List of Imperial Japanese Navy air-to-surface special attack units

This article handles air-to-surface special attack units by Action Order only. Therefore, this article does not handle other suicide attack groups using Ko-hyoteki, Kaiten or Shinyo (suicide boat) and other voluntary special/suicide attack forces.

Air unit names in this article.Japanese military unit names have various translations on en.Wikipedia. This article uses the following side-by-side translations to avoid confusion. Japanese (Kanji) Rōmaji English (Use in this article) Example 航空艦隊 Kōkū Kantai Air Fleet 第一航空艦隊 (Dai 1 Kōkū Kantai) is 1st Air Fleet. 航空戦隊 Kōkū Sentai Air Flotilla 第二十五航空戦隊 (Dai 25 Kōkū Sentai) is 25th Air Flotilla. Carrier Division 第一航空戦隊 (Dai 1 Kōkū Sentai) is 1st Carrier Division. 聯合航空隊 Rengō Kōkūtai Combined Air Group (CAG) 第十一聯合航空隊 (Dai 11 Rengō Kōkūtai) is 11th Combined Air Group. 海軍航空隊 Kaigun Kōkūtai Naval Air Group (NAG) 第二〇一海軍航空隊 (Dai Futa-Maru-Ichi Kaigun Kōkūtai) is 201st Naval Air Group. 航空隊 Kōkūtai Air Group (AG) 第一二航空隊 (Dai 12 Kōkūtai) is 12th Air Group. 戦闘飛行隊 Sentō Hikōtai Fighter Squadron (FS) 戦闘第三〇一飛行隊 (Sentō Dai 301 Hikōtai) is 301st Fighter Squadron. 攻撃飛行隊 Kōgeki Hikōtai Attack Squadron (AS) 攻撃第一飛行隊 (Kōgeki Dai 1 Hikōtai) is 1st Attack Squadron. 偵察飛行隊 Teisatsu Hikōtai Reconnaissance Squadron (RS) 偵察第一三一飛行隊 (Teisatsu Dai 131 Hikōtai) is 131st Reconnaissance Squadron.

Kamikaze Special Attack Group

1st Kamikaze Special Attack Group

Original unit; 201st NAG (301st FS, 305th FS, 311th FS), 203rd NAG (303rd FS) 21 October 1944 3× A6M2b (attack), 3× A6M (escort); Search and attack U.S. carrier task force east off Philippines. 23 October 1944 ?× A6M2b; Search and attack U.S. carrier task force east off Philippines, mission failed and all surviving aircraft returned to base. 25 October 1944 5× A6M2b (attack), 3× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, TA 85°, 30 nmi from Tacloban.

Original unit; 201st NAG (301st FS, 305th FS, 306th FS, 311th FS) 21 October 1944 3× A6M (attack); U.S. carrier task force east off Leyte Gulf. 23 October 1944 2× A6M (attack); Search and attack U.S. carrier task force off Suluan Island. 25 October 1944 2× A6M (attack), 1× D4Y (guidance); U.S. carrier task force, TA 85°-90 nmi from Tacloban. 26 October 1944 5× A6M (attack), 3× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, east of 80 nmi from Surigao. 27 October 1944 2× A6M (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 87°-20 nmi from Surigao.

Original unit; 201st NAG (301st FS) 21 October 1944 ?× A6M (attack); Search and attack off Philippines, mission failed and aircraft returned to base. 25 October 1944 2× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, TA 28°-263 nmi from Leyte.

Original unit; 201st NAG (301st FS) 22 October 1944 2× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); Search and attack east off Tacloban, mission failed and aircraft returned to base. 25 October 1944 2× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. ship east off Mindanao.

Original unit; 201st NAG (301st FS) 25 October 1944 3× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, east of 40 nmi from Surigao Strait.

Original unit; 201st NAG (306th FS) 25 October 1944 4× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, east of 90 nmi from Badubg.

Original unit; 201st NAG (301st FS, 305th FS, 306th FS, 311th FS), 252nd NAG (317th FS) 30 October 1944 6× A6M (attack), 5× A6M (escort), U.S. carrier task force, TA 150°-40 nmi from Suluan Island.

Original unit; 201st NAG (311th FS) 29 October 1944 3× A6M (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 74°-180 nmi from Manila.

Original unit; 761st NAG (105th AS) 25 October 1944 1× D4Y (attack); Search and attack in Leyte Gulf.

