This military organization was under the Twenty-Seventh Army (Chishima Area Base Unit or Kuril Area Army), led by Shozo Terakura. The Twenty-seventh Army was under the leadership of the Fifth Area Army, under the command of Kiichiro Higuchi whose headquarters was in Sapporo, Hokkaidō. The Twenty-Seventh Army was composed of the 42nd and 91stDivisions.
Kurile fortresses
These defensive structures in the Kurile Islands were somewhat similar to the Karafuto fortifications. The key Japanese position was on Shumushu Island, whose defense consisted of permanent emplacements protected by field and AA artillery. A garrison of over 8,000 men reinforced by 60 tanks defended the islands of Shumushu and Paramushiro. All the coastal sections convenient for landings were covered with permanent emplacements and bunkers, interconnected with underground passages and trenches. All the warehouses, power stations and hospitals were underground, up to 50 m deep.
I/54th Air Regiment (4 Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa "Oscar", some Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki "Tojo" and possibly Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate "Frank"), based in Miyoshino Airfield, Shumushu.
Shumushu Alert Radar: located at Minami Cape and cannery on the Naka River
Paramushiro Island
Paramushiro fortification system
There are less than two or possibly more fortifications and 6 or more coastal defensive positions commanded from Kashibawara Fortress.
4th Tank Company (detachment of 11th Tank Regiment)
II/54th Sentai (Ki-43 Oscars and Ki-44 Tojos)
Kitanodai Airfield: airfield located on the north-east tip of the island with a single 4,000' x 180° runway. The base had 40 revetments and over 50 hardstands.
Kashiwabara Airfield: located at the north-eastern tip of the island, closest to Shumshu Island. Japanese Army Staging area in the north.heavily defended by 20 anti-aircraft positions
Kakumabetsu Airfield: airfield located in the south-west side of the island with a 3,800' x 150' runway. Ki-44 Tojo operated from this strip.
Suribachi Airbase: annex airfield located at the center of the south coast of the island, with two runways.
Musashi Naval Base (Musashi Airfield): Located on the south-western tip of Paramushiro island was this naval base and airfield located at Karabu Zaki. The runways were 4,300' x 260' and 4,200' x 375'. Anti-aircraft guns were added at the nearby cape with 8 guns, 20 pillboxes and many gun pits.
Miyoshino Airfield Japanese Army-Navy airfield, located near the center of the Shumushu island. This airfield based several units including a B5N2 Kate, G3M Nell and Ki-43 Oscar based there.
Kataoka Naval Base (Imaizaki Airfield):This base had two runways 5,000' x 250' and 4,000' x 250'. The base had a large 130' x 165' hangar with 13 covered revetments and 34 uncovered revetments, three 60' oil storage tanks, and other barracks and supply buildings. The base also had a seaplane facility on the harbor, allowing H6K2 Mavis flying boats to operate at the base as headquarters of the 5th Fleet.
Such units were sometimes reinforced by seaplane tender Kimikawa Maru (with the 452nd Air Fleet aboard, equipped with Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" Hydro fighters).
3rd Attack Air Combat regiment (equipped with Ki-48-Ib and Ki-48-IIa Bombers)
Hokushintai Sentai (Army Anti Submarine Warfare Squadron) (equipped with Ki-45-Tei is KMX-MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detector))based in Tenneru Army Airfield, Etorofu Island.
↑ After WWII it was renamed to Kurbatov's cape (Shumshu) in honor of a participant of the Shumshu battle
↑ After WWII it was renamed to Vasiliev's cape (Paramushir)
↑ "Острова ратной славы". Музей Южно - Сахалинской наступательной операции. Муниципальное бюджетное учреждение культуры Сахалинской области (in Russian).
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