“Tekketsu Kinno-tai (Student Corps of Blood and Iron for Emperor) and the friend killed on the spot in naval gunfire”
“Tekketsu Kinno-tai (Student Corps of Blood and Iron for Emperor) and the friend killed on the spot in naval gunfire”
Shoken Yoza, 87 years old
(Place of birth: Tsukazan, Haebaru Village, Okinawa Prefecture)
The international situation around Japan was so rough back then that the war could start any time. We spent days wondering how much longer we could enjoy peaceful times. On December 8, 1941, the Japanese Army attacked Pearl Harbor and the war started.
In March 1945, I graduated from my junior high school ahead of schedule. Although the junior high schools back then were run in a five-year system, we, the fourth-grade students, were pushed to graduate with the fifth-grade students and joined “Tekketsu Kinno-tai”, 1st company. “Tekketsu Kinno-tai” was practically part of the army and we all were provided with uniforms. “Tekketsu Kinno-tai” was divided into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd platoons and I was assigned to the 2nd platoon. The 1st platoon consisted of about ten school teachers, including the principal, led by the company commander, Army Lieutenant Shinohara. The 2nd platoon consisted of the students supported by some local soldiers. The 3rd platoon has the same composition as the 2nd platoon.
In 1942, 1943 and 1944, we seldom had classes at school. We were busy with building encampments for the Japanese Army and “Entai-go” (which was surrounded by piled-up soil to hide the airplanes) to protect the Japanese airplanes at Naha Airport from air raids. It was not a regular airplane shed, it was an outdoor storage area with soil piled up around it and we hid the airplanes in it.
The 10-10 air raid burnt down most of Naha City. At that time, there were many Japanese soldiers coming into Naha City from China, but we did not have enough buildings to accommodate the soldiers. As a result, our school buildings were requisitioned by the Japanese Army and there simply was no chance to have classes at school.
On March 28, 1945, we had a graduation ceremony. On March 25, 1945, the American Forces landed on the Kerama Islands, lying off shore of Naha City. They landed on Zamami Island, built batteries on Kamiyama Island lying between the Kerama Islands and mainland Okinawa and started firing toward mainland Okinawa. We could not do anything during the daytime.
The American soldiers took a one-hour rest for dinner. They stopped firing for dinner, but then they started firing again afterwards. Therefore, when we were having the graduation ceremony, we were in a situation where we were not sure when we would be bombarded. We covered all our lanterns throughout the ceremony to prevent the light from shining through because the Americans would find us otherwise.
We had many Awamori (a distilled liquor made from rice) brewers in Sakiyama Town located to the east of current Shuri-Castle. I was ordered to go there and bring some Awamori back, even though it was not a safe place to go to. When I finished scooping the liquor into the container I carried with me and was about to head back, the Americans started bombing.
The Americans had an explosive called shrapnel. It was a very deadly explosive as it exploded 100 m or 200 m above the ground and shot numerous shell splinters all over the place. When I finished scooping the liquor and was leaving the brewery, the shrapnel started exploding. I immediately ran away holding the container full of liquor over my shoulder. When I returned, there wasn’t any liquor left in the container.
Some of the members of Tekketsu Kinno-tai were ordered to go to Kyozuka in Urasoe and reconnect broken wires. It was a dangerous mission as well, since the Americans had already come very close to us.
One day, I was suddenly discharged from Tekketsu Kinno-tai by the company commander. Since we were running short on rationed food due to the American bombing, we were told by the commander, “Because we do not have enough food to distribute to you all, I will let some of you go home. As I am giving a priority to those of you who are not confident in your physical strength, raise your hand.” However, none of us raised a hand. Although, I believe, all of us wanted to raise our hands and go home, no one did. Then the commander said, “Well, I understand. Then I will call your names and those who are called, step forward,” and I was one of nineteen members who were called.
