4th Tank Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
{{Infobox Military Unit
| unit_name = 4th Tank Division
| image = Chi-Nu 4th Tank Division.JPG
| caption = Type 3 Chi-Nu tanks of the 4th Tank Division, with Type 3 Ho-Ni III self-propelled guns among them
| dates = 1944–1945
| country = {{flag|Empire of Japan}}
| branch = Imperial Japanese Army
| type = Armored division
| role =
| size =
| command_structure =
| garrison = Chiba, Chiba
| current_commander =
| ceremonial_chief =
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| notable_commanders =
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_2 =
| nickname=鋼=Hagane (Steel)
| patron =
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| battles = World War II
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{{command structure
|name= Japanese 4th Tank Division
|date=1945
|parent=Thirty-Sixth Army (Japan){{sfn|Zaloga|2007|p=20}}
|subordinate=
- IJA 28th Armored Regiment{{sfn|Rottman|Takizawa|2008|p=12}}
- IJA 29th Armored Regiment{{sfn|Rottman|Takizawa|2008|p=12}}
- IJA 30th Armored Regiment{{sfn|Rottman|Takizawa|2008|p=12}}
}}
The {{nihongo|4th Tank Division|戦車第4師団|Sensha Dai-yon Shidan}}, was one of four armored divisions of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.
History
The 4th Tank Division was raised on July 6, 1944 in Chiba, near Tokyo.{{sfn|Rottman|Takizawa|2008|p=12}} It lacked both infantry and self-propelled gun regiments.{{sfn|Rottman|Takizawa|2008|p=12}} Similar to the German Panzer-Lehr-Division, it was created out of the training departments of the Armor School, Cavalry School, Field Artillery School and Military Engineering School of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, its remaining students and staff. Assigned to the IJA 36th Army Corps, it was designated for the defense of the Japanese home islands against the projected Allied invasion.{{sfn|Zaloga|2007|p=20}}{{sfn|Rottman|Takizawa|2008|p=12}}
The 4th Tank Division was based in Fukuoka on Kyushu. It was equipped with the finest and most advanced armaments, including a "significant" number of Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tanks and Type 3 Ho-Ni III tank destroyers; these being available at its depot before the end of the war.{{sfn|Tomczyk|2005|p=15}} Following Japan's surrender on Sept 3, 1945, the 4th Tank Division was officially demobilized with the rest of the Imperial Japanese Army, without having seen combat.
Commanding officer
| class=wikitable
! | Name | From | To |
| 1 | Lieutenant General Shiori Nagura | 8 July 1944 | 12 August 1945 |
| 2 | Major General Prince Kan'in Haruhito | 12 August 1945 | 16 August 1945 |
| 3 | Lieutenant General Shiori Nagura | 16 August 1945 | 30 September 1945 |
Structure (1945)
File:IJA 4th Tank Division ORBAT, 1945.png
The 4th Tank Division, after being relocated to Japan in 1945, consisted of a division headquarters, three tank regiments (roughly battalion-sized), one machine gun cannon battalion (anti-aircraft), one motor transport battalion, and one signal company.{{cite book |last=Ness |first=Leland |author-link= |date=2015 |title=Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 |url= |location= |publisher=Helion and Company |page= |isbn=}}
- Division Headquarters
- 28th Tank Regiment
- 29th Tank Regiment
- 30th Tank Regiment
- Machine Gun Cannon Battalion (20mm AA)
- Motor Transport Battalion
- Signal Company
See also
Notes
{{reflist}}
References
- {{cite book
| last = Frank
| first = Richard B
| year = 1999
| title = Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire
| publisher = Random House
| location = New York
| isbn = 0-679-41424-X
}}
- {{cite book
| last = Jowett
| first = Bernard
| year = 1999
| title = The Japanese Army 1931-45 (Volume 2, 1942-45)
| publisher = Osprey Publishing
| isbn = 1-84176-354-3
}}
- {{cite book
| last = Madej
| first = Victor
| year = 1981
| title = Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937–1945
| publisher = Game Publishing Company
| id = ASIN: B000L4CYWW
}}
- {{cite book |last = Ness |first = Leland |author-link = |title = Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 |url= |location= |publisher = Helion and Company |year = 2015 |page = |isbn = 9781912174577}}
- {{cite book | last1 = Rottman | first1 = Gordon L. | last2 = Takizawa | first2 = Akira | title = World War II Japanese Tank Tactics | publisher = Osprey Publishing | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-1846032349 }}
- {{cite book | last = Tomczyk | first = Andrzej | year = 2005 | title = Japanese Armor Vol. 4 | publisher = AJ Press | isbn = 978-8372371676 }}
- {{cite book | last = Zaloga | first = Steven J. | author-link = Steven Zaloga | title = Japanese Tanks 1939–45 | publisher = Osprey Publishing | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-1-8460-3091-8 }}
External links
- [https://takihomepage.web.fc2.com/ Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Takizawa]
{{DEFAULTSORT:04 Tank Division (Imperial Japanese Army)}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1944
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
Category:1944 establishments in Japan