishop of Buffalo was born twenty years after his  great uncle Herman Schmidt, died.  He recalls hearing his grandfather's brother growing up about the tragic loss that left a mark on his family.  But he didn't know much more about his mother's uncle.

"We knew that he was on the Oklahoma and that he called Sheridan his home.  Gary's grandfather Ed (Herman's brother) had moved to Buffalo in the 1930s.

Bishop shared a postcard that was sent to his grandfather in 1937 by Herman Schmidt after he had been assigned to the Oklahoma.

"Dear  Brother," reads the postcard dated  Sept. 24, 1937.  "Arrived yesterday.  Leave in the morning on U.S.S. Longely to San Perdo.  Will be stationed on the  U.S.S. Oklahoma.  Will write all about my trip after I get straightened out.  Herm."

The postcard was addressed simply to "Mr. Edward Schmit, Clearmont, Wyo."

The USS Longely Herm was referring to was actually the USS Langley, the Navy's first aircraft carrier, which by 19397 had been converted into a seaplane tender.

At the time he was killed, Herman Schmidt had a wife and a one-year-old son, Nick..

--GreGen

USS Oklahoma Unknown Herman Schmidt to Be Buried at Arlington National Cemetery-- Part 1

From the February 14, 2023, Cowboy State Daily (Wyoming) "Sheridan sailor killed at Pearl Harbor to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery" by  Wendy Corr.

In 1941,  28-year-old Herman Schmidt of Sheridan, Wyoming,  was a Gunner's Mate  3rd Class on the battleship USS Oklahoma, a Nevada-class battleship moored in berth Fox 5 on Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Schmidt, who grew up in Sheridan had joined the Navy in 1937 and had been assigned to the USS Oklahoma.  On the morning of December 7, 1941, he and his crewmates on the ship were enjoying a quiet Sunday morning when his and many others had their world came to an abrupt and terrifying end.

At about ten minutes to 8 that Sunday morning, three torpedoes struck the Oklahoma, dropped from Japanese planes from the carriers Akagi and Kaga.  The Oklahoma immediately began listing to,its port side and eventually capsized, trapping hundreds below deck.

A total of eight torpedoes hit the ship and  429 servicemen died.

--GreGen

The USS Montgomery (DD-121)

In January, I gave a presentation "RoadTrippin' Through History;  The Continuing Saga of the USS Montgomery" at the College of Lake County (Illinois).  I talked about six ships in the U.S. Navy by the name of USS Montgomery.  There was a ship by that name in the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II and the current U.S. Navy.

Right now, I am writing the presentation in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog.

And, I am currently writing about the World War I and II destroyer USS Montgomery (DD-121). It was named after John B. Montgomery who was an officer in the War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War.  It was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

--GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 4: Attack on the Aleutians and Shooting Down of Koga's Zero

Nine Zeros were shot down during the attack on Pearl Harbor and from those wrecks, the U.S. learned that the Zeros lacked armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, but little about their combat abilities.

Prior to the recovery of the Akutan Zero, information had been obtained  from three other Zeros.  But none of them were flyable.

In June 1942, as part of Japan's Midway operation, the Aleutian Islands were attacked.  A Japanese task force bombed Dutch Harbor twice, once on June 3 and again the following day.

Tadayoshi Koga (September 10, 1922-June 4, 1942) was a 19-year-old Japanese Navy flight petty officer  first class, was launched from the aircraft carrier Ryujo as part of the June 4 raid.  He was part of a three plane section.

They attacked Dutch Harbor and are believed to have been the three Japanese planes who shot down an American PBY-5A Flying and then strafed the survivors in the water, killing all six of them.

In the process, Koga's plane was damaged by small arms fire.

--GreGen

What Is North Carolina's Order of the Long Leaf Pine?

In the last post I wrote that Wilmington's Wilbur Jones had been given this honor.

It is one of the top honors that the state can bestow.

It is granted to those individuals who have shown extraordinary service to the state and is the highest award granted by the governor.

Nominations can be made for those with 30 or more years to the State of North Carolina.  A request formit must be made by a human resources officer for state emplyees.

Some others who have received the award:

Ricgard Petty

Andy Griffith

Charles Kurault

Billy Graham

Dean Smith

--GreGen

Wilbur Jones Receives North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine

From the February 8, 2023, WWAY 3 ABC Wilmington, N.C.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine was presented to Wilmington resident  and native Wilbur Jones on Tuesday night  during the City Council meeting.

Captain Jones received this prestigious honor for his  service to the Tar Heel State.

Jones is a veteran, author and historian.

He also plays a role in having Wilmington named as the first American World War II Heritage City.

The amount of knowledge this man has on Wilmington during the war is amazing.  He is to World War II as Chris Fonvielle is to Wilmington's Civil War history.

