
Stories

Stories

A-K

A-K
Amakusa Air Group Association
Amakusa Air Group Association
Amakusa Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane Squadron
Amakusa Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane Squadron
Among the Remnants of the Suicide Subs
Among the Remnants of the Suicide Subs
Assorted Thoughts During War
Assorted Thoughts During War
Continued Commitment: Main Force for Mainland Decisive Battle
Continued Commitment: Main Force for Mainland Decisive Battle
Crash Attack With New Wife On Board
Crash Attack With New Wife On Board
Drop Training: Hard-to-use Spear, Observed Reality
Drop Training: Hard-to-use Spear, Observed Reality
Final Settlement of Accounts of Life
Final Settlement of Accounts of Life
First Battle Results: Change in Tactics, Only Sinking
First Battle Results: Change in Tactics, Only Sinking
For Five Seconds, A Gunner
For Five Seconds, A Gunner
Human Bomb Corps: 160 Men Annihilated in First Battle
Human Bomb Corps: 160 Men Annihilated in First Battle
Kamikaze Pilots Visit Ritsu Tsurumaru’s Home
Kamikaze Pilots Visit Ritsu Tsurumaru’s Home
Kamikaze, the Ultimate Sacrifice
Kamikaze, the Ultimate Sacrifice

L-N

L-N
Lack of Experience: Hard 600-km Flight over the Sea
Lack of Experience: Hard 600-km Flight over the Sea
Last Letters: Collection of Final Writings Published, Testimony Preserved
Last Letters: Collection of Final Writings Published, Testimony Preserved
Last Writings: Hero, Dying in Vain, Reality That Cannot Be Expressed by Dualism
Last Writings: Hero, Dying in Vain, Reality That Cannot Be Expressed by Dualism
LCS 118: A Radar Picket Patrol
LCS 118: A Radar Picket Patrol
Magnificent Comrades of Tsukuba Unit
Magnificent Comrades of Tsukuba Unit
Man Killed In Action Who Returned
Man Killed In Action Who Returned
May 28, 1945—Another Day of Infamy
May 28, 1945—Another Day of Infamy
Mighty Midgets 2007 Reunion
Mighty Midgets 2007 Reunion
My Personal History: Two Lives
My Personal History: Two Lives

O-R

O-R
Observer Training Aircraft: Mobilization of Plane Not Fit for Battle
Observer Training Aircraft: Mobilization of Plane Not Fit for Battle
Perilous Full Moon: I Survived Due to Old Airframe
Perilous Full Moon: I Survived Due to Old Airframe
Phantom Daytime Attack (Part 1): Squadron Members With No Wish to Volunteer
Phantom Daytime Attack (Part 1): Squadron Members With No Wish to Volunteer
Phantom Daytime Attack (Part 2): Sudden Cancellation, Not Even Any Record
Phantom Daytime Attack (Part 2): Sudden Cancellation, Not Even Any Record
Phantom Kenmu Squadron: Cancelled Just Before Takeoff
Phantom Kenmu Squadron: Cancelled Just Before Takeoff
Preparing to Sortie and Waiting for Orders Every Day for Two Weeks
Preparing to Sortie and Waiting for Orders Every Day for Two Weeks
Puzzle Left for Couple: Journey of Seven Years to Search for Date of Death
Puzzle Left for Couple: Journey of Seven Years to Search for Date of Death
Remembering Times Past from 34 Years Ago
Remembering Times Past from 34 Years Ago
Rescued Kamikaze Pilot Also Callaghan Survivor
Rescued Kamikaze Pilot Also Callaghan Survivor
Resentment: Tradition of Commanding Officer’s Taking Lead Disappeared
Resentment: Tradition of Commanding Officer’s Taking Lead Disappeared

S-Z

S-Z
Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron
Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron
Sinking of USS Drexler DD-741
Sinking of USS Drexler DD-741
Sorties Cancelled Twice: Enjoyment of Long Life Due To Small Difference
Sorties Cancelled Twice: Enjoyment of Long Life Due To Small Difference
Special Attack Corps Waiting Room at Tomitaka Base
Special Attack Corps Waiting Room at Tomitaka Base
Special Mission: Symbolic of "Irresponsibility" in Upper Ranks
Special Mission: Symbolic of "Irresponsibility" in Upper Ranks
Spiritual Foundation of Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Members
Spiritual Foundation of Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Members
Survival of Drexler Survivors Reunion Association
Survival of Drexler Survivors Reunion Association
Two Days Before War’s End, Jinrai Butai’s Last Sortie
Two Days Before War’s End, Jinrai Butai’s Last Sortie
2007 USS Callaghan (DD-792) Reunion
2007 USS Callaghan (DD-792) Reunion
2007 USS Morrison (DD-560) Reunion
2007 USS Morrison (DD-560) Reunion
2010 USS Drexler (DD-741) Reunion
2010 USS Drexler (DD-741) Reunion
2012 USS Callaghan (DD-792) Reunion
2012 USS Callaghan (DD-792) Reunion
Who Sank the Destroyer Drexler?
Who Sank the Destroyer Drexler?
Without Telegraph: No Way to Communicate Battle Results
Without Telegraph: No Way to Communicate Battle Results
Young Ski Jumper Who Was Olympic Contender
Young Ski Jumper Who Was Olympic Contender

Books

Books

Personal Narratives

Personal Narratives
Imamura, Shig: The True Story of an American Kamikaze
Imamura, Shig: The True Story of an American Kamikaze
Inoguchi and Nakajima, The Divine Wind
Inoguchi and Nakajima, The Divine Wind
Nagatsuka, I Was a Kamikaze
Nagatsuka, I Was a Kamikaze
Sakamaki, I Attacked Pearl Harbor
Sakamaki, I Attacked Pearl Harbor
Yokota and Harrington, Kamikaze Submarine
Yokota and Harrington, Kamikaze Submarine
Yoshida, Requiem for Battleship Yamato
Yoshida, Requiem for Battleship Yamato

General (A-H)

