Ltn. Saburo Shindo

[Lucass]

Hi!
I'm looking for any details about Saburo Shindo, his career, fate, scores after Pearl Harbour period.

[GuerraCivil]

Maybe this book is good starting point (if You don´t have it already):

Imperial Japanese Navy Aces 1937 - 1945 by Henry Sakaida (Osprey 1998).

If You are interested also of his exploits in Sino-Japanese war, You can check Håkans Aviation Page: http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/sino-japanese.htm

[Lucass]

I have this book but there is nothing in it about Shindo.

[bearoutwest]

-from Japanese Naval Aces & Fighter Units in WWII (Hata & Izawa)

12th Air Group (LT)
- 13 Sep 1940, 13 Zeros under the command of Lt Saburo Shindo – based in Central China – caught “over thirty enemy aircraft and shot down twenty-seven of the thirty for a brilliant combat debut”. Shindo flying as the head of the 2st Shotai of the 1st Chutai of the 12th Air Group – claims 1 victory.

AKAGI Fighter Group
- AKAGI Divisional Officer Apr-Dec 1941
- On 7 Dec 1941, led the 2nd wave of nine Akagi Zeros escorting 18 Aichi Type-99 dive bombers. No aerial opposition was encountered, and the Zeros strafed Hickam Field, setting two aircraft on fire. All aircraft returned safely to Akagi.

2nd Air Group (582) Fighter Squadron
- Unit operating in New Guinea, but also supported operations over Guadalcanal.
- Jan/Feb 1943 – “The group’s entire strength was used in supporting the evacuation from Guadalcanal referred to as the “Ke”-go operation. In particular, during the sea battle off Isabel Island on 1 February, twenty-one Zero fighters (commander, LT Saburo Shindo) provided direct support to fifteen carrier bombers and perform in a daring fashion; however, five carrier bombers and two fighters were lost.”

- Group Leader with Air Group 204 Jul-Sep 1943 (LCDR)
- 10 Dec 1943, 2nd Carrier Division Air Group – including the light carrier Ryuho and its Air Group – departs Singapore for Truk. The unit (Ryuho Fighter Group?) departs for Kavieng and is there between 27 Dec 1943 to 9 Jan 1944, under the command of LCDR Saburo Shindo. The unit is involved in air action against raiding US carrier based aircraft on 1 and 4 January 1944.

He’s not listed in the appendices with the other aces, so it’s likely he didn’t accumulate 8 victories (the list ends at aces with 8 or more). He is also not listed within the list of “Key Fighter Pilots” killed in action. Other internet sources indicate that he survived the war and passed away in 2000(?).

Hope that helps,
...geoff