Japanese Paratroop Forces of World War II

From 'The 2nd Raiding Regiment at Palembang, February 1942'

L-1: the airfield

The paratroopers were awakened at 0700 hours on February 14 after only two hours’ rest. At 0830 all aircraft on both airfields took off, to rendezvous over Batu Pahat northwest of Singapore. Thirty-four transports and 27 bombers assembled in the formation, escorted by 80 Type 1 fighters and nine Type 99 light bombers, with a Type 100 scout plane leading the formation 350 miles southeastwards at an altitude of 9,850 feet. This armada of over 150 aircraft represented Japan’s largest airborne operation.

At 1120 hours they arrived over the mouth of the Musi River – partly hidden by the vast smoke cloud drifting from distant burning Singapore – and separated into two groups. Allied AA fire burst around them, but the transports came in at low altitude without loss and dropped most of the sticks on their assigned DZs; the drop at the airfield took place at 1126 and at the refineries four minutes later. Following the transports, the heavy bombers dropped their cargo containers and strafed the area; one bomber was shot down over the refineries. Fighters of 64th Flying Regt engaged five Hurricanes at 2,600ft over the airfield and shot one down; encountering another ten at 6,500ft, they downed two without loss. Light bombers hit barracks and AA positions at the airfield; since no enemy aircraft were found over the refineries, the “Oscars” of 59th Flying Regt strafed the area.