Marion Carl A6M2 Victory over Midway-June 4,1942

[JoeB]

From the 'kodochosho' of the four carriers for this mission, fighter claims and losses:
Akagi: claimed 11 'Grumman' including 2 'uncertain; one Zero holed once, another piloted by PO1C Kikuchi Tetsuo (KIA 1944) was holed 30 times. There is no (legible) notation next to the name of PO1C Iwama Shinaji on that report, but other sources on both sides agree he was downed by AA on this mission, wreck of a/c recovered by the Americans. This Japanese site has an image of more detailed record of the loss from their side.
http://www13.ocn.ne.jp/~seiroku/buhin.html
Kaga: claimed 9 'Grumman'; among Zero pilots PO1C's Tanaka Yukuo and Ito Hiromi were 'war deaths' but only one Zero lost. Other accounts clarify that Tanaka regained Kaga but he died of wounds. Tully and Parshall in "Shattered Sword" say this was 'probably' in a CAP action near the carriers on the way back but don't say how they determined that.
Soryu: claimed 4 'Grumman' including 2 uncertain; no damage recorded to Zeroes but one pilot wounded (I know of no explanation), the report says some Zeroes did intercept B-17's on the way back
Hiryu: claimed 18 'F4F', no loss or damage to Zeroes is listed

Carl's was one of 4 official victories by VMF-221 over Zeroes in this action. The Marines, as is well known, lost 13 F2A-3's and 2 F4F-3's.

Joe