Does anyone know what airfields in Vietnam the aircraft that sunk the Prince of Wales and Repulse departed from? I know it was Saigon but what airfields?
Kanoya & Mohiro air groups listed here as flying from Tu Duam airfield: The Sinking of the Prince of Wales & Repulse The recon & other group both listed as 'Saigon', but it does at least imply a singular location,
"Saigon" could be either Tan Son Nhut or Ben Hoa. They also departed Soc Trang. I have never heard of Tu Duam, perhaps it was renamed Tan Son Nhut or Ben Hoa both of which are close to Saigon. Incidentally, I will be in Saigon next week, I will make enquiries but I don't know if the Vietnamese are too familiar with that part of their history.
Not hugely relevant but in the 70's I worked with a man who had been manning the anti aircraft warning radar on PoW when she was lost, he said everything took them by surprise, the planes, the amount of damage they did in a short space of time, in a way I think he was still in shock from it all those years later.
Some more to add to the discussion, taken from Mitusbishi Type 1 Rikko "Betty" Units of World War 2 by Osamu Yagaya P 20 p 24 p 25 Some discussion on Thu Dau Moi and the Japanese airfields here: Pacific War 1941-1945: