| First Carrier Division | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The First Carrier Division'sZuikaku (center) and two destroyers under attack byU.S. Navy carrier aircraft during theBattle of the Philippine Sea. | |
| Active | April 1, 1928 – April 10, 1945 |
| Country | Empire of Japan |
| Allegiance | Axis Powers of World War II |
| Branch | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Type | Naval aviation unit |
| Role | Aircraft carrier support |
| Engagements | Attack on Pearl Harbor Battle of Rabaul Bombing of Darwin Indian Ocean raid Battle of Midway Battle of the Eastern Solomons Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands Battle of the Philippine Sea |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Chūichi NagumoJisaburo Ozawa |
TheFirst Carrier Division (第一航空戦隊,Dai Ichi Kōkū sentai, often abbreviated as 一航戦Ichikō-sen) was anaircraft carrier unit of theImperial Japanese Navy'sFirst Air Fleet. At the beginning of thePacific Campaign ofWorld War II, the First Carrier Division consisted of the fleet carriersAkagi andKaga. The division participated in theAttack on Pearl Harbor andIndian Ocean Raid. AfterAkagi andKaga were sunk at theBattle of Midway in June 1942, carriersShōkaku,Zuikaku, andZuihō were redesignated as the First Carrier Division.
| Date | Ships |
|---|---|
| 1 April 1928 (original) | Akagi,Hōshō and Destroyer Squadron 6:Ume,Kusunoki |
| 1 December 1931 | Kaga,Notoro and Destroyer Squadron 2 :Minekaze,Okikaze,Yakaze,Sawakaze |
| 15 November 1934 | Ryūjō,Hōshō and Destroyer Squadron 5:Asakaze,Harukaze,Matsukaze,Hatakaze |
| 1 December 1937 | Kaga and Destroyer Squadron 29:Oite,Hayate,Asanagi,Yūnagi |
| 15 November 1939 | Akagi and Destroyer Squadron 19:Isonami,Uranami,Ayanami,Shikinami |
| 10 April 1941 | Akagi,Kaga and Destroyer Squadron 7:Akebono,Ushio |
| 14 July 1942 | Shōkaku,Zuikaku,Zuihō |
| 1 April 1944 | Taihō,Shōkaku,Zuikaku |
| 15 August 1944 | Unryū,Amagi |
| 15 December 1944 | Amagi,Unryū,Katsuragi,Jun'yō,Ryūhō |
| 10 April 1945 | dissolved |
| Rank | Name | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R.ADM | Sankichi Takahashi | 1 April 1928 |
| x | Disbanded | 10 December 1928 | |
| 2 | R.ADM | Sankichi Takahashi | 1 April 1929 |
| 3 | R.ADM | Yurikazu Edahara | 30 November 1929 |
| 4 | R.ADM | Takayoshi Katō | 1 December 1930 |
| 5 | R.ADM | Koshirō Oikawa | 15 November 1932 |
| 6 | R.ADM | Isoroku Yamamoto | 3 October 1933 |
| 7 | R.ADM | Hideho Wada | 1 June 1934 |
| 8 | R.ADM | Saburō Satō | 15 November 1935 |
| 9 | R.ADM | Shirō Takasu | 1 December 1936 |
| 10 | R.ADM | Jin'ichi Kusaka | 1 December 1937 |
| 11 | R.ADM | Boshirō Hosogaya | 25 April 1938 |
| 12 | R.ADM | Jisaburō Ozawa | 15 November 1939 |
| 13 | R.ADM | Michitarō Totsuka | 1 November 1940 |
| 14 | V.ADM | Chūichi Nagumo | 10 April 1941 |
| 15 | V.ADM | Jisaburō Ozawa | 11 November 1942 |
| 16 | R.ADM | Keizō Komura | 1 October 1944 |
| 17 | R.ADM | Sueo Ōbayashi | 10 December 1944 |
| x | vacant post | 10 February 1945 | |
| x | dissolved | 10 April 1945 |
The First Carrier Division participated in the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history, theBattle of the Marianas, and specifically theaircraft carrierBattle 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.[1] 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 theBattle of Leyte Gulf.
