[1][2] Ayao Shirane enrolled in the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in April 1933, and graduated as part of the 64th class in March 1937.

He was assigned to the 12th Air Group in Central China in September of that year, and on 19 August 1940 participated in the Bombing of Chongqing.

This mission marked the Zero's true baptism of fire, with the Japanese pilots claiming 27 out of 30 Chinese fighters (including one for Shirane) without suffering any losses in return.

[1] At the start of the Pacific War, Lieutenant Shirane was transferred to the carrier Akagi and participated in several early battles, including the Attack on Darwin and the Indian Ocean Raid.

[3] He returned safely to Akagi, and was sent back into the air at 09.32 to intercept Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers from USS Hornet's VT-8.

His division missed the main engagement, but shot down the last plane, flown by Ensign George Gay, just after it cleared Sōryū.

He was launched as part of her Combat Air Patrol (CAP) at 15.34, but was unable to prevent her own sinking at the hands of Enterprise and Yorktown dive bombers.