Pilot History
Yamaguchi was one of four brothers. He was born in Okuchi in northern Kagoshima Prefecture, and attended Okuchi Secondary School before joining the Navy. After his death, a funeral was held for two days by the villagers of his hometown, and the family members prayed for the repose of his soul every morning since.

Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagoya Aircraft Factory. The Manufacture number is unknown, but the tail wheel assembly and the carrier landing hook both had component nameplates that carried dates that suggest a general date of completion around October 1941. [ See note ]. It was painted specular grey on all surfaces, with a black cowl. Traces of a tail number are visible, but not readable.

Mission History
Took off from Lae Airfield on a mission against Port Moresby. Yamaguchi was flying in the 1st Chutai, 2nd Shyotai leader. Over the target, the he and Ito dove down at low level to strafe 12-Mile Drome. Over the target, this Zero was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and rejoined the formation with limited power for the return flight to Lae. Another A6M2 Zero piloted by Tsutomou Ito also failed to rejoin the formation. The other pilots, including Saburo Sakai, stayed with Lt. Yamaguchi's plane, encouraging him to continue flying the damaged plane.

Over the southern Owen Stanley Mountains, his plane lost all engine power, he saluted and slowly descended into the mountains and jungle below. His fellow pilots returned to Lae, and pleaded with their commander to fly back over the crash site to drop emergency supplies, which they did. No sign of the pilot or crash was seen, but those who flew that day never forgot this tragic loss.

Discovery
It crashed into the foothills of the Owen Stanley Range. Discovered by Justin Taylan on July 27, 2003. Afterwards, he reported the sites and remains to the Japanese Embassy.

Recovery of Remains
The remains of the pilot were recovered by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare on October 24, 2003 during a recovery operation in the Kokoda area for Japanese war dead. The Ministry presented the bones to the Yamaguchi's younger brother, but the family declined DNA testing. As the result, the bones did not returned to the family members, but stayed with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and rest at National Cemetery for Unknown Soldiers near Yasukuni Shrine.

The pilot is presumed to be Lt. Yamaguchi. Since the family declined DNA testing and the mission records for this loss do not list its tail number, 100% certainty will never be known.

References
Kodochosho, Tainan Kokutai, May 17, 1942
Ôzora no samurai page 250 - 254
Koku-Fan "Discovery of Zero" 2004 by Justin Taylan
Flight Journal Magazine "Discovery of Zero" Feb 2006 by Justin Taylan
"Welcome Home Kaoru Yamaguchi" (Flightpath, 2004) by Claringbould
Thanks to Jim Long for additional Zero 3442 construction history.
"Farewell to Yamaguchi" by Masao Stake depicts this aircraft.
Thanks to Kunio Iwashita and Tatsuaki Inoue for additional information

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

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