Aircraft History
Nakajima built A6M2 Zero. Date of assembly February 27, 1942.

Mission History
Took off from Rabaul on a strafing mission against 7-Mile Drome at Port Moresby, following Lt. Yamaguchi. Ito's Zero was damaged by anti-aircraft hits to its engine, and alone limped northwards towards Lae, before crashing in the mountains when his engine stopped. Trees tore off the outer wings and twisted the tail. Dazed but unhurt, Ito traveled away from the crash by day and climbing trees at night to sleep. He discovered local people and with their help made his way from village to village.

Taken POW
He was captured by an Australian ANGAU Patrol Officer, Eric-Owen Turner, from Ononge Mission Station on June 2nd. He drew his pistol, but was restrained by the local people who had helped him and taken prisoner willingly. He said he was the sole survivor of a bomber crew, so they would not look for his aircraft.

As part of a group, Ito walked with the patrol officer and a group of carriers out of the mountains via Ioma and Awala to Port Moresby, becoming the only Japanese to walk the Kokoda Trail all the way to Port Moresby. He was sent to Australia and interred at Cowra POW Camp for the rest of the war. In later interrogations, he later admitted: "On May 17, 1942 I was strafing Moresby air base [7-Mile] following Lt. Yamaguchi.  AA fire perforated the engine.  I decided to return to Lae by direct route.  While flying solely, engine stopped and crash landed in the jungle before crossing the ridge."

Ito survived the war, and lived in Japan under an assumed name, Isshiki, in shame for having been captured. He never participated in Zero Pilot Reunion events. Saburo Sakai also confirmed Ito was reluctant to apply for medical benefits as wounded in action from the Japanese government as he was ashamed of his captivity. Eventually he applied by Sakai's advice, but he claimed in an affidavit that he crashed and survived the war with natives until liberated.

Naoki Kodachi, V-P of Zero Fighter Association:
"We do not know if Mr Tsutomu Isshiki (former PO2/c Tsutomu Ito) is alive or not and the Association will not make contact with him even if he is found alive because Ito was said to be unwilling to meet any of surviving comrades and was not a member of the Association. He was ashamed of his being a POW."

Wreckage
Located in a swamp near Kosipe. Later, it was visited by US Army ATIU who noted its manufacture number as 645. In the 1950s, an area a missionary took out its electric generator, attached a fly-wheel to it, and used it for power at the mission.

Lawrence Kilemu adds:
"You will see the tree is right across the plane but the tree grew later and natural humidity and surrounding air caused the tree to bend the airplane."

Justin Taylan adds:
"The Pacific Ghosts team of Yoji Sakaida, Daniel Leahy and myself inspected this wreck on August 27, 2005."

References
Winged Samurai by Henry Sakaida
"Zero in the Tree Tops" (unpublished) by Bob Piper
"SWPA Technical References to Inspected Enemy Airplanes" ATIU, September 27, 1943, page 2

Jim Long adds:
"A6M No. 645 is listed in two documents as a Nakajima-built A6M2. The documents are Makers' Plates & Markings Report #68, "Life of Japanese Combat Planes," issued by the Military Intelligence Division, War Dept., 20 March 1945, and "Preliminary Report on Japanese Fighter Plane Production (based solely on name-plate analysis)," compiled by the Joint Intelligence Subcommittee, Working Committee on Japanese Aircraft, 1 June 1943. Neither of these documents does anything more than list the aircraft by serial number 645 and manufacturer and give its date of assembly as 27 February 1942. In addition, MP&M No. 68 identifies the date of crash as Mid May 1942 in Kosipi [sic] swamp."

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Last Updated
November 19, 2009