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First Carrier Division
The First Carrier Division's Zuikaku (center) and two destroyers under attack by U.S. Navy carrier aircraft during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Active	April 1, 1928 – April 10, 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	Axis Powers of World War II
Branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Type	Naval aviation unit
Role	Aircraft carrier support
Engagements	Attack on Pearl Harbor Battle of Rabaul Bombing of Darwin Indian Ocean raid Battle of Midway Battle of the Eastern Solomons Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands Battle of the Philippine Sea
Commanders
Notable commanders	Chūichi Nagumo Jisaburo Ozawa

The First Carrier Division (第一航空戦隊, Dai Ichi Kōkū sentai, often abbreviated as 一航戦 Ichikō-sen) was an aircraft carrier unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy's First Air Fleet. At the beginning of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, the First Carrier Division consisted of the fleet carriers Akagi and Kaga. The division participated in the Attack on Pearl Harbor and Indian Ocean Raid. After Akagi and Kaga were sunk at the Battle of Midway in June 1942, carriers Shōkaku, Zuikaku, and Zuihō were redesignated as the First Carrier Division.

Organization (extract)

Commander

The First Carrier Division participated in the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history, the Battle of the Marianas, and specifically the aircraft carrier Battle of the Philippine Sea (the so-called “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”) on 19–20 June, where the Japanese naval forces were decisively defeated with heavy and irreplaceable losses to their carrier-borne and land-based aircraft. As a result of the massive losses suffered to her airgroup, Zuikaku would play a support role in the Japanese fleet from this point on, up until her sinking during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

References

1. Polmar, Norman (January 24, 2008). Aircraft Carriers: A History of Carrier Aviation and Its Influence on World Events, 1946-2006 (hardcover). Vol. II. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books Inc. pp. 377–400. ISBN 978-1574886658. Retrieved June 1, 2014.

• Peattie, Mark R. (1999). Sunburst: The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power 1909-1941. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-664-X.

• The Maru Special series, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan)
• Ships of the World series, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan)

Further reading

• Polmar, Norman (January 24, 2008). Aircraft Carriers: A History of Carrier Aviation and Its Influence on World Events, 1946-2006 (hardcover). Vol. II. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books Inc. pp. 377–400. ISBN 978-1574886658. Retrieved June 1, 2014.

v t e Imperial Japanese Navy warship units
Area Fleet	China Southwest Southeast Northeast Central Pacific
Fleet	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kido Butai
Expeditionary Fleet	China Southern
Battleship Division	1 2 3 4 5
Cruiser Division	2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14 16 18 21 22 24
Carrier Divisions	1 2 3 4 5 50 51
Seaplane Tender Division	6 7 11 12 17
Destroyer Squadron	1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 31
Submarine Squadron	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11
Minelayer Squadron	17 18 19
Escort ship Squadron	51 81 101 102 103 104 105

• Aircraft carrier formations of Imperial Japan
• Units of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
• Military units and formations established in 1928
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1945