Chichijima and area.

[marek O.]

Hello everybody,

First of all, Happy New Year. And now, ad rem: I have 3 questions about Japanese units in Ogasawara Islands. 1st one: do You happen to know how was disposition of units on Chichijima and Hahajima? I suppose that Shipping Regiment and Anchorage on Chichijima were stationed in the area of Futami Harbor. But I am specially interested where were the headquarters of Chichijima SNBF, 109th ID, 1st Mixed Brigade. I have absolutely no idea how were the units on Hahajima stationed. 2nd question: what units were on Mukoujima, next to Hahajima? I think mjr. Horie wrote something about 600 men on the island. 3rd question: do You know, who was commanding Naval
Guard Unit Hahajima?

Regards,
Marek

[Akira Takizawa]

> 1st one: do You happen to know how was disposition of units on Chichijima and Hahajima? I suppose that Shipping Regiment and Anchorage on Chichijima were stationed in the area of Futami Harbor. But I am specially interested where were the headquarters of Chichijima SNBF, 109th ID, 1st Mixed Brigade.

The location of Chichijima SNBF HQ is shown on the map below (red flag). Others are unknown.

> 2nd question: what units were on Mukoujima, next to Hahajima?

The main body of 276th Independent Infantry Battalion was stationed on Mukoujima.

> 3rd question: do You know, who was commanding Naval Guard Unit Hahajima?

Unknown

Taki

[fontessa]

Hello Marek,

3rd question: do You know, who was commanding Naval Guard Unit Hahajima?

The Commanding Officer was CAPT 伊藤竹夫 ITO Takeo (50) appointed on 1 December 1944.

fontessa

[marek O.]

Gentlemen,

Thank You very much, indeed. Almost all of my problems have been solved.

Regards,
Marek

[marek O.]

Hello,
It's me again with hopefully small requests.
1st one - I'm reading lately book "Sorties into Hell. The Hidden War on Chichijima", by Chester Hearn. On page 25, he writes about "His [emperor's] own palace guard of antiaircraft gunners, because they were the best AAA units of the empire" and they were sent especially to Chichijima, probably to be sent later to Iwo [this is just my suspition]. I know just about 45th and 46th Special Automatic Artillery Units on Chichi. Does mr. Hearn writes about these units and were they really constructed from palace guards.
2nd one - on page 94 there is a picture with caption - lt.col. Kikuji Ito..... . This is not lt.col. Ito for sure. On the pic there is a young naval officer in the rank of lt. from medical service. My questions are: do You have a pic of real lt.col. Ito? Who might it be on the pic? This is a question for those of You who have the book. My scaner unfortunatelly doesn't work.

Regards,
Marek

[fontessa]

Hello Marek,

1st one -
"His [emperor's] own palace guard of antiaircraft gunners, because they were the best AAA units of the empire" and they were sent especially to Chichijima, probably to be sent later to Iwo [this is just my suspition]. I know just about 45th and 46th Special Automatic Artillery Units on Chichi. Does Mr. Hearn writes about these units and were they really constructed from palace guards.

I guess you mean 特設機関砲隊 Specially Established Machine Cannon Units. They were not constructed from palace guards.
Total 72 S.E.M.C.U.s were organized with 昭和19年軍令陸甲第110号 Army Regulation “A” No. 110 dated 11 August 1944. Although 特設 Specially Established was given, these were regular army AA units. They were sent to various places, mainly Philippines.

The unit outline was as follows.
Authorized Strength: 85 men
Armament: Navy Type 96 25 mm Machine Cannon Single Barrel x 12 or Twin Barrels x 6 with 12,000 bullets

The below is the list of S.E.M.C.U.s incorporated into Ogasawara Corp.
20th: Annihilated at Iwo Jima
21st: Annihilated at Iwo Jima
43rd: Annihilated at Iwo Jima
44th: Annihilated at Iwo Jima
45th: Reached the end of the war at Chijima, 77 men survived
46th: Reached the end of the war at Chijima, 73 men survived

The below is Organization Table of S.E.M.C.U.

Henseihyo.jpg (99.75 KiB) Viewed 1098 times

fontessa

[Akira Takizawa]

特設 was used for irregular units like 特設警備隊, 特設自動車隊. 特設機関砲隊 used Navy AA guns. So, it was irregular unit.

Taki

[fontessa]

Hello Taki,

特設機関砲隊 used Navy AA guns. So, it was irregular unit.

Understood. Thanks.

fontessa