Takashi Noguchi
Warrant Officer
JAAF

A native of the Nagasaki Prefecture, Takashi Noguchi joined the Army in 1935, becoming an NCO in the cavalry. He later volunteered for flying training, graduating with the 75th NCO Cadet intake in March 1939. He then served at Kumagaya and Tachiarai as an instructor until April 1942, when he joined the 3rd Chutai of the new 68th Sentai at Harbin. Following transition to the Ki-61 at Akeno, the unit moved to Rabaul via Truk, and then Wewak, where it took part in the intense combat over New Guinea.

As a mainstay in the unit, Noguchi became an acting Chutai leader when Lt. Yushi Izuta, and Lt. Akenori Motoyama, were killed in action during September and December of 1943. Before dawn on 15 January 1944 Noguchi flew to Nadzab, made two strafing passes, and then encountered three C-47s, two of which he engaged and shot down. During this period he once force-landed off the west coast of Bougainville following an attack on Rendova, on another occasion he crash landed his aircraft after it was hit 54 times in a combat with P-38s.

On 16 January 1944 during an attack on the invasion convoy at Saidor, he engaged in a whirling dogfight with a P-40N-5 of the 35th Fighter Squadron, which was pursuing the Sentai commander, Major Kimura. Noguchi was then attacked by the wingman of the P-40 he was pursuing 1st Lt. Glen “Gabby” Holder.

Ki-61 Ic TONY

Lt. Holders combat report states “A Tony was making a tight turn on to Goolsby’s tail and that he called to warn his element leader”. Noguchi was unaware of the presence of the fighter on his tail until it was too late and he could only attempt to dive away. Holder kept after the Tony and closed to attack the enemy fighter he could clearly make out the inline aircrafts large red roundels on the wings and fuselage. Holder’s combat report continues; “I came on him from about 10-degrees deflection down, and into directly behind him. I was approximately 150 to 100 yards, closing to 50 yards. I saw my tracers striking the aircraft from in front of the wing all the way along the side of the fuselage. Smoke and flames started coming from the wing-root section. Then I saw the pilot’s head and body coming out of the cockpit, then his whole form as he left the aircraft. I later saw what I thought might be his parachute, but I could not be sure. I was pretty busy looking for other enemy aircraft ahead of me, plus attention to what was occurring behind my aircraft. The air was pretty well cluttered with other aircraft, and plenty of excited chatter on the radio.”

Other 68th Sentai pilot’s observed Noguchi attack an American fighter that was believed to be shot down, then Noguchi bailout of his Hein and parachute toward the Allied convoy below. His victories were recorded and he was listed as missing in action. He was injured and unconscious when he landed in the waters of the Bismarck Sea. Noguchi was rescued by a Royal Australian Navy Destroyer in the convoy that had been witness to the combat in the skies above, and was interned as a POW for the remainder of the war.

One note of interest regarding the 16 January 1944 combat at Saidor, the 68th Sentai pilots believed that they had engaged P-47s. No such type was present during this mission, the Allied force being comprised solely of fifteen P-40N-5 (25) Warhawk fighters of the 35th Fighter Squadron.