CS - Okumura Saki: IJN Pilot

Name: Okumura Saki (奥村 紗希)

Age: 23

Nationality: Japan

Branch: Imperial Japanese Navy

Rank: Kaigun-Shoi (Ensign)

Sex: F

Height: 154cm

Personality: Those who had served with Lieutenant Okumura would describe her as talkative and friendly, and indeed she is on the more friendly spectrum amongst Japanese people who had a reputation of reclusiveness, appearing rather quiet, and in some cases cold, to strangers. This personality came from her upbringing in New Osaka, a floating city populated by residents and their descendants from the old Osaka city, not only did it retained the casual atmosphere of the “merchant’s capital”, numerous historical sites also present, with the original material being evacuated and rebuild, brick by brick, piece by piece. Such sites includes Osaka Castle, Hokoku Shrine, Sumiyoshi Taisha Temple, Sh*tennoji Temple, Tenmangu Shrine, etc, marking the landscape of the new floating city.

Born as the third child and only daughter of a merchant family, Saki was of significantly smaller stature than her brothers, but showed an early aptitude for mathematics as well as great skill with tasks that relied upon manual dexterity. While attending secondary school, Saki took a job at a local event that featured an aerial display that included 1MF Type 10 bi-planes as well as the brand new Mitsubishi Experimental 9-Shi Single Seated Fighter monoplane (九試単座戦闘機) (the predecessor of A5M, designed by Horikoshi Jiro, who later designed the Zero fighter).

Having been enamoured with aviation since she was a little girl by listening to stories of early aviation pioneers such as Ninomiya Chuhachi, after the pilots landed and came for refreshments, Saki greatly impressed the squadron leader, Genda Minoru, with her knowledge of aviation, engines, and aerodynamics. She was invited by the naval flying officer for entrance test in the “Hiko yoka renshu-sei”(飛行予科練習生), or “Yokaren”(予科練), the Naval Aviator Preparatory Course Trainee program to recruit volunteers between age of 14 to 20. The competition was fierce, at her year a quota of 50 was set out of 7,500 applicants for pilot training, chances was around 1/150. Saki did not make the cut, however her passion for naval aviation had been ignited, and when she was determined on something, she cannot easily be deterred.

After going back to finish High School, Saki went on to the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy (海軍兵学校). During her time there she earned a blue belt in judo. After graduating from the Naval Academy (ranking 102 out of 241 Cadets) and being commissioned an ensign (少尉), Saki enrolled in the Aviation Student (飛行学生) Course. She finished her naval aviation training and finally gained her wings as a flying officer herself.