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Lt. Com. Shirane Ayao

Shirane was born in Tokyo on 1916, he attended the Naval Academy at Etajima until 1939 when he was appointed ensign and was assigned to the IJNAF as a fighter pilot. He was immediately assigned to the 12th Air Group and participated in several operations during the Second Sino-Japanese War on 1937. His first mission was on August 19, 1940 where he was assigned to bombed Chongqing, China, using the new A6M Zero fighter. He was part of a squadron of 13 A6Ms leaded by Lt. Saburo Shindo and participated in the large aircraft battle against the KMT on September 13, 1940, they managed to shot down all the Chinese aircraft without suffering any loss. This was Japan's first major aerial victory and his first victory.

After his service in China, he was promoted to Lieutenant rank. He was transferred to 1st CarDiv commanded by Vice Admiral Nagumo Chuichi and become a commander of one of Akagi's air squadron. He did not participated in the Attack of Pearl Harbor but he participated in several operations of the Kido Butai.

During the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, he leaded 9 A6Ms for an attack on Midway Island together with Lt. Suganami Masaharu, the fighters easily repulsed the approaching American fighters from USMC and successfully assaulted the island. Shirane also took off and intercepted incoming American carrier-based aircraft. But the American dive-bombers managed to slip through the CAP and struck the carriers which set them on fire. Shirane helplessly watched the sinking of Akagi.

After Midway, Shirane was transferred to Zuikaku where he also becomes a commander of an air squadron and participated several engagements in the Solomons which includes the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and the Battle of Santa Cruz Island. From the Solomons, he was transferred to Yokosuka Naval Base.

On November of 1943, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander rank, he organized the 314st Air group which was the first to operate the new Kawanishi N1K-J Shiden fighter prototypes. But due to lack of equipment and technical difficulties, the new fighter planes was delayed from several months before it enters from service. A year later, Shirane was assigned to the Philippines where he commanded the 401st Air Group stationed at Mabalacat Airfield, Luzon.

During the American Invasion of the Philippines, Shirane's group engaged to desperate aerial fights against P-38 fighters from the USAAF. On November 24, 1944, during an engagement within the skies of Leyte, Shirane's plane was shot down and was killed in action.

Shirane was considered as a great commander and a tactician by his subordinates, he was always respected and admired by the Imperial Japanese Navy and because of his excellent reputation, he was considered as one of the best commanders of the IJNAF. He won eight victories during the Pacific War with one victory in China.

According to this comic, Shirane came from a respectable family and was also tall, handsome and of high moral calibur. I think, had he survived the war and decided to pursue a political career, he would probably have become a notable leader as well.

Admiral doesn't like him though.