A Well-Deserved Honor.  --GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 3: About Those Zeros (Or Is It Zeroes?)

The Japanese Zero fighter plane first flew in 1939, and quickly proved  to be exceedingly agile and lightweight. It also had range superior to any fighter.   As early as 1940, Claire Lee Chennault reported to the U.S. military of the Zeros performance.  It was ignored.

However, wih the coming of the war, we soon learned that the Zero's  maneuverability outperformed any Allied fighter it encountered in the first two years of war with the United States. It was bad news to fight a Zero in a dogfight.

However, to achieve this dogfighting  agility, Japanese designers had traded off durability.  The Zero was lightly built and had no armor or self-sealing fuel tanks.  And, they proved to be the easiest fighter to take down.  The Japanese were also unable to compete with the numbers of U.S. fighters nor their increased quality.

During the course of the war, Japan built roughly 10,500 Zeros.

Is It Os or Oes?   --GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 2: 'A Prize Almost Beyond Value'

The Akutan Zero has been described as "a prize almost beyond value to the United States", and "probably one of the greatest prizes of the Pacific  War."

Japanese historian and lieutenant general Masatake Okumiya stated that the acquisition  of the Akutan Zero "was no less serious" than the Japanese defeat at the Battle of Midway and that it did much to hasten Japan's final defeat.

The Akutan Zero was destroyed in a  training accident in 1945.  Parts of it are preserved in several museums across the United States.

And, here I am not knowing much about it before now.

-GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Also known as Koga's Zero and the Aleutian Zero.  It was a Type 0 Model 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero Japanese fighter aircraft that crash-landed on Akutan Island in the Aleutions which was in he Alaska Territory at the time during World War II.  The crash took place on June 4, 1942.

It was found intact by the Americans in July of that year.  It was the first such plane captured and even better, could be restored to flyable condition.  It was repaired and flown by American  test pilots.  As a result of the infirmation obtained  Americans were able to devise ways to combat these very good warplanes.

It was the  the Japanese Navy's primary fighter plane throughout the war.

--GreGen

The Last Time the U.S. Has Shot Down a Foreign Aircraft Over American Air Space Was ....

From the February 4, 2023, London Daily Mail "Downing of Chinese spy balloon is first time military hasshot down foreign aircraft over US soil since World War II" by Paul Farrell.

That balloon was pretty much all you heard about this past week. Was it a weather balloon that got away of spy balloon?  Don't know.

A military fighter plane shot it down about 8 miles over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday.

Not since a Japanese aerial attack on U.S. ships in Dutch Harbor in Alaska on June 4, 1942, when a Japanese fighter was shot down, has the military done this.

The incident has come to be known as Akutan Zero.  

--GreGen

What Made the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor So Devastating?-- Part 2

Torpedo planes coordinated their assault with aircraft carrying Type 99 anti-ship bombs, which were converted artillery shells.  When dropped from an attitude, the streamlined projectiles could pierce  steel armor, penetrate through a ship's decks, and explode.

One such bomb caused the  massive fatal explosion on the USS Arizona, killing 1,177 servicemen in seconds.

To strike targets further inland,  dive bombers carried the Type 98 general-purpose bomb, wreaking havoc on airfields, structures, vehicles and parked aircraft.

--GreGen

What Made the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor So Devastating?-- Part 1

From January 30, 2023, History Net by ParaagShukla.

Some of the bombs and torpedoes were custom-designed.

For their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese utilized a mix of torpedoes and bombs --  some specially customized for the job.

By December 1941, the Japanese had  refined their "Type 91, Modification 2" torpedo to be extremely reliable.  But, Pearl Harbor's shallow 45-foot deep waters posed a problem: when dropped. a torpedo would typically plunge at least 90 feet before rising to attack depth.

After extensive testing, the Japanese atached wooden tail fins and slipped wooden  sheaths over the torpedoe's side anti-roll tabs.  Both additions -- which increased  surface area, added bouyancy, and broke away upon impact with the water -- proved decisive.

--GreGen

USS West Virginia (SSBN-736): The Third USS West Virginia

USS WEST VIRGINIA (SSBN-736)

(1989 to Present)

The USS West Virginia nuclear submarine was commissioned in 1990 with a Blue Cews and a Gold Crew.  Although it has been most active in tests  and strategic deterrance patrols, the submarine made headlines in October 2022 when General  Michael "Eric" Kurilla, commander of  U.S. Central Command,  made a public visit to the ship while it was in the Arabian Sea.

The public visit was made after Russian President  Vladimir Putin threatened to use  nuclear weapons with his forces losing ground in the war with Ukraine, and the Navy Times called it "a rare  move that highlighted U.S. underseas nuclear capabilities during tense times with Iran and Russia."

The USS West Virginia (SSBN-736)  is still active in the U.S. Navy today.

--GreGen