The Kisarazu Air Group was formed at
Kisarazu Air Field, in
Kisarazu,
Chiba Prefecture Japan on April 1, 1936 as the first land-based bomber group of the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was initially equipped with six Type 96
Yokosuka B4Y biplane attack aircraft, plus two reserve aircraft.
Second Sino-Japanese War operations With the start of the war in China, the aircraft of the
Tateyama Air Group and the
Ōminato Air Group were transferred to the Kisarazu Air Group, bringing its combat strength up to twenty operational bombers and six reserve aircraft. Its first combat mission was a bombing of the
Republic of China capital of
Nanjing on August 15, 1937. Subsequently,
strategic bombing missions were taken against the cities of
Shanghai,
Hangzhou, and
Chongqing, as well as
tactical bombing missions in support of advancing
Imperial Japanese Army forces. Due to the limited range of the
Yokosuka B4Y, the Kisarazu Air Group was forced to deploy from bases in Shanghai and Nanjing. From August 27, 1937 the Kisarazu Air Group was equipped with Type 95
Nakajima A4N biplane fighters for protection against Chinese fighters; however, this proved unnecessary and the Nakajima fighters were withdrawn on October 10. The Kisarazu Air Group was withdrawn from combat on January 5, 1940.
Pacific War operations Following its return to its home base at Kisarazu Air Field, the Kisarazu Air Group served as a training unit until March 1942. Following the
attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of hostilities with the
United States, it also performed patrol duties protecting the entrance to
Tokyo Bay. From March 1942, the Kisarazu Air Group was re-equipped with Type 1
Mitsubishi G4M bombers, and continued training with the new equipment until the end of August 1942. On August 22, 1942, a detachment of nineteen Mitsubishi G4M1’s arrived in
Rabaul,
New Britain, joining elements from the
Misawa Naval Air Group and the
Fourth Air Group. This combined force bombed American positions at
Henderson Field on
Guadalcanal on August 25, 1942. On the following mission on August 26, one Mitsubishi G4M1 was damaged by defending
USMC Grumman F4F fighters and was forced to ditch in the sea on its return. Another mission against Henderson Field was undertaken on August 29. During a bombing mission against
Allied ships near Guadalcanal, the Kisarazu Air Group shared credit for sinking the American destroyer . On September 2, 1942 nine aircraft each from the Kisarazu and the Misawa Air Groups again bombed Henderson Field, causing little damage and suffering no losses. However, on a subsequent mission on September 12, two aircraft were lost to Allied aircraft and a third was damaged in an emergency landing at
Buka. Another aircraft was lost in combat over Guadalcanal on September 21. The Kisarazu Air Group continued its bombing of Henderson Field and other targets on Guadalcanal on October 14, October 15, October 17 and October 21, with the loss of one more aircraft. On October 25, the Kisarazu Air Group flew its final combat mission, losing one more aircraft. On November 1, 1942, the remainder of the unit was re-designated as the 707th Naval Air Group (第七〇七海軍航空隊,
Dai Nana-Maru-Nana Kaigun Kōkūtai), one month later, all aircraft and airmen were moved to the
705th Naval Air Group. ==Structure==