2nd Kamikaze Special Attack Group

Original unit; 701st NAG (5th AS) 27 October 1944 3× D4Y3 (attack); Search and attack in Leyte Gulf. 29 October 1944 1× D4Y3 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 80°-200 nmi from Manila.

Original unit; 701st NAG (5th AS) 27 October 1944 2× D4Y3 (attack); Search and attack in Leyte Gulf. 29 October 1944 1× D4Y3 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 80°-200 nmi from Manila.

Original unit; 701st NAG (102nd AS) 27 October 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. ship in Leyte Gulf. 28 October 1944 1× D3A2 (attack); U.S. ship in Leyte Gulf

Original unit; 701st NAG (102nd AS) 29 October 1944 1× D3A2 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 80°-200 nmi from Manila. 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. carrier task force east off Manila. 1 November 1944 1× D3A2 (attack); U.S. ship off Tacloban.

Original unit; 701st NAG (103rd AS) 27 October 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. ship in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 701st NAG (103rd AS) 29 October 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 80°-200 nmi from Manila. 11 November 1944 1× D3A2 (attack); U.S. convoy, south 20 nmi from Suluan Island.

Original unit; 701st NAG (103rd AS) 29 October 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 80°-200 nmi from Manila. 1 November 1944 1× D3A2 (attack); U.S. ship off Tacloban.

Original unit; 701st NAG (102nd AS) 1 November 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. ship off Tacloban.

Original unit; 221st NAG, 653rd NAG (166th FS) 29 October 1944 3× A6M (escort); Escorting Shisei Unit and Jinmu Unit, suicide attack after escorting. 1 November 1944 1× A6M (escort); Escorting Tenpei Unit, suicide attack after escorting.

3rd Kamikaze Special Attack Group

Original unit; 201st NAG (305th FS), 221st NAG (312th FS), 634th NAG (163rd FS) 1 November 1944 1× A6M (attack); U.S. ship in Leyte Gulf. 12 November 1944 3× A6M (attack), 1× A6M5a (escort); U.S. convoy off Tacloban.

Original unit; 203rd NAG (304th FS) 5 November 1944 2× A6M (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 90°-140 nmi from Cape Encanto.

Original unit; 201st NAG 1 November 1944 1× A6M (attack); U.S. convoy in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 201st NAG, 203rd NAG (303rd FS) 12 November 1944 4× A6M (attack); U.S. convoy in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 221st NAG (407th FS) 5 November 1944 2× A6M (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 70°-180 nmi from Cape Encanto.

Original unit; 201st NAG (311th FS), 203rd NAG (308th FS), 221st NAG (316th FS, 407th FS) 12 November 1944 6× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. convoy in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 201st NAG, 221st NAG (312th FS), 341st NAG (402nd FS) 12 November 1944 3× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. convoy in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 201st NAG, 221st NAG (304th FS) 13 November 1944 3× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, TA 60°-140 nmi from Manila.

Original unit; 221st NAG (308th FS, 313th FS) 14 November 1944 1× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force east off Lamon Bay.

Original unit; 201st NAG (305th FS, 306th FS, 311th FS) 12 November 1944 3× A6M (attack); U.S. convoy in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 201st NAG (305th FS, 306th FS) 18 November 1944 3× A6M (attack): U.S. convoy off Tacloban.

Original unit; 201st NAG (303rd FS, 306th FS) 19 November 1944 3× A6M (attack): U.S. convoy off Tacloban.

Original unit; 201st NAG (301st FS, 305th FS), 221st NAG (304th FS) 26 November 1944 2× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. ship south off Tacloban Channel.

Original unit; 201st NAG (316th FS) 5 December 1944 2× A6M (attack); U.S. convoy, TA 100°-170 nmi from Surigao.

Original unit; 221st NAG (313th FS, 407th FS) 9 November 1944 1× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); Search and attack U.S. carrier task force east off Lamon Bay.

Original unit; 221st NAG (308th FS) 19 November 1944 1× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force east off Manila.

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS, 316th FS) 25 November 1944 2× A6M (attack), 3× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, TA 10°-100 nmi from Cape Naga.

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS), 221st NAG (304th FS, 315th FS) 25 November 1944 2× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, TA 70°-150 nmi from Clark Field.

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS), 221st NAG (304th FS, 315th FS) 25 November 1944 6× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force, TA 75°-100 nmi from Clark Field.

Original unit; 221st NAG (304th FS) 26 November 1944 2× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. ship south off Tacloban Channel.

