Shigeharu Murata

Shigeharu Murata
Nickname(s)Gaji
Boots
God of Lightning
Born(1909-04-09)9 April 1909
Shimahara, Nagasaki, Empire of Japan
Died26 October 1942(1942-10-26) (aged 33)
Santa Cruz Islands
AllegianceEmpire of Japan
Service/branch Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJN)
Years of service1930–1942
RankCaptain
UnitKaga
13th Air Group
12th Air Group
Akagi
Shōkaku
Battles/wars

Shigeharu Murata (村田 重治, Murata Shigeharu) was a torpedo bomber pilot officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. He was the commander of torpedo bombers in the Attack on Pearl Harbor that crippled several United States Navy (USN) battleships and during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands that resulted in the sinking of carrier Hornet. He was killed in action during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.