Kammala wannan jumla: A watan Yulin 1942, an sanya Laftanar Kofukuda a matsayin "Hikōtaichō" na Rukunin Jirgin Sama na 6, wanda aka yi niyyar zama sansanin soja na Tsibirin Midway amma tun lokacin da Jafananci suka
sun kasa kama Midway. A lokacin da aka kafa rukunin a Kisarazu a Japan sannan aka ba da umarnin zuwa Rabaul a New Britain a ranar 21 ga Agusta. Laftanar Kofukuda ya jagoranci jirgin ruwa mai nisan kilomita 5,000 na jirgin saman Zero 18 daga Japan zuwa Rabaul ta hanyar tsibirin tsibirin (Iwo Jima, Saipan, Truk da Kavieng), wanda ba a taɓa gani ba don jirgin sama mai zaman kansa a lokacin.