Original unit; 201st NAG (303rd FS, 316th FS), 221st NAG (304th FS), 604th NAG (5th AS), 701st (3rd AS) 27 November 1944 1× A6M, 2× D4Y3 (attack), 3× A6M (escort); U.S. convoy in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS, 316th FS) 6 December 1944 1× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. ship in Leyte Gulf.

Original unit; 201st NAG (316th FS), 341st NAG (401st FS) 7 December 1944 4× A6M (attack), 1× N1K1-J (escort); U.S. convoy in Ormoc.

Original unit; 201st NAG (305th FS, 316th FS), 341st NAG (401st FS) 7 December 1944 3× A6M (attack), 3× N1K1-J (escort); U.S. ship in Camotes Sea.

Original unit; 201st NAG (316th FS) 7 December 1944 4× A6M, 1× D4Y (attack); U.S. ship off Camotes Islands.

4th Kamikaze Special Attack Group

Original unit; 701st NAG (102nd AS) 6 November 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. carrier task force east off Luzon. 7 November 1944 2× D3A2 (attack); Search and attack off Philippines, mission failed and aircraft returned to base. 11 November 1944 1× D3A2 (attack); U.S. convoy, south of 20 nmi from Suluan Island.

Original unit; 701st NAG (103rd AS) 3 November 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); Search and attack off Philippines, mission failed and aircraft returned to base. 11 November 1944 3× D3A2 (attack); U.S. convoy, south of 20 nmi from Suluan Island.

Original unit; 701st NAG (102nd AS) 14 November 1944 3× D4Y3 (attack); Mission was canceled, return to Japan homeland.

Original unit; 701st NAG (3rd AS) 25 November 1944 2× D4Y3 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, TA 75°-150 nmi from Clark Field.

Original unit; 653rd NAG 6 November 1944 1× A6M (escort); Escorting Kashima Unit, suicide attack after escorting.

5th Kamikaze Special Attack Group

Original unit; 763rd NAG 14 November 1944 2× P1Y1 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, east of 210 nmi from Manila, mission failed and aircraft returned to base.

Original unit; 763rd NAG (501st AS), 341st NAG (402nd FS, 701st FS) 25 November 1944 4× P1Y1 (attack), 2× N1K1-J (escort); U.S. carrier task force east off Lamon Bay.

Original unit; 763rd NAG (405th AS) 25 November 1944 2× P1Y1 (attack); U.S. carrier task force east off Lamon Bay.

Original unit; 763rd NAG (405th AS) 4 December 1944 1× P1Y1 (attack); U.S. aircraft carrier in Kossol Roads.

Original unit; 763rd NAG (405th AS) 7 December 1944 5× P1Y1 (attack); U.S. ship west off Leyte.

Original unit; 763rd NAG (405th AS) 15 December 1944 2× P1Y1 (attack); U.S. carrier task force in Sulu Sea. No name unit Original unit; 763rd NAG (405th AS) 21 November 1944 3× P1Y1 (attack); U.S. carrier task force, northeast of 230 nmi from Davao.

Kamikaze Special Attack Group "Kongō Unit"

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS) 11 December 1944 4× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. ship near Surigao Straits.

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS, 316th FS) 13 December 1944 4× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. ship in Murcielagos Bay.

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS) 14 December 1944 3× A6M (attack), 2× A6M (escort); U.S. convoy, TA 240°-80 nmi from Bacolod.

Original unit; 201st NAG (316th FS) 14 December 1944 2× A6M (attack), 1× A6M (escort); U.S. invasion force off Negros Island.

Original unit; 201st NAG 14 December 1944 6× A6M (attack), 3× D4Y (attack); U.S. convoy south off Dumagueted.

Original unit; 201st NAG (302nd FS, 316th FS) 15 December 1944 6× A6M (attack), 4× A6M (escort); U.S. ship TA 90°, 45 nmi from Nano.

Original unit; 201st NAG (316th FS) 15 December 1944 12× A6M, 1× D4Y (attack); U.S. invasion force off Mindoro.

Original unit; 201st NAG (316th FS) 15 December 1944 2× A6M (attack); U.S. ship in Murcielagos Bay.

Original unit; 201st NAG (316th FS) 16 December 1944 11× A6M, 1× D4Y (attack); U.S. invasion force off San Jose.

Original unit; 201st NAG 16 December 1944 2× A6M (attack), 4× A6M (escort); U.S. carrier task force in northern Sulu Sea, mission failed and aircraft returned to base.

Original unit; 201st NAG 24 December 1944