General (A-H)
Aeronautical Staff of Aero Publishers, Kamikaze
Aeronautical Staff of Aero Publishers, Kamikaze
Axell and Kase, Kamikaze: Japan’s Suicide Gods
Axell and Kase, Kamikaze: Japan’s Suicide Gods
Burlingame, Advance Force Pearl Harbor
Burlingame, Advance Force Pearl Harbor
Carruthers, Australia Under Siege
Carruthers, Australia Under Siege
Cea, Tokubetsu Kogeki Tai. Special Attack Units
Cea, Tokubetsu Kogeki Tai. Special Attack Units
Charles River Editors, The Kamikazes
Charles River Editors, The Kamikazes
Cortesi, Valor at Okinawa
Cortesi, Valor at Okinawa
Delgado et al., The Lost Submarines of Pearl Harbor
Delgado et al., The Lost Submarines of Pearl Harbor
Grose, A Very Rude Awakening
Grose, A Very Rude Awakening
Hagoromo Society, The Cherry Blossom Squadrons
Hagoromo Society, The Cherry Blossom Squadrons

General (I-R)

General (I-R)
Ishiguro and Januszewski, Japanese Special Attack Aircraft
Ishiguro and Januszewski, Japanese Special Attack Aircraft
Jenkins, Hitting Home: The Japanese Attack on Sydney 1942
Jenkins, Hitting Home: The Japanese Attack on Sydney 1942
Lambert, Bombs, Torpedoes and Kamikazes
Lambert, Bombs, Torpedoes and Kamikazes
Lamont-Brown, Kamikaze: Japan’s Suicide Samurai
Lamont-Brown, Kamikaze: Japan’s Suicide Samurai
Lardas, The Kamikaze Campaign 1944-45
Lardas, The Kamikaze Campaign 1944-45
Lind, Toku-tai: Japanese Submarine Operations in Australian Waters
Lind, Toku-tai: Japanese Submarine Operations in Australian Waters
Morris, Battleship Yamato
Morris, Battleship Yamato
Mortensen, Divine Wind: Kamikaze Attacks Against the US Navy
Mortensen, Divine Wind: Kamikaze Attacks Against the US Navy
Ohnuki-Tierney, Kamikaze, Cherry Blossoms, and Nationalisms
Ohnuki-Tierney, Kamikaze, Cherry Blossoms, and Nationalisms
Rielly, Kamikazes, Corsairs, and Picket Ships
Rielly, Kamikazes, Corsairs, and Picket Ships

General (S-Z)

General (S-Z)
Sears, At War with the Wind
Sears, At War with the Wind
Sholin, The Kamikaze Nightmare
Sholin, The Kamikaze Nightmare
Sholin, The Sacrificial Lambs
Sholin, The Sacrificial Lambs
Sholin, Truman’s Decision
Sholin, Truman’s Decision
Smith, Kamikaze: To Die for the Emperor
Smith, Kamikaze: To Die for the Emperor
Spurr, A Glorious Way to Die
Spurr, A Glorious Way to Die
Stewart, Kamikaze: Japan’s Last Bid for Victory
Stewart, Kamikaze: Japan’s Last Bid for Victory
Stille, US Navy Ships vs Kamikazes 1944-45
Stille, US Navy Ships vs Kamikazes 1944-45
Takaki and Sakaida, B-29 Hunters of the JAAF
Takaki and Sakaida, B-29 Hunters of the JAAF
Thurman, Picket Ships at Okinawa
Thurman, Picket Ships at Okinawa
Veesenmeyer, Kamikaze Terror
Veesenmeyer, Kamikaze Terror
Warner and Seno, The Coffin Boats
Warner and Seno, The Coffin Boats
Warner and Warner, The Sacred Warriors
Warner and Warner, The Sacred Warriors
Zaloga, Kamikaze: Japanese Special Attack Weapons 1944-45
Zaloga, Kamikaze: Japanese Special Attack Weapons 1944-45
Zimmerman, Battleship Yamato: Why She Matters Today
Zimmerman, Battleship Yamato: Why She Matters Today

Ship Histories (A-C)

Ship Histories (A-C)
Acord and Holbrook, Hell and High Water in the Pacific
Acord and Holbrook, Hell and High Water in the Pacific
Andersen, Three Minutes Off Okinawa
Andersen, Three Minutes Off Okinawa
Ball, Fighting Amphibs: The LCS(L) in World War II
Ball, Fighting Amphibs: The LCS(L) in World War II
Becton, The Ship That Would Not Die
Becton, The Ship That Would Not Die
Billingsley, The Emmons Saga
Billingsley, The Emmons Saga
Blanton, Boston——to Jacksonville (41,000 Miles by Sea)
Blanton, Boston——to Jacksonville (41,000 Miles by Sea)
Bonner and Bonner, USS Missouri at War
Bonner and Bonner, USS Missouri at War
Brown and Anteau, Historical Review: U.S.S. Drexler DD-741
Brown and Anteau, Historical Review: U.S.S. Drexler DD-741
Bustin, Humble Heroes: How the USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII
Bustin, Humble Heroes: How the USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII
Calhoun, Tin Can Sailor: Life Aboard the USS Sterett, 1939-1945
Calhoun, Tin Can Sailor: Life Aboard the USS Sterett, 1939-1945
Charney, USS Ingraham DD694: 1944-1945
Charney, USS Ingraham DD694: 1944-1945
Cline, Escort Carrier WWII
Cline, Escort Carrier WWII
Craig, USS Cassin Young: Fletcher Class Destroyer DD793
Craig, USS Cassin Young: Fletcher Class Destroyer DD793
Craighead, All Ahead Full
Craighead, All Ahead Full
Crew, Combat Loaded: Across the Pacific on the USS Tate
Crew, Combat Loaded: Across the Pacific on the USS Tate

Ship Histories (D-J)

Ship Histories (D-J)
Dennis, The Destroyer U.S.S. Flusser DD368: Her Life of Service
Dennis, The Destroyer U.S.S. Flusser DD368: Her Life of Service
Dennis, U.S.S. Frustrate: "The Luckiest Ship in the Navy"
Dennis, U.S.S. Frustrate: "The Luckiest Ship in the Navy"
Duffy, The Wonderful World of John Duffy: An Autobiography)
Duffy, The Wonderful World of John Duffy: An Autobiography)
Fillmore, War History of USS Leutze (DD-481)
Fillmore, War History of USS Leutze (DD-481)
Foster, The Last Destroyer: The Story of the USS Callaghan
Foster, The Last Destroyer: The Story of the USS Callaghan
Graves, Men of Poseidon: Life at Sea Aboard the USS Rall
Graves, Men of Poseidon: Life at Sea Aboard the USS Rall
Griggs, Preludes to Victory: The Battle of Ormoc Bay in WWII
Griggs, Preludes to Victory: The Battle of Ormoc Bay in WWII
Harmon, U.S.S. Cassin Young (DD-793)
Harmon, U.S.S. Cassin Young (DD-793)
Harper, Too Close for Comfort
Harper, Too Close for Comfort
Irons, Phalanx Against the Divine Wind
Irons, Phalanx Against the Divine Wind
Jones, Days of Steel Rain
Jones, Days of Steel Rain

