This history was first presented in a talk to members of the Mid-Atlantic Japanese Collectors' meeting in October of 2008, by Forks of the Delaware Historical Arms Society Member Gene Gibson.

Imperial Japanese Paratrooper Equipment©
By Gene Gibson

The Japanese Army and Navy developed materials and weapons independent of each other, and as such, each developed paratrooper units and materials independently. This article will discuss Imperial Japanese Army and Navy paratrooper history, parachutes, helmets, and ammunition belts.

Army 

The first unit was raised in December, 1940, comprised of 10 Air Service officers under a Lt Colonel and was shrouded in secrecy. No one had any paratrooper experience, but they studied paratroop methods and developed training manuals. They made their first live jump in Feb 1941. 

In mid February, 250 trainees joined, all NCO’s, so as to form a leadership and instruction core. Thereafter, privates were allowed as trainees. 

It has been reported that training facilities for live jumps were very limited. Because the units still operated in secrecy, as more trainees joined, they were directed to disguise themselves as college students and go to a nearby Tokyo amusement park which had a ride that hoisted people attached to a canopy 165 feet high and released them to float to the ground. 

Between December, 1941, and January, 1942, the following units were organized:    

1st Raiding Brigade HQ

1st Raiding Rgt. (700 paratroopers)

2nd Raiding Rgt. (700 paratroopers)

1st Raiding Flying Regiment (48 transport airplanes)

Having dedicated aircraft as part of the paratrooper unit ensured close coordination between the transporters and the paratroopers all the way from training to combat. 

Navy 

Beginning in November, 1940, the Navy established a studies and trials unit named the 1001st Experimental Research Unit with 26 men training under a Lt. Junior Grade as paratroopers within the Special Naval Landing Forces.  

In January, 1941, the first live jump was made also using aircrew emergency parachutes. 

Orders received in September, 1941, directed the unit to have 1500 paratroopers trained and ready to be activated by November, 1941.  To meet this challenge, training classes were reduced to a short two-week course followed by packing a parachute for a dummy dropped from an airplane after which they made actual live jumps.  In November, 1941 these paratroopers were divided into 2 parachute units: the Yokosuka 1st SNLF and the Yokosuka 3rd SNLF. 

Parachutes 

Initially the live parachute jumps were conducted using the same emergency parachutes as aircrew. Some publications state that the type 92 backpack style having a manual ripcord without a static line was for aircrew use, however, the addition of front “D” rings on the harness for a reserve chute or weapons bag suggest it was developed for the paratroopers. These parachutes proved unsatisfactory, therefore, the Type 1 paratrooper parachute was developed in 1941 for use by both the Army and the Navy, with minor differences. 

The Type 1 Army paratrooper parachute is an orange backpack style with dark green trim and harness straps. It is deployed using a static line and has provision for a reserve chute on the front. The harness has 4 straps forming an “X” in front by joining a chrome plated quick release central locking device permanently attached to one of the straps. The metal tongue of the other 3 straps are color coded indicating the correct attachment point in the locking device which is easily released by simply squeezing 2 spring loaded levers on the side using either hand. 2 pairs of web straps, one pair on each shoulder, attached the harness permanently to the canopy suspension lines. 

The Type 1 Special was used by the Navy and differenced from the Army Type 1 by having the web straps connect at a single point to a heavy metal triangular D-ring fastened to the harness between the shoulders. On one side of the ring is a bolt removable by unscrewing it using a special wrench. A Navy anchor is stamped on the side of the wrench. No provision is made for a reserve chute. 

The Type 4 was a later development of the Type 1 Special. It has the parachute contained in a silk bag inside the backpack, which allowed the static line to deploy the parachute before the risers, thereby reducing shock on opening and decreasing the chances of entanglement with the paratrooper.    

Parachutes have heavy canvas carry bags, usually tan for Army, green for Navy, with cloth labels listing manufacturer, type parachute, date, and serial number. This same information was stamped on the parachute and on labels sewn to the parachute backpack and harness. Army components have an Army star while Navy components have a small anchor. A card tucked into a small pouch also has the parachute serial number and lists dates of inspection. 

Packing the parachute required great care, so paddles were used to keep fingers from causing rips and tears during certain folding and packing operations. A sewing kit was available to make repairs and also to tie the static line to the parachute using two loops which break upon deployment of the chute.  

Reserve parachutes do not appear to have been used by the Navy, but were in common use by the Army and were mounted on the front of the harness. The reserve chute was deployed by pulling the red covered ball end of the rip cord secured on the right side. Evidently, the paratroopers were trained to always deploy the reserve chute and release it before landing if it was not needed. Possibly this was to free up the paratrooper to quickly control his chute and undo his harness on landing. Deploying the reserve instead of just unfastening it reduced the risk of a tightly packed chute from hitting someone below.  

Helmets 

Army paratrooper helmets have a greenish tan cloth-covered steel shell with a leather star sewn to the front and no flare at the rim. The interior of this helmet also is cloth lined and has a padded cloth headband with unusual rubberized green suspension straps rising upward and connected with a tie strap allowing adjustment for proper fit. It has a leather chin strap attached to wide cloth ear flaps using a pair of “D” rings locking arrangement on the left flap. Each flap has a small hole at each ear and can be covered on the inside with its own small flap easily moved aside for better listening. This small flap probably was used to block the cold air and/or the annoying effect of air flowing past an open hole during jumps. Additionally, it has a cloth chinstrap similar to the Type 90 Army helmet.  

A helmet in the author’s collection has an unreadable ink stamping on one of the green rubberized suspension straps; otherwise it appears unmarked. 

Another style Army helmet has leather suspension straps with corresponding leather earflaps. 

Navy paratrooper helmets have a greenish tan painted steel shell with a very slight flare at the rim and a metal anchor device on the front. A cloth chinstrap is sewn to form a “Y” around the ears and is threaded through four oval swivel rings riveted to the rim. Helmets can have Navy liners but mostly are found with the Army liners. 

Ammo Belts 

Although classified as cavalry ammo belts, many photographs exist that show paratroopers wearing an ammo belt having nine pockets, two of which are made for Type 91 grenades at each end. These do not have shoulder straps and sometimes are pictured worn crossed over the shoulders as bandoleers. The belt sought after as the true paratrooper ammo belt has shoulder straps but is rarely found today. 

Combat Jumps 

I have found records of only 4 Japanese paratrooper combat jumps. The first was by the Navy in January, 1942 when they parachuted into Manado, Celebes Island in the Dutch East Indies. They then jumped into Koepang, West Timor in February, 1942. The Army first parachuted in February, 1942 into Palembang, Sumatra and not again until December, 1944 when they dropped onto Leyte.

Here are a few examples from my collection:

Army Paratrooper Helmet	Navy Paratrooper Helmet

 

Army Type 1 Reserve Parachute	Army Paratrooper Type 4 Parachute

 

Army Type 4 Parachute Harness		Navy Paratrooper Type 1 Harness, Parachute, and Carry Bag

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Biography

Nila, Gary. Japanese Naval Aviation Uniforms and Equipment 1937-45. Oxford, United
Kingdom: Osprey 2002.

Richards, Guy. World War II Troop Type Parachutes, Volume One. Atglen, PA: Schiffer
Military History, 2000.

Rottman, Gordon L. and Akira Takizawa. Japanese Paratroop Forces of World War II. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey 2005.

Copyright 2009
FDHAS