True Japanese & US commanders

[kondi754]

Below I will present real personal data of Japanese and US commanders who appear under fictitious names in the game.
I have noticed that all naval and air commanders are real figures.
Unfortunately, it seems that land commanders are anonymous characters (mostly) ...
Some of the posts will be moved from the thread from the "Tech support" section

So, let's start...

1. viceadmiral Raizo Tanaka, hero from Salomon Islands (he wreaked havoc on the American fleet in the waters around Guadalcanal, he commanded the famous "Tokyo Express")
2. sub-leutnant Saburo Sakai, one of the best Japanes fighter's aces (64 enemy's aircraft shoot down) - reportedly he fought with 15 Wildcats and didn't allow them to shoot him down !!!
3. leutnant junior Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, leading Japanese fighter's ace, called "the devil from Rabaul" (36 destroyed aircraft)

[kondi754]

1. Major John L. Smith, F4F Wildcat's pilot, he received the Medal of Honor for Guadalcanal
2. cpt Mochitsura Hashimoto - submarine commander, it was his submarine sank USS "Indianapolis" in 1945, his ship carried miniature submarines used for diversion in Pearl Harbor in 1941
3. lt Tsutomu Iwai - fighter's ace, 11 aircraft shoot down ( including 3 over China 1937-40)

[kondi754]

1. Cpt Shinji Uchino - submarine commander, his I-8 submarine participated in the Yanagi mission 1943-44 (he had a chance to transport this Tiger tank to Japan , but finally it didnt happen)
2. I also found this land commander's photo but it looks he is anonymous one. The description below this picture was: "japanese army veteran in the hills of lake khasan (1938)"
3. And last is the next land commander but he's anonymous, too. Besides he is Chinese, an officer of units collaborating with Japan
Check the insignia in the picture ( description below the picture: "collaborationist Chinese army, japan-china war 1931-45")

[kondi754]

1) rearadm Chiaki Matsuda, naval commander, commanded "Hyuga" and then "Yamato" battleships (1942-43) and 4th Carrier Division ("Hyuga" and "Ise" battleships + support ships) at the end of war

I also found two next Japanese naval commanders, funny thing but they all were linked with "Yamato" battleship

2) viceadm Seiichi Ito - Vice Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff and 2nd Fleet commander, he leads "Yamato" and 9 destroyers to their last battle near Okinawa, he sank together with his flagship 7th April 1945
3) cpt Aruga Kosaku - "Yamato" battleship commander during last mission, he commanded "Chokai" heavy cruiser earlier, sank with his ship 7th April 1945, posthumously promoted to Vice-Admiral rank

[kondi754]

Below the last two Japanese naval commanders who are used in the game ...

1. vcadm Hiroaki Abe - commander (among others) of the groups of heavy cruisers and battleships during the campaign on the Solomon Islands 1942-43
2. vcadm Sedamichi Kajioka - commander of escort and landing groups during the attack on Wake Island in 1941 and Lae, New Guinea in 1942
he was the commander of the landing group assigned to capture of Port Moresby during the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942), but this landing was finally canceled due to the threat posed by US Navy's aircraft carriers

3. The last one is lt Masao Sato - fighter pilot, participant of Sino-Japanese war, Pearl Harbour, KIA on the Solomon Islands in 1943 (flew on A5M and later on A6M Zero in fighter's squadron of the Akagi aircraft carrier)

[kondi754]

1. ensign Ryoji Ohara, A6M Zero (navy) pilot, veteran of Salomon campaign 1942-43, "Killer from Rabaul" , claimed 48 kills (mainly Wildcats and Corsairs)
2. sgt major Satoru Anabuki, Ki-43 and Ki-84 (army) pilot, fought over Philippines, Burma and Taiwan, confirmed 39 shoot downs; he's a tactical bomber's commander in the game
3. corporal Yukio Araki, Ki-51 pilot, known from the fact that he was the youngest kamikaze (17 years old ), poor material for the commander in ooB in my opinion , he was killed during attack of the USS Braine (DD-630) near Okinawa, May 27, 1945

One more thing - let no one be surprised that there were such low ranks among Japanese pilots
the Japanese (both army and navy) were known for being careful with promotions in air forces, so the best pilots reached the rank of lieutenant at most, most often they were non-commissioned officers

[kondi754]

The last two Japanese air commanders used in OoB.