Ship Histories (K-N)

Ship Histories (K-N)
Kalosky, Harm’s Way—Every Day
Kalosky, Harm’s Way—Every Day
LCS(L) Landing Craft Support (Large)
LCS(L) Landing Craft Support (Large)
Lott, Brave Ship Brave Men
Lott, Brave Ship Brave Men
Lott and Sumrall, USS Ward—The First Shot
Lott and Sumrall, USS Ward—The First Shot
MacKay, The U.S. Navy’s "Interim" LSR(R)s in World War II
MacKay, The U.S. Navy’s "Interim" LSR(R)s in World War II
Mair, Oil, Fire, and Fate
Mair, Oil, Fire, and Fate
Malott, "If We Save But One"
Malott, "If We Save But One"
McBride, ed., Good Night Officially
McBride, ed., Good Night Officially
Monsarrat, Angel on the Yardarm
Monsarrat, Angel on the Yardarm
Novotny, In the Wake of Jellybean
Novotny, In the Wake of Jellybean

Ship Histories (O-Sk)

Ship Histories (O-Sk)
Olson, Tales from a Tin Can
Olson, Tales from a Tin Can
Payne, H.M.A.S. Australia 1928-1955
Payne, H.M.A.S. Australia 1928-1955
Rielly, Mighty Midgets At War
Rielly, Mighty Midgets At War
Ronck, Battleship Missouri
Ronck, Battleship Missouri
Rooney, Mighty Midget U.S.S. LCS 82
Rooney, Mighty Midget U.S.S. LCS 82
Samuels, War Patrol of the PCE(R)852
Samuels, War Patrol of the PCE(R)852
Simmons, USS Tennessee in World War II
Simmons, USS Tennessee in World War II
Skeldon, USS Kadashan Bay VC-20
Skeldon, USS Kadashan Bay VC-20

Ship Histories (Sl-Z)

Ship Histories (Sl-Z)
Stafford, Little Ship, Big War: The Saga of DE343
Stafford, Little Ship, Big War: The Saga of DE343
Stafford, The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise
Stafford, The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise
Stillwell, Battleship Missouri: An Illustrated History
Stillwell, Battleship Missouri: An Illustrated History
Stone, "My Ship!" The U.S.S. Intrepid
Stone, "My Ship!" The U.S.S. Intrepid
Streb, Life and Death Aboard the U.S.S. Essex
Streb, Life and Death Aboard the U.S.S. Essex
Sumrall, USS Kidd (DD-661)
Sumrall, USS Kidd (DD-661)
Surels, DD 522: Diary of a Destroyer
Surels, DD 522: Diary of a Destroyer
Veesenmeyer, Kamikaze Destroyer
Veesenmeyer, Kamikaze Destroyer
White and Gandt, Intrepid
White and Gandt, Intrepid
Wolfe, Wole, and O’Hara, History of the USS Kidd (DD661)
Wolfe, Wole, and O’Hara, History of the USS Kidd (DD661)
Wukovits, Hell from the Heavens
Wukovits, Hell from the Heavens
Y’Blood, The Little Giants: U.S. Escort Carriers Against Japan
Y’Blood, The Little Giants: U.S. Escort Carriers Against Japan

Fiction (A-L)

Fiction (A-L)
Deutermann, Sentinels of Fire
Deutermann, Sentinels of Fire
Fowler, The Astrological Diary of God
Fowler, The Astrological Diary of God
Freedman, The Seventh Stone
Freedman, The Seventh Stone
Grant, Attack from the sun
Grant, Attack from the sun
Grant, Night Flying Avenger
Grant, Night Flying Avenger
Kaga, Riding the East Wind
Kaga, Riding the East Wind
Kuwahara and Allred, Kamikaze
Kuwahara and Allred, Kamikaze

Fiction (M-Z)

Fiction (M-Z)
Mannock, The Sen-Toku Raid
Mannock, The Sen-Toku Raid
Meade, The Dignity of Danger
Meade, The Dignity of Danger
Morris, The Last Kamikaze
Morris, The Last Kamikaze
Nicole, The Ship with No Name
Nicole, The Ship with No Name
O’Keefe, A Thousand Stitches
O’Keefe, A Thousand Stitches
Park, When My Name Was Keoko
Park, When My Name Was Keoko
Sakamoto, One Hundred Million Hearts
Sakamoto, One Hundred Million Hearts
Somma, Midori and the 1000 Stitch Belt
Somma, Midori and the 1000 Stitch Belt
Wheatcroft, Answering Fire
Wheatcroft, Answering Fire

Writings

Writings
Gordon, Facing Death: Last Writings of Japanese Special Attack Corps Members
Gordon, Facing Death: Last Writings of Japanese Special Attack Corps Members
Kawatoko, The Mind of the Kamikaze
Kawatoko, The Mind of the Kamikaze
Lartéguy, The Sun Goes Down
Lartéguy, The Sun Goes Down
Nihon Senbotsu Gakusei Kinen-Kai, Listen to the Voices from the Sea
Nihon Senbotsu Gakusei Kinen-Kai, Listen to the Voices from the Sea
Ohnuki-Tierney, Kamikaze Diaries
Ohnuki-Tierney, Kamikaze Diaries
Todai Gakusei Jichi-kai, In the Faraway Mountains and Rivers
Todai Gakusei Jichi-kai, In the Faraway Mountains and Rivers
Yamashita, Leaves from an Autumn of Emergencies
Yamashita, Leaves from an Autumn of Emergencies

Related Topics (A-M)

