Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum - Track the fate of some A6M2 pilots pls

Keishu Kamihara,

Source: "Japanese Naval Aces and FighterUnits in WW II" by Hata and Izawa:

"Born in Yokohama City in 1920, Kamihira graduated from the Second High School of Yokohama, responded to recruitment for the K6 1st Flight Reserve Enlisted Trainee Class, newly established in September 1937, and passed the exams. He graduated in June 1939 and was successively assigned to the Oita, Omura, and Yokosuka air groups. Following these assignments, in August 1940 Kamihira was posted to the 12th Air Group and advanced to the base at Hankow. On 14 March 1941, Kamihira valiantly sortied as number two wingman for POlc Hagiri on the attack on Chcngtu; Kamihira managed to shoot down four enemy aircraft (one probable) at one time. In October 1941, he was next transferred to the Tainan Air Group. Starting off with the shoot-down of one enemy aircraft during the attack on Luzon the day the war started, Kamihira saw combat in Philippines and Dutch East Indies air operations. In April 1942, he was transferred to the newly organized 6th Air Group and participated in the Aleutian operation, traveling on board the aircraft carrier Junyo joining members of the unit scheduled to occupy Midway. Kamihira was transferred to the Oita Air Group in July; the following April he was promoted to the rank of WO. In October [1943], he was transferred to Air Group 381 and engaged in air defense operations in the Borneo and Celebes areas. In intercepting B-24s, Kamihira used the Type 3 aerial bomb and achieved substantial battle results. In particular, in the Menado intercept operation of 5 September 1944, Kamihira achieved great success; he single-handedly shot down two P-38s and five B-24s (two probables). He was later wounded and returned to the homeland. He greeted the end of the war as a special attack force instructor. Kamihira was a large man, almost five feet six inches tall, and weighed about 149 pounds; he was a pilot representative of the best of the K6 class of pilots. In 1970, while piloting a Maritime Safety Agency helicopter, Kamihira died in a crash near Hakodate City."