1. sgt jr Masajiro Kawato - 18 aircraft destroyed, he fought over Rabaul, New Guinea and Leyte
2. (presumably) ??? cpt Masaji Kobayashi - he fought B-17 and B-29 raids, first in China then in Japan
it's just my guess, I haven't found a photo corresponding to this picture in the game, I think we should ask Adherbal whose picture was used?... (I surrender... please tell us, Adherbal... )

[Horst]

The eyebrows of the last one could match, but not sure. Doesn't matter, I'll rename him to this pilot anyway.

Domo arigato, Kondi-san!

Artistocrats Artists
Massimiliano Del Bono
Wim De Mulder

[kondi754]

The eyebrows of the last one could match, but not sure. Doesn't matter, I'll rename him to this pilot anyway.

Domo arigato, Kondi-san!

Artistocrats Artists
Massimiliano Del Bono
Wim De Mulder

Yes, this eyebrows...
(I am looking for a proper photo from the week and nothing ...)
Thanks Horst , but I have found next Yankee pilots

[GabeKnight]

1. viceadmiral Raizo Tanaka, hero from Salomon Islands (he wreaked havoc on the American fleet in the waters around Guadalcanal, he commanded the famous "Tokyo Express")

Sorry to be nit-picking abgain, Kondi, but I'm kinda unsure about that one, too. Maybe you have another - more matching - picture of him?

Otherwise, I think you found the correct template picture to every single commander. Unbelievable.

[kondi754]

1. viceadmiral Raizo Tanaka, hero from Salomon Islands (he wreaked havoc on the American fleet in the waters around Guadalcanal, he commanded the famous "Tokyo Express")

Sorry to be nit-picking abgain, Kondi, but I'm kinda unsure about that one, too. Maybe you have another - more matching - picture of him?

Otherwise, I think you found the correct template picture to every single commander. Unbelievable.

As for this photo, I am sure that the drawing was made on the basis of it, the artists removed only the second chin
It's 200 percent of similarity for me (take a look at his ears )

[kondi754]

Ok, 3 US air force superstars first

1. col Francis Gabreski
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabby_Gabreski
2. brig gen Robin Olds
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Olds
3. brig gen Chuck Yeager
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Yeager

[kondi754]

Col Walker "Bud" Mahurin - Gabreski's colleague from 56th FG, used in OoB (95 percent of certainty )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Mahurin

Funny thing but Mahurin and Olds fought in ETO, but they both commanded in Pacific campaign in OoB

Two anonymous USMC's soldier from Saipan and Tinian 1944 (land commanders in OoB)

[Mascarenhas]

I think this is a very honorable action to identify and properly assign those heroes. Great job!

[kondi754]

I think this is a very honorable action to identify and properly assign those heroes. Great job!

Thanks a lot, I'm surprised that the devs decided to hide the real heroes under fictitious names, too.
I try to change it also because all other commanders in OoB - British, German or even Finnish are real characters. It seems that the game developers have changed the concept while creating it, but they haven't changed the existing personals.
It must now be repaired.

[Admiral_Horthy]

Thanks for your effort!!! For me it would be extremely time consuming... so I really appreciate!

[GrizzlyKt]

hi what a great piece of work thank you that must have taken sometime

[kondi754]

1. 1st lt Robert M.Hanson - air commander, 90 percent of certainty
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._Hanson
2. maj gen Robert T.Frederick - land commander
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_T._Frederick
3. anonymous soldier on the photo taken during Battle of Bulge, land commander in ooB

[kondi754]

It is very difficult to look for US commanders because there is a whole lot of pictures.
I managed to find a few probable ones but I'm only sure about 40-60% ...
@Horst
Should I still place them here?

[Horst]

As long as the photos come with names, I'm all eyes. Getting rid of false names is the goal.
I'm also interested in the originals of Manfred Eisenberger and Franz Wegmann. Do you think Wegmann could resemble Rudel?

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