Related Topics (A-M)
Bawal, Jr., Titans of the Rising Sun
Bawal, Jr., Titans of the Rising Sun
Delgado, Kamikaze: History’s Greatest Naval Disaster
Delgado, Kamikaze: History’s Greatest Naval Disaster
Eadon, Kamikaze: The Story of the British Pacific Fleet
Eadon, Kamikaze: The Story of the British Pacific Fleet
Evans, The Japanese Navy in World War II
Evans, The Japanese Navy in World War II
Gandt, The Twilight Warriors
Gandt, The Twilight Warriors
Grossberg, Last Letter Home
Grossberg, Last Letter Home
Hara, Japanese Destroyer Captain
Hara, Japanese Destroyer Captain
Kemp, Underwater Warriors
Kemp, Underwater Warriors
King, The Last Zero Fighter
King, The Last Zero Fighter
Klinkowitz, Pacific Skies
Klinkowitz, Pacific Skies
Lubeski, Linebackers of the Sea
Lubeski, Linebackers of the Sea

Related Topics (N-Z)

Related Topics (N-Z)
Sakaida and Takaki, Genda’s Blade
Sakaida and Takaki, Genda’s Blade
Samples, Wings over Sakishima
Samples, Wings over Sakishima
Shibusawa, America’s Geisha Ally
Shibusawa, America’s Geisha Ally
Thompson, Why Do Kamikaze Pilots Wear Helmets?
Thompson, Why Do Kamikaze Pilots Wear Helmets?
Tsouras, Rising Sun Victorious
Tsouras, Rising Sun Victorious
Vernon, The Hostile Sky: A Hellcat Flier in World War II
Vernon, The Hostile Sky: A Hellcat Flier in World War II
Werstein, Okinawa: The Last Ordeal
Werstein, Okinawa: The Last Ordeal
Westheimer, Death is Lighter than a Feather
Westheimer, Death is Lighter than a Feather
Young, American Aces Against the Kamikaze
Young, American Aces Against the Kamikaze

Comics (A-J)

Comics (A-J)
Air War Stories - Kamikaze!
Air War Stories - Kamikaze!
Authentic War Stories - The Kamikaze
Authentic War Stories - The Kamikaze
Battle - Kamikaze! (July 1954)
Battle - Kamikaze! (July 1954)
Battle - Kamikaze! (April 1959)
Battle - Kamikaze! (April 1959)
Blackhawk - The Red Kamikaze Terror
Blackhawk - The Red Kamikaze Terror
Fightin’ Air Force - Kamikaze Pilot
Fightin’ Air Force - Kamikaze Pilot
Fightin’ Marines - Kamikaze
Fightin’ Marines - Kamikaze
Fightin’ Navy - Kamikaze Killer
Fightin’ Navy - Kamikaze Killer
Fubar 2: Empire of the Rising Dead
Fubar 2: Empire of the Rising Dead
Ghostly Tales - The Last Kamikaze!
Ghostly Tales - The Last Kamikaze!

Comics (K-Z)

Comics (K-Z)
Navy Task Force - Kamikaze!
Navy Task Force - Kamikaze!
Our Fighting Forces - Battle Album: Kamikaze
Our Fighting Forces - Battle Album: Kamikaze
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! - The Last Kamikaze
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! - The Last Kamikaze
A Sailor’s Story and A Sailor’s Story, Book Two
A Sailor’s Story and A Sailor’s Story, Book Two
Star Spangled War Stories - I Was a Kamikaze Pilot!
Star Spangled War Stories - I Was a Kamikaze Pilot!
True Comics - Name to Remember
True Comics - Name to Remember
USS Stevens: Ride the Baka
USS Stevens: Ride the Baka
Wings Comics (August 1946)
Wings Comics (August 1946)
Wings Comics - Kamikaze (Fall 1952)
Wings Comics - Kamikaze (Fall 1952)

Films

Films

Documentaries (A-G)

Documentaries (A-G)
Day of the Kamikaze: November 25, 1944
Day of the Kamikaze: November 25, 1944
The Fleet That Came to Stay
The Fleet That Came to Stay
Gladiators of World War II: The Kamikazes
Gladiators of World War II: The Kamikazes
Great Blunders of World War II
Great Blunders of World War II

Documentaries (H-K)

Documentaries (H-K)
Kamikaze: Death From the Sky
Kamikaze: Death From the Sky
Kamikaze: Mission of Death
Kamikaze: Mission of Death
Kamikaze: To Die for the Emperor
Kamikaze: To Die for the Emperor
Kamikaze / War in the Pacific
Kamikaze / War in the Pacific

Documentaries (L-Z)

Documentaries (L-Z)
No Surrender: Japanese and German Kamikazes
No Surrender: Japanese and German Kamikazes
S.O.S. Catastrophe: Typhoons and Kamikaze
S.O.S. Catastrophe: Typhoons and Kamikaze
War Stories wtih Oliver North: Attack of the Japanese Midget Subs!
War Stories wtih Oliver North: Attack of the Japanese Midget Subs!
The Cockpit: Kamikaze Stories
The Cockpit: Kamikaze Stories
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage

Japanese

Japanese
Aa tokubetsu kougekitai (Ah, Special Attack Corps)
Aa tokubetsu kougekitai (Ah, Special Attack Corps)
Deguchi no nai umi (Sea without exit)
Deguchi no nai umi (Sea without exit)
Gekkou no Natsu (Summer of the Moonlight Sonata)
Gekkou no Natsu (Summer of the Moonlight Sonata)
Hokui 15° no Dyuo (15 Degrees North Latitude Duo)
Hokui 15° no Dyuo (15 Degrees North Latitude Duo)
Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean
Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean
Matsuo Keiu to sono haha (Keiu Matsuo and his mother)
Matsuo Keiu to sono haha (Keiu Matsuo and his mother)
Nijūroku ya mairi (A Moon Twenty-six Days Old)
Nijūroku ya mairi (A Moon Twenty-six Days Old)
Ningen no Tsubasa (Wings of a Man)
Ningen no Tsubasa (Wings of a Man)
Taiheiyou no Tsubasa (Wings of the Pacific)
Taiheiyou no Tsubasa (Wings of the Pacific)

Museums

Museums
Bansei Tokkō Peace Museum
Bansei Tokkō Peace Museum
Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots
Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots
Etajima Museum of Naval History
Etajima Museum of Naval History

Hotaru Museum

Hotaru Museum
Cherry Blossoms of Same Class
Cherry Blossoms of Same Class
Kamikaze Special Attack Museum
Kamikaze Special Attack Museum
Kanoya Naval Air Base Museum
Kanoya Naval Air Base Museum
Tokushima Air Base Museum
Tokushima Air Base Museum
Tsukuba Naval Air Base Museum
Tsukuba Naval Air Base Museum
Yokaren Museum - Tsuchiura
Yokaren Museum - Tsuchiura

