Two Pilot Badges of 6th class Army Youth Pilot School Graduate

Superb group.

NCO's pilot badge.

 

Second (graduation commemorative) NCO's pilot badge.

Reverse

第六期少年飛行兵戦斗 - 6th Class of Youth Combat Pilots /Shōnen Hikōhei Sentō (April 1939- March 1941)/

+

Engraved name.

Marked 純銀 - pure silver.

 

Graduation commemorative watch fob.

Obverse

戰鬪 - Battle; Fight

reverse

第六期少年飛行兵 - 6th Class of Youth Pilots

Engraved name /hidden/

操縦 - Flying (a plane)

Marked 純銀 - pure silver.

6th class watch fob https://asiamedals.info/threads/6th...raduation-commemorative-watch-fob-1940.28028/

9th class watch fob https://asiamedals.info/threads/9th...raduation-commemorative-watch-fob-1942.27526/

 

Later he served with the 59th Hiko Sentai.

Great East Asian War Commemorative Badges and Watch Fobs/大東亜戦争記念章

Attack on Pearl Harbor commemorative watch fob. 必勝 / Hisshō / Certain Victory 真珠湾 - Pearl Harbor Reverse 大東亜戦争 - Greater East Asian War horizontally 記念 - Commemorative vertically ハワイ - Hawaii lower 海戦 - naval battle + date December 8, 1941 (interestingly not 7, but 8)

asiamedals.info

Obverse

隼 - Falcon

reverse

従軍記念章 - Campaign Commemorative Badge

隼第二三七七部 - Falcon No. 2377 unit

大東亜戦争 - Greater East Asian War

Falcon No. 2377 = 59th Hiko Sentai (59th Flying Regiment)

 

The term "youth pilot/boy aviator" /Shōnen Hikōhei/ was used to describe a category of pilot trainees educated in their respective Japanese Imperial Army Youth Flight Schools. From the very beginning, the youth aviator was most definitely seen by the military and society as different from the soldier. While all Japanese men upon reaching twenty theoretically became eligible for the military draft, youths between the ages of 14 and 19 could instead enlist in a variety of alternative military preparatory training programs to fulfill their service obligation. This option offered the advantage of finishing military service much earlier or being placed on a fast track to officer rank. These “youth soldiers” /Shōnen Hei/ were divided into different tracks such as communications, artillery, sonar, sailor, tank, or military band. The most coveted of all the tracks was to become a "youth aviator.” Aviators were recruited not conscripted and had to pass a rigorous physical and educational exam process in order to gain admission into flight schools. Because almost all aviators on this track started training as teenagers, they were portrayed by the media as perpetually youthful, as opposed to conscript soldiers who enrolled after reaching the adult age of 20, or reservists, who were usually older and married.​

Excerpt from the Handbook on Japanese Military Forces, 1944.

"An Army apprentice system to procure trained noncommissioned officers in technical fields at ages below the conscription minimum has grown rapidly in recent years, especially in aviation. The Japanese Navy and Merchant Marine have also developed extensive training of a similar nature. The Army apprentices, called Army Youth Soldiers (Rikugun Shonenhei) , are primary school graduates who begin their apprentice training at the age of 14 or 15 years (lowered from 15 or 16 years in 1943). At some point in their training they are inducted into the Army as youth soldiers with the rank of superior private, serve as lance corporals (leading private) for a probationary period of 6 months after graduation, and then become corporals. These apprentices take one of the following courses:

(1) Aviation (Shonen Hikohei). The usual course lasts 3 years. After a first year at a general aviation school at Tokyo or Otsu, all students are divided into three groups. Pilots go to Utsunomiya or Kumagai, signalmen to Air Signal School, and mechanics to Tokorozawa or Gifu. They spend 2 years at one of these special schools, the last year as youth soldiers in the Army. Those with special qualifications may omit the first year and go directly to flying school at Tachiarai or maintenance school at Gifu.

(2) Signal (Shonen Tsushinhei). Two years at the Army Youth Signal School.

(3) Tank (Shonen Senshahei). Two years at Army Youth Tank School near Mt. Fuji.

(4) Artillery (Shonen Hohei). Two years at the Army Field Artillery School, the Army Heavy Artillery School, or the Army Air Defense School."

 

Interesting 1944 intelligence document.