World War II Database

1.  billAnonymous says:
22 Feb 2009 10:23:31 AM

The actor who played Lieutenant Commander Mitsuo Fuchida in the 1970 movie TORA,TORA, TORA, even looked like him. Fuchida commanded the attack flying in a Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber, later to be code named (Kate)

2.  BILL says:
17 Apr 2009 01:31:42 PM

Photograph of Commander Fuchida taken during the training for the Pearl Harbor attack. October 1941, Kagoshima Air Base.

3.  BILL says:
13 May 2009 03:40:54 PM

The actor who played Lieutenant Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, was Takahiro Tamura.
Tora,Tora,Tora was a Historical Documentary an accurate and honest account of the Pearl Harbor Attack. Did you know the Japanese crew began shooting on Dec.7,1968, most of the Pearl Harbor attack scenes were photographed on location in Hawaii. A full scale mock-up section of the Arizona was built 500 yards away from the real spot were the Arizona lies. More money was spent on the movie, then the Japanese spent in actually doing it. In production for two years and at a cost of $25 million dollars. Actor Jason Robards Jr. who plays General Short, was a 19 year old sailor at Pearl Harbor aboard the U.S.S. Honolulu. Commander Minoru Genda, the man who in real life planned the attack, served as technical adviser on the Japanese made sequences.

4.  Bill says:
3 Apr 2010 11:02:30 AM

Lt. Commander Fuchida remained behind after
the first wave left, and to assess damage from second attack wave.
He returned to the carrier Akagi with damage
to his aircraft receiving (20) anti-aircraft
holes in fuselage and wings.
During WWII in the Pacific all Nakajima B5N2
Type 97 Torpedoo Bombers were expended in the
many air battles. No aircraft of this type
survived WWII.

5.  Bill says:
3 Jul 2016 02:24:58 PM

CERTAIN VICTORY:

In the 1970 movie TORA, TORA, TORA Japanese actor Takahiro Tamura whom resembled Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, played him in the film. In the scene before Fuchida boarded his plane, a mechanic gave him a "Hachimaki Headband" to ware, translates "Certain Victory"
Fuchida flew as strike commander and observer in lead Nakajima B5N Kate bomber.

CALL ME KATE: FUCHIDA'S AIRCRAFT

Nakajima B5N # 301 was flown by Lt. Mitsuo Matazaki, pilot. Fuchida as observer and PO/1 Norinobu Mizuki navigator. Commander Fuchida continued to fly over Pearl Harbor during the two attack waves to report on strike results, upon landing back on Akagi it was discovered that the aircraft took (21) anti-aircraft hits to the fuselage and wings and the main control cables were badly damaged.

TRAINING DAY:

Above file photograph, shows Fuchida during training for the Pearl Harbor raid on October 1941
location Kagoshima Naval Air Base. Did you know the Fuchida flew as a pilot in the Imperial Navy for (15) years, and was a qualified carrier pilot with 10,000 hours flying experience!

SOUL SURVIVOR:

Did you know that Fuchida is the only survivor of (7) group commanders and (32) squadron commanders who took part in the Pearl Harbor Raid, to survive WWII.

Film of Interest:

TORA, TORA, TORA (1970) available on DVD

I thank the editor/ww2db for allowing me to share my knowledge of WWII.