3rd Carrier Division (Imperial Japanese Navy)

Third Carrier Division
Zuikaku in Autumn 1944
ActiveJune 1, 1936 – November 15, 1944
CountryEmpire of Japan
AllegianceAxis Powers of World War II
BranchImperial Japanese Navy
TypeNaval aviation unit
RoleAircraft carrier support
EngagementsBattle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of Leyte Gulf
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Kakuji Kakuta
Insignia
Identification
symbol		Kamoi
Kamoi (カモヰ)
Notoro
Notoro (ノトロ)
Zuihō in 1941-42
CI-xxx
Hōshō in 1941-42
CII-xxx
Chitose in early 1944
331-xxx
Chiyoda in early 1944
332-xxx
Zuihō in early 1944
333-xxx
late 1944
653-xxx

The 3rd Carrier Division (第三航空戦隊,, Dai San Kōkū Sentai, "San Kōsen") was primarily a seaplane tender unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet.

Organization

Date Higher unit Ships and air units
1 June 1936 (original) Combined Fleet Kamoi, Destroyer Squadron 28 : Asanagi, Yūnagi
1 December 1936 disbanded
27 August 1937 3rd Fleet Kamoi
20 October 1937 China Area Fleet Kamoi, Notoro
1 December 1937 3rd Fleet Kamoi, Kagu Maru, Kamikawa Maru
1 February 1938 5th Fleet Kamoi, Kagu Maru, Kamikawa Maru
15 December 1938 disbanded
15 November 1940 1st Fleet Ryūjō, Hōshō, Destroyer Division 34 : Akikaze, Tachikaze, Hakaze
11 August 1941 Zuihō, Hōshō, Mikazuki, Yūzuki
1 April 1942 disbanded
1 February 1944 3rd Fleet Chitose, Chiyoda, Zuihō, 653rd Naval Air Group[1]
15 August 1944 Zuikaku, Chitose, Chiyoda, Zuihō, 653rd Naval Air Group
15 November 1944 disbanded

Commander

Rank Name Date Note
1 R.ADM Takamoto Togari 1 June 1936
x disbanded 1 December 1936
2 Capt./R.ADM Kōkichi Terada 27 August 1937 Rear-Admiral on 1 December 1937
x disbanded 15 December 1938
3 R.ADM Kakuji Kakuta 15 November 1940
4 R.ADM Torao Kuwabara 1 September 1941
x disbanded 1 April 1942
x vacant post 1 February 1944
5 R.ADM Sueo Ōbayashi 15 February 1944
6 vacant post 1 October 1944
x disbanded 15 November 1944

Footnotes

  1. ^ Carrier Air Group. Equipped A6M Zeke, B5N Kate and B6N Jill.

Bibliography

  • "Monthly The Maru" series, and "The Maru Special" series, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan)
  • "Monthly Ships of the World" series, "Kaijinsha". (Japan)
  • "Famous Airplanes of the World" series and "Monthly Kōku Fan" series, Bunrindō (Japan)