US Museums

US Museums
Battleship Missouri Memorial
Battleship Missouri Memorial
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
National Museum of the Pacific War
National Museum of the Pacific War
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
USS Cassin Young (DD-793)
USS Cassin Young (DD-793)

Monuments

Monuments

A-B

A-B
Aichi Gokoku Jinja Battleship Yamato Monument
Aichi Gokoku Jinja Battleship Yamato Monument
Akita Special Attack Corps Monument
Akita Special Attack Corps Monument
Amakusa Naval Air Group Monument
Amakusa Naval Air Group Monument
Arari Never Forget Monument
Arari Never Forget Monument
Army Command Reconnaissance Units Monument
Army Command Reconnaissance Units Monument
Army Special Cadet Pilots Monument
Army Special Cadet Pilots Monument
Bansei Special Attack Monument
Bansei Special Attack Monument
Battleship Yamato Memorial Tower
Battleship Yamato Memorial Tower
Battleship Yamato Monument (Kure)
Battleship Yamato Monument (Kure)
Battleship Yamato War Dead Monument
Battleship Yamato War Dead Monument
Bōnotsu Shin’yō Corps Monument
Bōnotsu Shin’yō Corps Monument

C-F

C-F
Chiba Special Attack Corps Monument
Chiba Special Attack Corps Monument
Chikugo Pilot Training School Monument
Chikugo Pilot Training School Monument
Chiran Special Attack Peace Kannon Shrine
Chiran Special Attack Peace Kannon Shrine
Chiran Triangular Barracks Site Monument
Chiran Triangular Barracks Site Monument
Donryu Jizo Great Bodhisattva
Donryu Jizo Great Bodhisattva
Ehime Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Ehime Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Ehime Pilot Training School War Monument
Ehime Pilot Training School War Monument
Ehime Special Attack Corps Monument
Ehime Special Attack Corps Monument
56th Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Iwadate Unit Monument
56th Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Iwadate Unit Monument
Flight Reserve Students 13th Class Monument
Flight Reserve Students 13th Class Monument
41st Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
41st Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
44th Shin’yō Squadron Accident Victims Monument
44th Shin’yō Squadron Accident Victims Monument
Fukui Special Attack Corps Monument
Fukui Special Attack Corps Monument
Fukuoka Special Attack Corps Monument
Fukuoka Special Attack Corps Monument

G-Ha

G-Ha
Genkai 118th Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
Genkai 118th Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
Giretsu Airborne Unit Monument
Giretsu Airborne Unit Monument
Gunma Special Attack Corps Monument
Gunma Special Attack Corps Monument
Hachijojima Shin’yō Monument
Hachijojima Shin’yō Monument
Hachimanyama Jinja Special Submarine Monument
Hachimanyama Jinja Special Submarine Monument
Hakata Naval Air Group Monument
Hakata Naval Air Group Monument
Hakkō Sekichō Squadron Monument
Hakkō Sekichō Squadron Monument
Haramachi Airfield Monument
Haramachi Airfield Monument

Hi-J

Hi-J
Hijirigaura Shin’yō Monument
Hijirigaura Shin’yō Monument
Himeji Naval Air Group Monument
Himeji Naval Air Group Monument
Hokota Army Flight School Monument
Hokota Army Flight School Monument
Hososhima Shin’yō Monument
Hososhima Shin’yō Monument
Hyakurihara Naval Air Corps Monument (Hyakuri Air Base)
Hyakurihara Naval Air Corps Monument (Hyakuri Air Base)
Hyakurihara Naval Air Corps Monument (Kushira)
Hyakurihara Naval Air Corps Monument (Kushira)
Ibusuki Naval Air Base Remembrance Monument
Ibusuki Naval Air Base Remembrance Monument
Isahaya Naval Air Base Monument
Isahaya Naval Air Base Monument
Iwakuni Yokaren 2nd Toku Otsu Class Monument
Iwakuni Yokaren 2nd Toku Otsu Class Monument
Iwate Army Airfield Monument
Iwate Army Airfield Monument
Iwo Jima 1st and 2nd Mitate Special Attack Squadrons Monument
Iwo Jima 1st and 2nd Mitate Special Attack Squadrons Monument
Izumi Special Attack Monument
Izumi Special Attack Monument

Kab-Kam

Kab-Kam
Kabira Bay Shin’yō Peace Monument
Kabira Bay Shin’yō Peace Monument
Kagawa Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Kagawa Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Kagoshima Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Kagoshima Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Kagoshima Naval Air Group Monument
Kagoshima Naval Air Group Monument
Kagoshima Naval Air Group Sekishin Monument
Kagoshima Naval Air Group Sekishin Monument
Kakogawa Airfield Site Monument
Kakogawa Airfield Site Monument
Kakogawa Special Attack Corps Monument
Kakogawa Special Attack Corps Monument
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Chiran)
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Chiran)
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Izumi Tokkō Jinja)
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Izumi Tokkō Jinja)
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Mabalacat)
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Mabalacat)
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Yasukuni Jinja Yūshūkan)
Kamikaze Pilot Statue (Yasukuni Jinja Yūshūkan)
Kamikaze Special Attack Corps 3rd Ryūko Squadron Monument
Kamikaze Special Attack Corps 3rd Ryūko Squadron Monument

Kan-Ki

Kan-Ki
Kanoya Special Attack Corps War Dead Memorial Tower
Kanoya Special Attack Corps War Dead Memorial Tower
Kashihara Shrine 13th Kō Class Navy Yokaren Monument
Kashihara Shrine 13th Kō Class Navy Yokaren Monument
Kashima Naval Air Group Monument
Kashima Naval Air Group Monument
Kashiwajima Special Attack Shin’yō Base Monument
Kashiwajima Special Attack Shin’yō Base Monument
Kataura Shin’yō Base Monument
Kataura Shin’yō Base Monument
Kawatana Special Attack War Monument
Kawatana Special Attack War Monument
Kikaijima Naval Air Group Monument
Kikaijima Naval Air Group Monument
Kikaijima Shin’yō Storage Tunnel
Kikaijima Shin’yō Storage Tunnel
Kitaura Naval Air Group Monument
Kitaura Naval Air Group Monument

