13 Facts About Kakuichi Takahashi

Kakuichi Takahashi was a dive bomber pilot officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Kakuichi Takahashi is best known for leading several strikes against the United States Navy during the Battle of the Coral Sea, where they sank the carrier Lexington, the oiler Neosho and the destroyer Sims, and damaged Yorktown.

Kakuichi Takahashi was killed in action during the final stages of the battle.

Kakuichi Takahashi entered the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1926 and graduated from the 56th class in March 1928.

Kakuichi Takahashi was commissioned as an ensign in November 1929.

Kakuichi Takahashi was eventually promoted to lieutenant commander and became Air Group Commander of the carrier Shokaku.

Kakuichi Takahashi led Aichi D3A dive bombers during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and during the Bombing of Rabaul in January 1942.

In May 1942, Lieutenant Commander Kakuichi Takahashi participated in Operation MO to capture Port Moresby, which resulted in the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Unable to find any, Lieutenant Commander Kakuichi Takahashi ordered the torpedo bombers and the escorting fighters to return home at 1115, while his dive bombers went for Neosho and Sims.

Kakuichi Takahashi devised and executed a well-coordinated attack, where 19 dive bombers and 14 torpedo bombers went for the nearer Lexington and 14 dive bombers and four torpedo bombers went for the farther Yorktown.

Kakuichi Takahashi stayed in the area for some time to estimate the damage inflicted on the US carriers and radioed his reports back to Hara.

However, Kakuichi Takahashi never made it back - he was shot down and killed, most likely by an F4F Wildcat returning from the US strike.

Kakuichi Takahashi was posthumously promoted by two ranks to captain, and, on 1 January 1943, a special letter of commendation was issued by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.