×
Home Intro People Events Equipment Places Maps Books Photos Videos Other Reference FAQ About
     

World War II Database

Fuchida file photo [670]

Mitsuo Fuchida

SurnameFuchida
Given NameMitsuo
Born3 Dec 1902
Died30 May 1976
CountryJapan
CategoryMilitary-Air
GenderMale

Contributor:

ww2dbaseMitsuo Fuchida was born in Nara Prefecture, Japan. He entered the Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima, Hiroshima, Japan in 1921, where he became interested in flight. His first active duty assignment as a pilot took place in Kasumigaura, Japan in 1928. In 1931, he became a horizontal bomber pilot attached to carrier Kaga. He served some time as a flight instructor in the 1930s, and after the outbreak of WW2 in Asia with the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, he gained combat experience against largely outdated aircraft of the Chinese Air Force. He completed studies at the Japanese Naval War Colege in 1938. In 1939, he was assigned to carrier Akagi. In Aug 1941, he was given command of all air groups of Japanese Navy Carrier Division 1. By the time the Pacific War was about to began, he had logged over 3,000 hours in the air.

ww2dbaseOn 7 Dec 1941, in command of all attacking aircraft over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, United States, Mitsuo Fuchida flew a Type 97 Model 3 torpedo bomber with the first attack wave as an air observer. He flew down the eastern coast of the island of Oahu, then turned west into the harbor. At 0740 hours, seeing the Americans were not responding, he slid open his canopy and fired a green flare to signal to all pilots that the attack was to begin as planned. At 0753 hours, Fuchida had his pilot Lieutenant Mitsuo Matsuzaki send the radio signal "Tora! Tora! Tora!" to flagship Akagi, indicating that the attack was to commence with complete surprise to the enemy; Tora was the acronym for totsugeki raigeki, "torpedo attack". Matsuzaki would go on to assist in the attack that would sink battleship USS Arizona with Fuchida on board. The aircraft remained over Pearl Harbor through the end of the second attack in order to observe the degree of damage. Upon his return, he noted that his aircraft had been hit by 21 times by anti-aircraft fire. The success at Pearl Harbor earned him a personal audience with Emperor Showa.

ww2dbaseIn Jan 1942, Fuchida designed the aerial attack plan against Rabaul. Three formations, the smallest containing 20 aircraft and the largest more than 50, attacked Rabaul from different directions on 20 Jan, two days before the Japanese Army made their landings. Observing that his aircraft were virtually unchallenged, he "felt like a hunter sent to stalk a mouse with an elephant gun."

ww2dbaseOn 19 Feb 1942, Fuchida led the first of two waves of attacks on Darwin, Australia. On 5 Apr, he led a series of carrier aircraft attacks against British naval forces in the Indian Ocean.

ww2dbaseOn 4 Jun 1942, at the Battle of Midway, Fuchida did not participate due to either appendicitis. He remained at the bridge of carrier Akagi and observed the progress of the battle. After Akagi was hit by American aircraft, large fires were started, eventually leading to the bridge being evacuated. As he was attempting to lower himself down from the bridge with a rope, an explosion threw him to the deck, breaking both ankles. He survived the battle, and would require hospitalization.

ww2dbaseIn Jun 1943, Fuchida became the senior staff officer with the 1st Air Fleet, following the group from Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan to Tinian, Mariana Islands. In Apr 1944, he became a staff officer of air operations for the Japanese Navy and held this role until the end of the war. He was in Hiroshima, Japan attending a week-long military conference with the Japanese Army, departing the city the day before the atomic bombing, thus escaping the attack rather narrowly. The day after the attack, 7 Aug 1945, he was sent to assess the damage done to Hiroshima; all members of this assessment party would die from radiation poisoning except for Fuchida.

ww2dbaseAfter the war, Fuchida was interrogated by Lieutenant Commander R. P. Aiken and Lieutenant Commander James A. Field, Jr., both of the United States Naval Reserves, in Oct 1945. He provided his knowledge of the Pearl Harbor attack, the defenses at the Mariana Islands and the Philippine Islands, and the deployment of Special Attack squadrons particularly in preparation to the Allied invasion of the Japanese home islands that did not take place. Fuchida was highly cooperative during the interrogation as noted by the interrogators. He indicated that the Japanese officers only completed the analysis of the Pearl Harbor success three days after the attack, but did not repeat an attack because it was assumed that the Americans would bring in aircraft from elsewhere immediately, including the carriers that had avoided the attack. He was called to provide testimony during the Tokyo war crimes trials; initially thought the Americans were merely delivering victor's justice, but he later doubted that belief after meeting his former flight engineer Kazuo Kanegasaki and learned of his good treatment as a prisoner of war.

