He was the commander of torpedo bombers in the Attack on Pearl Harbor that crippled several United States Navy (USN) battleships and during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands that resulted in the sinking of carrier Hornet.

In April 1932, he completed the navy pilot training program at Kasumigaura Air Group and was commissioned as ensign.

[1] In March 1938, Lieutenant Murata was transferred to 12th Air Group and assigned as one of the flight division leaders (Buntaichō).

In December, he was transferred to carrier Akagi and became flight division leader (Buntaichō) in the torpedo bomber squadron.

In November 1940, he was appointed as an instructor at the same Air Group and conducted research on torpedo attack techniques in shallow waters.

[2] In July 1942, Lieutenant Commander Murata was transferred to the carrier Shōkaku and was assigned as its torpedo bomber squadron leader (as Hikōtaichō).

[4] He was one of the many experienced carrier pilots lost in the battle; these included his academy classmate, Lieutenant Commander Mamoru Seki, who led the second wave strike that severely damaged Enterprise.