Minoru Genda
| Minoru Genda | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
August 16, 1904 Kake, Yamagata District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | August 15, 1989 (aged 84) Matsuyama, Japan |
| Allegiance |
 Empire of Japan Japan (1954-1962) |
| Service/branch |
 Imperial Japanese Navy Japan Air Self-Defense Force
|
| Years of service | 1924–45 (Imperial Navy) 1954–1962 (JASDF) |
| Rank |
Captain (Imperial Navy) General (JASDF) |
| Commands held | Imperial Navy General Staff, Senior Air Officer Zuikaku, Staff officer 1st Air Fleet, Commander, 343rd Kōkūtai, Chief of Staff, JASDF |
| Battles/wars | World War II, Pearl Harbor Attack Plan, Battle of Midway |
| Awards | US Legion of Merit degree of Commander (1962) Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class (1974) Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class (1981) |
| Member of House of Councillors of Japan | |
|
In office 1962–1986 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic Party |
Minoru Genda (源田 実 Genda Minoru?, 16 August 1904 – 15 August 1989) was a well-known Japanese military aviator and politician. He is best known for helping to plan the Pearl Harbor attack. He was also the 3rd Chief of Staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Minoru Genda was the second son of a farmer from Kake, Hiroshima Prefecture, north of the actual city of Hiroshima. Two brothers were graduates of Tokyo University, another brother graduated from Chiba Medical College, and his youngest brother entered the Army Academy. Genda graduated from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1924 and then took flight training for 11 months in 1928–1929, graduating with honors to become a fighter pilot.
Genda was assigned to the aircraft carrier Akagi in 1931. He was well known in the navy, and in 1932 Genda formed a demonstration team at Yokosuka, leading a division of biplanes around the country, conducting aerobatic demonstrations. Known as "Genda's Flying Circus", the team, consisting of Genda, Yoshita Kobayashi and Motoharu Okamura, using Nakajima A2N Type 90 fighters, was part of a public relations campaign to promote naval aviation. He gained combat experience with the Second Combined Air Group during the Second Sino-Japanese War from the autumn of 1937, was senior flight instructor for the Yokosuka Air Group in 1938.
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