ww2dbaseFuchida wrote the book Midway: The Battle that Doomed Japan, the Japanese Navy's Story in 1951 that had generally been taken as canon by the western world as the Japanese account of the battle. However, Shattered Sword by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully exposed and corrected a wide array of inaccuracies found in Fuchida's book.

ww2dbaseIn the fall of 1948, near the Hachiko statue outside the Shibuya Station in Tokyo, Japan, Fuchida was handed a pamphlet about the life of Jacob DeShazer, a member of the Doolittle Raid who was captured by the Japanese who later became a Christian missionary. In 1949, near the same location outside Shibuya Station, he purchased a copy of the New Testament of the Bible. In May 1950, he met Jacob DeShazer for the first time. In 1952, he toured the United States as a member of the Worldwide Christian Missionary Army of Sky Pilots, which would be the first of his many tours around the world as a missionary; he declared himself to be an "ambassador of peace". In 1955, he published the book From Pearl Harbor to Golgotha, also known as From Pearl Harbor to Calvary, which focused more so on his faith than military matters, but it was meant to be the subsequent volume to Midway: The Battle that Doomed Japan. He became an American citizen in 1960.

ww2dbaseFuchida passed away from complications caused by diabetes in Kashiwara, Japan.

ww2dbaseSources:
Bruce Gamble, Darkest Hour
Interrogations of Japanese Officials
Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Feb 2007

Mitsuo Fuchida Interactive Map

Photographs

Japanese Navy Lieutenant Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, Oct 1941Portrait of Mitsuo Fuchida, date unknown
See all 3 photographs of Mitsuo Fuchida

Maps

Japanese map showing their assessment of the damage done to the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 Dec 1941Annex A of the interrogation of Mitsuo Fuchida, 10 Oct 1945; Pearl Harbor attack map
See all 3 maps of Mitsuo Fuchida

Mitsuo Fuchida Timeline

3 Dec 1902 Mitsuo Fuchida was born in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
7 Dec 1941 Mitsuo Fuchida led the Pearl Harbor attack, remaining over the target area throughout both waves of attacks to observe the degree of damage done to the American fleet.
19 Feb 1942 Mitsuo Fuchida led the first of two waves of attacks during a raid on Darwin, Australia.
4 Jun 1942 Mitsuo Fuchida was injured after being thrown by an explosion aboard Akagi, breaking both ankles.
30 May 1976 Mitsuo Fuchida passed away from complications caused by diabetes in Kashiwara, Japan.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds




Visitor Submitted Comments

1. yuuga yamashiro says:
25 Oct 2006 07:06:47 PM

2. Anonymous says:
17 Jul 2007 07:56:39 PM

very good information
3. Anonymous says:
27 Nov 2007 08:23:06 PM

Fuchida also wanted a second wave of planes to attack Pearl Harbor on 12-7-41. He was very angry that the commanders decided not to do this.
4. your mom says:
13 Mar 2008 01:38:07 PM

Mitsuo fuchida was amazing to learn about out of all of the japanese bombers fuchida has my vote for the most intresting and im only in middle school
5. suzanne ransleben says:
19 Apr 2008 08:08:41 AM

I am a teacher and have a student who is researching the loss of Torpedo Squadron 8. Is it possible to contact Mr. Fuchida for an email or phone interview?
6. jordan N B says:
8 May 2008 12:40:01 PM

you ROCK Mitsou Fuchida
7. educated soldier says:
18 Feb 2010 09:06:48 AM

this is very interseting and i plan to read his book. but mr.Fuchida is a poit to go in o the books for the history of war on japanese, america and many more.
8. Jim Mitchell says:
29 Apr 2010 11:59:01 AM

Mitsuo Fuchida was Japan's naval air leader at Pearl Harbor. How he survived the war is a miracle since most Japanese pilots did not survive. But his ture Salvation came after the war and after he took Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Today Mitsuo is with his Lord and is my brother, we will meet someday.
9. Joel Harrell says:
30 Dec 2010 06:50:35 AM

I believe Cmdr. Fuchida is one of the most interesting persons to have survived WW2. What a conversion he made. He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, and became a U.S. citizen, as well. Acceptance of Christ is the most important action in his life.
10. spitfire says:
26 May 2011 08:37:40 AM

there was a second wave, it's the third wave he wanted but Nagumo refused saying surprise was gone.
11. Glen R. Bynum/Shlomo ben Yaacov says:
17 Nov 2011 02:20:34 AM