Ko-Ky

Ko-Ky
Kōchi Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Kōchi Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Kōchi Naval Air Group Monument
Kōchi Naval Air Group Monument
Kofuji Naval Air Group Monument
Kofuji Naval Air Group Monument
Kohama Island Shin’yō Boat Tunnels
Kohama Island Shin’yō Boat Tunnels
Kokubu No. 2 Air Base Special Attack Corps Monument (Barrel Valley)
Kokubu No. 2 Air Base Special Attack Corps Monument (Barrel Valley)
Kokubu No. 2 Air Base Special Attack Corps Monument (Uwatoko Park)
Kokubu No. 2 Air Base Special Attack Corps Monument (Uwatoko Park)
Kokubu Special Attack Base Monument
Kokubu Special Attack Base Monument
Koniya Naval Air Group Monument
Koniya Naval Air Group Monument
Kōyasan Naval Air Group Monument
Kōyasan Naval Air Group Monument
Kuroshima Battleship Yamato Monument
Kuroshima Battleship Yamato Monument
Kuroshima Special Attack Peace Kannon
Kuroshima Special Attack Peace Kannon
Kushira Naval Air Base War Dead Memorial Tower
Kushira Naval Air Base War Dead Memorial Tower
Kyōdomari Shin’yō Special Attack Base Monument
Kyōdomari Shin’yō Special Attack Base Monument

L-Me

L-Me
Mabalacat West Airfield Monument
Mabalacat West Airfield Monument
Makurazaki Battleship Yamato Monument
Makurazaki Battleship Yamato Monument
Matsuo Monument (Kikuchi Jinja)
Matsuo Monument (Kikuchi Jinja)
Matsuo Monument (Yamaga City)
Matsuo Monument (Yamaga City)
Matsuyama Naval Air Group Monument
Matsuyama Naval Air Group Monument
Matsuyama Naval Air Group Site Monument
Matsuyama Naval Air Group Site Monument
Metabaru Airfield Monument
Metabaru Airfield Monument

Mi-Mu

Mi-Mu
Mie Special Attack Corps Monument
Mie Special Attack Corps Monument
Miyagi Special Attack Corps Monument
Miyagi Special Attack Corps Monument
Miyakonojō East Airfield Monument
Miyakonojō East Airfield Monument
Miyakonojō Hayate Shinbu Special Attack Corps Monument
Miyakonojō Hayate Shinbu Special Attack Corps Monument
Miyakonojō Pilot Training School Monument
Miyakonojō Pilot Training School Monument
Miyakonojō West Airfield Monument
Miyakonojō West Airfield Monument
Miyara Bay Shin’yō Boat Tunnels
Miyara Bay Shin’yō Boat Tunnels
Miyazaki Special Attack Base Monument
Miyazaki Special Attack Base Monument

N

N
Nagamine Farewell Poem Monuments
Nagamine Farewell Poem Monuments
Nagano Special Attack Corps Monument
Nagano Special Attack Corps Monument
Nagasaki Pilot Training School Monument
Nagasaki Pilot Training School Monument
Nagasaki Prefecture Yokaren Monument
Nagasaki Prefecture Yokaren Monument
Nagoya Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Kusanagi Unit Monument
Nagoya Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Kusanagi Unit Monument
Nangō Human Torpedo Kaiten Training Site Monument
Nangō Human Torpedo Kaiten Training Site Monument
Naramoto Jinja Battleship Yamato Monument
Naramoto Jinja Battleship Yamato Monument
Navy Flight Reserve Students Monument
Navy Flight Reserve Students Monument
Niigata Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Niigata Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
19th Hikō Sentai Special Attack Monument
19th Hikō Sentai Special Attack Monument
Noshiro Hachiman Jinja Special Attack Corps Monument
Noshiro Hachiman Jinja Special Attack Corps Monument

O-R

O-R
Ōdōtsu 117th Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
Ōdōtsu 117th Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
Ōi Naval Air Group Monument
Ōi Naval Air Group Monument
Ōita Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Ōita Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Ōita Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Takeoff Site Monument
Ōita Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Takeoff Site Monument
Ōita Special Attack Corps Monument
Ōita Special Attack Corps Monument
Okazaki Naval Air Group Monument
Okazaki Naval Air Group Monument
Ōsaka Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Ōsaka Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Ōtsushima Kaiten Monument
Ōtsushima Kaiten Monument
Ōurasaki Special Attack Base (P Base) Monument
Ōurasaki Special Attack Base (P Base) Monument
Ozuki Air Base Foundation of Peace Monument
Ozuki Air Base Foundation of Peace Monument

S

S
Saitama Special Attack Corps Monument
Saitama Special Attack Corps Monument
Sakudari Kannon Temple Wakazakura Kanzeon Bosatsu
Sakudari Kannon Temple Wakazakura Kanzeon Bosatsu
Sekiguchi Tokko Brothers Monument
Sekiguchi Tokko Brothers Monument
Sendai Pilot Training School Monument
Sendai Pilot Training School Monument
Seseraginoyu Ōka Monument
Seseraginoyu Ōka Monument
Setagaya Special Attack Peace Kannon
Setagaya Special Attack Peace Kannon
Shiga Naval Air Group Monument
Shiga Naval Air Group Monument
Shimizu Naval Air Group Monument
Shimizu Naval Air Group Monument
Shimoda Shin’yō and Kairyu Monument
Shimoda Shin’yō and Kairyu Monument
Shōdoshima Special Submarine Monument
Shōdoshima Special Submarine Monument
Shinshū Fumetsu Special Attack Squadron Monument
Shinshū Fumetsu Special Attack Squadron Monument
Special Attack Fleet Ryukon Monument
Special Attack Fleet Ryukon Monument
Special Submarine Base (Q Base) Monument
Special Submarine Base (Q Base) Monument
Submarine Crewmen Who Gave Lives for Country Monument
Submarine Crewmen Who Gave Lives for Country Monument

T

T
Takuma Naval Air Group Monument
Takuma Naval Air Group Monument
Tochigi Special Attack Corps Monument
Tochigi Special Attack Corps Monument
Tokunoshima Special Attack Peace Monument
Tokunoshima Special Attack Peace Monument
Tomitaka Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Sortie Site Monument
Tomitaka Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Sortie Site Monument
Tosashimizu 132nd Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
Tosashimizu 132nd Shin’yō Special Attack Squadron Monument
Toshio Shimao Literature Monument
Toshio Shimao Literature Monument
Tsuiki Kamikaze Ginga Squadron Sortie Site Monument
Tsuiki Kamikaze Ginga Squadron Sortie Site Monument
Tsukuba Naval Air Group Monument
Tsukuba Naval Air Group Monument
Tsukuba Naval Air Group Peace Monument
Tsukuba Naval Air Group Peace Monument

