4th Carrier Division (Imperial Japanese Navy)

Fourth Carrier Division
Fourth Carrier Division
	Ise in October 1944, during the Battle off Cape Engaño
Active	December 1, 1937 – July 14, 1942; May 1, 1944 – March 1, 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	Axis Powers of World War II
Branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Type	Naval aviation unit
Role	Aircraft carrier support
Engagements	World War II Pacific Theater Battle of the Coral Sea; Operation Kita; Philippines campaign Battle of Leyte Gulf; ; ; Aleutian Islands Campaign Battle of Dutch Harbor; ; ;
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Kakuji Kakuta
Insignia
Identification; symbol	Notoro 1937; Notoro (ノトロ); Ryūjō 1941–42; DI-xxx; Taiyō, Shōhō, Jun'yō 1941-42; DII-xxx; May 1944; 634-xxx

The 4th Carrier Division (第四航空戦隊, Dai Yon Kōkū Sentai, or Yon Kōsen) was a seaplane tender and aircraft carrier unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet.

Organization

Date	Higher unit	Ships and air units
1 December 1937 (original)	Combined Fleet	Notoro, Kinugasa Maru
1 August 1938	disbanded
1 April 1941	1st Air Fleet	Ryūjō
11 August 1941		Ryūjō, Destroyer Squadron 3 : Shiokaze, Hokaze
10 December 1941		Ryūjō, Kasuga Maru (Taiyō), Destroyer Squadron 3 : Shiokaze, Hokaze
1 April 1942		Ryūjō, Shōhō
3 May 1942		Ryūjō, Shōhō, Jun'yō
20 May 1942		Ryūjō, Jun'yō
14 July 1942	disbanded
1 May 1944	3rd Fleet	Hyūga, Ise, 634th Naval Air Group^[1]
15 October 1944		Jun'yō, Ryūhō, Hyūga, Ise
(24 October 1944)^[2]		Hyūga, Ise
15 December 1944	2nd Fleet	Hyūga, Ise
1 March 1945	disbanded

"Monthly The Maru" series, and "The Maru Special" series, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan)
"Monthly Ships of the World" series, "Kaijinsha". (Japan)
"Famous Airplanes of the World" series and "Monthly Kōku Fan" series, Bunrindō (Japan)