In Joel Harrells 30 Dec 2010 comment on Mitsuo Fushida, He is full of it!!! As a young boy,Capt. Fushita stayed with my family,and close other families of Japanese Americans. I was a child of immigrant German jews. I learned much from Mr, Fushida talks and confidence. In my mid 20's I again had occassion to meet and share private time with Mr. Fushida now a minister and world evanalist traveler. He was never an American and died in Japan,a true Japanese patriot and man of integrity and internal pain and torment for all suffering caused to Americans and Japanese people.
12. buzzkill says:
13 Mar 2012 01:34:29 PM

nice info
13. Jim Reynolds says:
16 Oct 2012 10:38:04 AM

I'm interested in knowing more about his air operations in early 1942 ( Jan.- April )can any one help I want to model his aircraft after Pearl Horbor, as everyone does his aircraft on Dec.7th I have found a picture of this time peroid, but canot convert from the Japanese to english.
14. W D JOHNSON says:
7 Dec 2012 07:00:03 PM

I MET THIS MAN BACK SOMEWHERE AROUND 1959. HE CAME TO THE PARADISE HILLS SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH IN SAN DIEGO TO GIVE TESTIMONY TO HOW HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN. AFTER CHURCH WE ALL WENT TO THE SIZZLER STEAKHOUSE IN NATIONAL CITY. I REMEMBERED HIM, BUT I COULDN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME UNTIL I WATCHED TORA, TORA, TORA TODAY.(DEC.7,2012) I HAVE MENTIONED THIS SEVERAL TIMES TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED THERE BUT I JUST GOT SOME STRANGE LOOKS OR NO REACTION AT ALL. THE SIZZLER IS NOW CLOSED BUT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT DAY.
15. Anonymous says:
11 Dec 2012 11:29:15 AM

The disparaging claims by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully in the Shattered Sword have been shown to be false by Martin Bennett in a review in the journal of the U.S. Naval War College.

http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/292914a3-bbf7-4418-bc52-2b482f6466db/Book-Reviews.aspx
16. Neil Phillips says:
9 Feb 2013 09:59:16 AM

Anonymous says:
11 Dec 2012 11:29:15 AM

The disparaging claims by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully in the Shattered Sword have been shown to be false by Martin Bennett in a review in the journal of the U.S. Naval War College.

http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/292914a3-bbf7-4418-bc52-2b482f6466db/Book-Reviews.aspx

I am not sure that Martin Bennett did show the claims to be false in this review. Parshall and Tully, as well as Isom in separate historical research demonstrated that at Midway it was not possible for Akagi (or indeed any of the Japanese carriers at midway to have had a full strike spotted and ready to launch due to CAP commitments. Japanese historians have known this for years; Japanese documentation has proven this. Reading Bennett's US Naval War College review I felt that there was an over reliance on first hand accounts (primarily Fuchida's) written, and revised, retrospectively. The first thing that history students are taught is to not take as gospel any first hand account. The historical evidence appears to indicate that Fuchida could not be right about his claims here.
17. Anonymous says:
14 Jun 2015 08:25:42 AM

At 07:49 Fuchida directed the message To-To-To to his attack squadrons ( Charge! ). Then the message Tora-Tora-Tora ( Tiger, Tiger, Tiger) to the Akagi
18. George Manning says:
18 Jul 2015 05:26:55 PM

As a young Florida Highway Patrolman in 1953, I was patrolling south of Tallahassee, Fl. when I arrested Mr. Kirby Grant, also known as (Schuyler) on the TV show Sky King, for reckless driving. Mr. Grant had with him, Mr. Mitsuo Fuchida, who by that time was touring the USA as a member of the Worldwide Christian Missionary Army of Sky Pilots, with Mr. Grant (Sky King)
19. devon says:
4 Apr 2016 11:55:31 AM

why cant they have a aurthor and date
20. Anonymous says:
27 Feb 2017 09:02:25 AM

this was helpful because i was doing this for a history report
21. Anonymous says:
6 Mar 2020 11:11:52 AM

This is my grandpa
22. Alan Tompkins says:
19 Jun 2022 02:30:08 PM

What is the name of his daughter who married Harrison Overturf?

All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Change View
Desktop View

Search WW2DB
More on Mitsuo Fuchida
Event(s) Participated:
» Attack on Pearl Harbor
» New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 1, Bismarck Islands
» Attack on Darwin
» Raids into the Indian Ocean
» Battle of Midway and the Aleutian Islands

Ship(s) Served:
» Akagi

Document(s):
» Interrogation Nav 29, Captain Mitsuo Fuchida
» Interrogation Nav 6, Captain Mitsuo Fuchida

Related Books:
» Pearl; December 7, 1941

Mitsuo Fuchida Photo Gallery
Japanese Navy Lieutenant Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, Oct 1941Portrait of Mitsuo Fuchida, date unknown
See all 3 photographs of Mitsuo Fuchida


Famous WW2 Quote
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."

Winston Churchill


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!