U-Z

U-Z
Urato Naval Air Group Monument
Urato Naval Air Group Monument
Usa Naval Air Group Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Monument
Usa Naval Air Group Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Monument
Usa Special Attack Monument
Usa Special Attack Monument
Wakayama Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Wakayama Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Yamaguchi Special Attack Corps Monument
Yamaguchi Special Attack Corps Monument
Yamanashi Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Yamanashi Gokoku Jinja Yokaren Monument
Yatabe Naval Air Group Monument
Yatabe Naval Air Group Monument
Yatabe Naval Air Group Pilot Statue and Guard Gate
Yatabe Naval Air Group Pilot Statue and Guard Gate
Yonago Pilot Training School Monument
Yonago Pilot Training School Monument
Youth Pilots’ Memorial Column
Youth Pilots’ Memorial Column
Yudonosan Kaiten Patriotism Monument
Yudonosan Kaiten Patriotism Monument
Zenkōji Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Monument
Zenkōji Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Monument
Zen’yōji Special Cadet Pilots Monument
Zen’yōji Special Cadet Pilots Monument

Lists

Lists
Type of Special Attack Corps
Type of Special Attack Corps

Internet

Internet
Air Group 4 - "Casablanca to Tokyo"
Air Group 4 - "Casablanca to Tokyo"
Aozora no hateni (To the blue sky’s end)
Aozora no hateni (To the blue sky’s end)
Junkoku no ishibumi (War Memorials)
Junkoku no ishibumi (War Memorials)
Kaiten Tokkōtai (Kaiten Special Attack Corps)
Kaiten Tokkōtai (Kaiten Special Attack Corps)
Tokkō (Special Attack Forces)
Tokkō (Special Attack Forces)
Yokaren Shiryoukan (Yokaren Museum)
Yokaren Shiryoukan (Yokaren Museum)

Other Forms

Other Forms

Chiran Speech Contest

Chiran Speech Contest
Junior High School Division
Junior High School Division
Special Attack Picture Postcards
Special Attack Picture Postcards
Tokkōbana (Kamikaze Flower)
Tokkōbana (Kamikaze Flower)

Writings

Writings

A-J

A-J

Ab-Ar

Ab-Ar

As-Fuj

As-Fuj

Fuk-G

Fuk-G

Ha

Ha

Hi-Ho

Hi-Ho

Ic-In

Ic-In

Is

Is

It-J

It-J

K-N

K-N

Ka-Kas

Ka-Kas

Kat-Ki

Kat-Ki

Koa-Kon

Koa-Kon

Kos-Ku

Kos-Ku

Ma-Mas

Ma-Mas

Mat-Min

Mat-Min

Mio-Miz

Mio-Miz

Mo-Mu

Mo-Mu

Nag

Nag

Nak

Nak

Nam-No

Nam-No

O-Z

O-Z

Og-Oi

Og-Oi

Ok-On

Ok-On

Os-Ot

Os-Ot

Sa

Sa

Se-Shim

Se-Shim

Shin-Su

Shin-Su

Tab-Tak

Tab-Tak

Tan-Tsu

Tan-Tsu

U

U

W

W

Yab-Yamag

Yab-Yamag

Yamam-Yamaw

Yamam-Yamaw

Yan-Yu

Yan-Yu

Books

Books
Gordon, Facing Death: Last Writings of Japanese Special Attack Corps Members
Gordon, Facing Death: Last Writings of Japanese Special Attack Corps Members
Kawatoko, The Mind of the Kamikaze
Kawatoko, The Mind of the Kamikaze
Lartéguy, The Sun Goes Down
Lartéguy, The Sun Goes Down
Nihon Senbotsu Gakusei Kinen-Kai, Listen to the Voices from the Sea
Nihon Senbotsu Gakusei Kinen-Kai, Listen to the Voices from the Sea
Ohnuki-Tierney, Kamikaze Diaries
Ohnuki-Tierney, Kamikaze Diaries
Todai Gakusei Jichi-kai, In the Faraway Mountains and Rivers
Todai Gakusei Jichi-kai, In the Faraway Mountains and Rivers
Yamashita, Leaves from an Autumn of Emergencies
Yamashita, Leaves from an Autumn of Emergencies

Thesis

Thesis
Excel file that supports thesis
Excel file that supports thesis

Links

Links

About Project

About Project
Kamikaze Images and Friendship Dolls
Kamikaze Images and Friendship Dolls
Final Project Paper (PDF file)
Final Project Paper (PDF file)

