Info about japanese paras

[Jean-Loup]

Hi
Since there has been a thread about jap paras, I would like to know a bit of info about them. Can anyone tell me when they were created, and what some of the major operations they did were? Did they actually do any combat jumps? I have been wondering this for a few years now.
JL

[Óscar G]

Hello Jean-Loup:
Try this web. It gives a good and brief summary about your request. Searching in the web I´ve found these curious postcards showing Japanese Paras attacking and firing while landing
Hope this helps.
Óscar

http://www.info-indo.com/history/eastindies28.htm

[Jean-Loup]

Thanks Oscar, I will go and check that out. That jap para helmet Willy posted is very interesting, it shows japanese culture, with the chinstrape systeme...
JL

[Óscar G]

Glad to help you, Jean-Loup. You can also see three good pics depicting japanese paras´ items (parachute, uniform and period photo) in Kurtz´s "German paratroops" # 197.
Regards. Óscar

[Gerry Cummins]

Hi JL,

There are three books on the market that I know of that may help you in your search for information on Japanese Paratroopers:

Ste. Croix, Philip (Ed.). Airborne Operations: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Great Battles of Airborne Forces. Salamander Books Ltd., London, 1978. ISBN 0517224801

Richards, Guy. World War II Troop Type Parachutes, Volume One – Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan. Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, PA, 2000. ISBN 0764311107

McLean, Donald B. Japanese Parachute Troops. Normount Technical Publications, Wickenburg, Arizona, 1973. ISBN 0879470526

The Germans trained the first Japanese paratroopers in 1940. By the time war was declared in 1941, the Japanese had an estimated 18,000 Army and Naval Paratroopers.

McLean's book talks about the following Army and Naval Paratrooper units:
Army Paratroop Units-
Raiding Group (Teishin Shudan)
Raiding Brigade (Teishin Dan)
Raiding Regiment (Teishin Rentai)
Raiding Flying Brigade (Teishin Hikodan)
Raiding Flying Regiment (Teishin Hikosentai)
Naval Paratroop Units -
1st Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force

Hope some of this information is useful.

Gerry