Sadaaki Akamatsu

Sadaaki Akamatsu

Akamatsu photographed in 1944 or 1945 with the 302 Air Group at Atsugi, Japan
Nickname(s) Matchan or Matsu-chan (meaning a little pine tree) and Temei[1]
Born 30 July 1910
Kōchi Prefecture, Japan
Died 22 February 1980
Kōchi, Japan
Allegiance  Empire of Japan
Service/branch Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJN)
Years of service 1928–1945
Rank Lieutenant Junior Grade
Battles/wars Second Sino-Japanese War
Pacific War

Sadaaki Akamatsu (赤松 貞明 Akamatsu Sadaaki, 30 July 1910 – 22 February 1980) was an officer and ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific theater of World War II. In aerial combat over China and the Pacific, he was officially credited with destroying 27 enemy aircraft.

Sadaaki Akamatsu was well known, with a reputation as a trouble-maker and also a trickster. Many of his air-victories were obtained while drunk and his supervisors stood behind him, as did his fellow pilots who frequently defended and covered for him. Henry Sakaida confirmed that Akamatsu flew more than 8,000 flight hours. At the end of the war time in Pacific, Akamatsu flew the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden fighter.[2]

Akamatsu was credited with shooting down 11 enemy aircraft over China in the Second Sino-Japanese War, including four in a single engagement near Nanchang on 25 February 1938. In the opening months of the Pacific War, he served in the Philippines and Dutch East Indies campaigns. From January 1944 until the end of the war, Akamatsu flew out of Atsugi Air Base defending Tokyo from Allied air attacks.

After the war, Akamatsu worked as a fish search pilot for the Kōchi Fishery Association and later ran a small cafe in Kōchi. After struggling for years with alcoholism, Akamatsu died of pneumonia on 22 February 1980.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Sakaida, H., 2002: p. 86
  2. ↑ Sakaida, H., 2002: p. 87-88
  3. ↑ Sakaida, H., 2002: p. 87-88


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