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Umi ni kieta 56nin (56 men who disappeared into the sea)
by Ochiho Shimahara
Dōshinsha, 1990, 247 pages
The 56 men who disappeared into the sea were Kamikaze Special Attack Corps
airmen from Tokushima Air Base who made nighttime sorties in two-man
Shiragiku trainers in May and June 1945. Kōchi Air Base also lost 52 airmen
in suicide attacks by Shiragiku (meaning "white chrysanthemum") trainers
during the same two months, but this book focuses on the story of the airmen
from Tokushima. The cover indicates that the book's audience is upper elementary
grades and above, but adults also could find value in this book with its
fascinating personal stories about Shiragiku kamikaze airmen rarely
covered in other books. However, despite interesting history and personal
stories, the book rambles with no clear direction in some parts, especially near
the end, but the author generally stays within the scope indicated by the book's
subtitle: Naval Special Attack Corps Tokushima Shiragiku Unit.
Five years before publication of this book, Ochiho Shimahara wrote another
children's book, entitled Shiroi kumo no kanata ni: Rikugun kōkū tokubetsu
kougekitai (To the distant white clouds: Army's aerial special attack
corps), about individual pilots who made sorties from Chiran Air Base. Her
interest in the Shiragiku Special Attack Unit came about as she wanted to know
more about why young men would be sent out in trainers on suicide attacks when
it was already known that Japan would lose Okinawa.
This history of the Tokushima Shiragiku Unit follows a similar pattern as the
author's first book, where Shimahara provides some background information in the
first part of the book, but most of the rest covers personal interviews in
somewhat desultory fashion. She interviews various Tokushima Shiragiku Unit
survivors and family members of men who died in attacks. At times the author's
strong anti-war sentiment shows through, although generally she objectively
presents the material. Some comments seem to be directed at her intended
audience of children, such as when she expresses her view that Japan was the
aggressor during World War II and that peace does not really exist today because
of the high military-related expenditures made by Japan (p. 177).
The Tokushima Air Base Shiragiku Unit made five separate attacks from Kushira
Air Base in southern Kyūshū, while the Kōchi Air Base Shiragiku Unit made their
sorties from Kanoya, just a short distance from Kushira. Chapter 3 covers the
sortie from Kushira of the 1st Tokushima Shiragiku Squadron on May 24, 1945, in
which 18 men in 9 trainers lost their lives. The 14 trainers in the 1st
Tokushima Shiragiku Squadron had to fly at night, since American fighters could
easily destroy the slow-moving planes that took about five hours to reach
Okinawa from southern Kyūshū. Three planes of the 1st Tokushima Shiragiku
Squadron returned to base due to engine or other mechanical problems, so
originally it was thought that 22 men in 11 trainers had died in attacks, but
some time afterward it was discovered that two planes made forced landings near
Iojima, a small island about 50 kilometers from Kyushu, and the crewmembers
survived. Chapter 5 describes the sorties of the 2nd and 3rd Squadrons on May 27
and 28, respectively, and Chapter 6 tells about the 4th and 5th Squadrons that
made sorties on June 21 and 25, respectively.
The author describes in Chapter 1 how she heard about the Shiragiku Special
Attack Squadrons and gives a brief overview of their training and final
missions. Chapters 2, 4 (somewhat misplaced between Chapter 3 on the 1st
Tokushima Shiragiku Squadron and Chapter 5 on the 2nd and 3rd Squadrons), and 7
give respectively some general background on WWII, naval training of pilots and
navigators, and the month when the war ended. Chapters 8 to 14 contain various
personal stories, although the first seven chapters also contain reminiscences
from many veterans interviewed for the book. Shimahara used family records of
the Tokushima Air Group Association to try to visit many family members of men who
had died in the kamikaze attacks of May and June 1945, and the last seven
chapters include their stories about the family members who died in the
attacks.
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Two Shiragiku trainers
just before takeoff (May 1945)
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Japanese sources (e.g., Tokkōtai Senbotsusha 1990, 205-10; Osuo 2005, 241-3)
indicate that only 55 men from the Tokushima Air Group died in special attacks
(tokkō in Japanese). The missing person from the lists is one pilot, Lieutenant
Junior Grade Yoshiyuki Tanigawa, of the 5th Tokushima Shiragiku Squadron that
made sorties from Kushira on June 25, 1945. When his plane ran out of fuel after
departing Kushira, he made a forced landing in the sea off Takarajima, a small
island about halfway between Kyushu and Okinawa. He died when his plane that hit
the water went up in flames and sank, but his plane's navigator, Lieutenant
Junior Grade Tokuichi Shikatani, managed to escape and make it to shore despite
having a dislocated shoulder. The Navy generally considered a person to have
died in a kamikaze special attack if the person died after taking off in an
aircraft designated for a special attack mission, but for some unknown reason
Tanigawa never received credit, including a two-grade promotion, for death in a
special attack. This fact troubled Shikatani even when the author interviewed
him over 40 years after the end of the war (p. 106), "Perhaps the way I made my
report was bad, and Tanigawa did not become a special attack death. Since he
boarded a special attack plane and was sent off, it is a special attack death.
Since he took off carrying a bomb, it is a special attack death wherever you
die." Despite Tanigawa not being credited with a special attack death, other men
who took off in planes designated for special attacks but who died in crash
landings were credited. For example, Flight Petty Officer 2nd Class Jun'ichi Yamagishi, pilot of a plane of the 3rd Tokushima Shiragiku Squadron, lost his
life in a forced landing near Iwotorishima and was credited with a special
attack death, but the plane's navigator Flight Petty Officer 2nd Class Shōji
Nakayama escaped with his life (pp. 83, 91). This inconsistent treatment may
have resulted from the timing of the reports from the surviving crewmen, or
it could be that the Navy did not have a detailed definition of special attack
death to cover a situation where a survivor in the same aircraft could report
that a crewman died but did not reach a designated battle area.
After Shikatani reached the shore of Takarajima despite his dislocated
shoulder, he was relieved to find the island occupied by Japanese. The small island had
a naval radar base, and the commander gave him food and treatment for his
wounds. A noncommissioned officer massaged his shoulder and put it in a splint.
When his hand could move and he felt his wounds had sufficiently healed, he
departed the island in a small boat with a sail provided by the islanders because
he wanted to return to Kushira Air Base. This was in the beginning of August
1945, more than one month from when he had crashed into the sea. He could not
sail during the day since American planes flew overhead, so at night he took the
boat from one small island to the next on his way back to Kyūshū. After more
than a month, he finally reached Makurazaki at the southern end of Kyūshū, but
he then found out that the war had already ended.
In addition to the account by Tokuichi Shikatani, Umi ni kieta 56nin
(56 men who disappeared into the sea) contains many other fascinating personal
stories based on the author's interviews. The author also visited the Kushira Naval Air
Base War Dead Memorial Tower, the place where the 56 men who perished took off
on their special attack missions. She also went to the Tokushima Air Base
Museum, which has photos and displays of other items about the Tokushima
Shiragiku Unit. The museum also has the Tokushima Air Group Memorial Kannon (Goddess of
Mercy), with a small Shiragiku crewman standing in her right palm, to remember
the 56 men who died in battle and other men of the Tokushima Air Group who died
in ways other than special attacks such as training accidents and American air
attacks on the base. Although this children's book wanders from topic
to topic in much the same way as Shimahara's first book on Chiran written five
years before, this history contains many captivating stories about the 56 men
from Tokushima Air Group who disappeared into the sea.
Sources Cited
Osuo, Kazuhiko. 2005. Tokubetsu kōgekitai no kiroku (kaigun
hen) (Record of special attack corps (Navy)). Tōkyō: Kōjinsha.
Tokkōtai Senbotsusha Irei
Heiwa Kinen Kyōkai (Tokkōtai Commemoration Peace Memorial Association). 1990.
Tokubetsu Kōgekitai (Special Attack Corps). Tōkyō: Tokkōtai Senbotsusha
Irei Heiwa Kinen Kyōkai.
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