After being discharged, I joined my mother and others in Tamagusuku in the south of mainland Okinawa. However, a few days later, Tamagusuku was under concentrated fire. I believe that it was the naval gunfire from the American warships deployed off-shore of Nakagusuku Bay and Yonabaru We were under naval gunfire for about an hour. All trees were struck down and the surface of Ryukyu limestones turned white due to the gunfire. I cannot believe that we survived the gunfire, but one of my classmates, who was there right beside me, was shot through the head and died. Some people were killed just like that.
(Looking back at the war)
I am still wondering why we did a stupid thing like that. Through foreign diplomacy, we need to prevent war at any cost. I am puzzled why Japan did not try to avoid going to war. I believe that the Navy was against the war and it may be the Army that acted unreasonably and led us to war.
Did you know what Isoroku Ymamoto in the Navy said back then? He said, “We will do our best to continue fighting the war for one year or so.” I want to say, “What in the world are you saying?” It sounds extremely irresponsible. Just look at Okinawa, where people have continuously faced hardships as the consequences of the war ever since the start of the war.
I want to tell the generations who have never experienced war how horrible and fruitless war is. I want the generations who have never experienced war to give more serious thought to what needs to be done to establish true peace.
Shoken Yoza, 87 years old
(Place of birth: Tsukazan, Haebaru Village, Okinawa Prefecture)
The international situation around Japan was so rough back then that the war could start any time. We spent days wondering how much longer we could enjoy peaceful times. On December 8, 1941, the Japanese Army attacked Pearl Harbor and the war started.
In March 1945, I graduated from my junior high school ahead of schedule. Although the junior high schools back then were run in a five-year system, we, the fourth-grade students, were pushed to graduate with the fifth-grade students and joined “Tekketsu Kinno-tai”, 1st company. “Tekketsu Kinno-tai” was practically part of the army and we all were provided with uniforms. “Tekketsu Kinno-tai” was divided into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd platoons and I was assigned to the 2nd platoon. The 1st platoon consisted of about ten school teachers, including the principal, led by the company commander, Army Lieutenant Shinohara. The 2nd platoon consisted of the students supported by some local soldiers. The 3rd platoon has the same composition as the 2nd platoon.
In 1942, 1943 and 1944, we seldom had classes at school. We were busy with building encampments for the Japanese Army and “Entai-go” (which was surrounded by piled-up soil to hide the airplanes) to protect the Japanese airplanes at Naha Airport from air raids. It was not a regular airplane shed, it was an outdoor storage area with soil piled up around it and we hid the airplanes in it.
The 10-10 air raid burnt down most of Naha City. At that time, there were many Japanese soldiers coming into Naha City from China, but we did not have enough buildings to accommodate the soldiers. As a result, our school buildings were requisitioned by the Japanese Army and there simply was no chance to have classes at school.
On March 28, 1945, we had a graduation ceremony. On March 25, 1945, the American Forces landed on the Kerama Islands, lying off shore of Naha City. They landed on Zamami Island, built batteries on Kamiyama Island lying between the Kerama Islands and mainland Okinawa and started firing toward mainland Okinawa. We could not do anything during the daytime.
The American soldiers took a one-hour rest for dinner. They stopped firing for dinner, but then they started firing again afterwards. Therefore, when we were having the graduation ceremony, we were in a situation where we were not sure when we would be bombarded. We covered all our lanterns throughout the ceremony to prevent the light from shining through because the Americans would find us otherwise.
We had many Awamori (a distilled liquor made from rice) brewers in Sakiyama Town located to the east of current Shuri-Castle. I was ordered to go there and bring some Awamori back, even though it was not a safe place to go to. When I finished scooping the liquor into the container I carried with me and was about to head back, the Americans started bombing.
The Americans had an explosive called shrapnel. It was a very deadly explosive as it exploded 100 m or 200 m above the ground and shot numerous shell splinters all over the place. When I finished scooping the liquor and was leaving the brewery, the shrapnel started exploding. I immediately ran away holding the container full of liquor over my shoulder. When I returned, there wasn’t any liquor left in the container.
Some of the members of Tekketsu Kinno-tai were ordered to go to Kyozuka in Urasoe and reconnect broken wires. It was a dangerous mission as well, since the Americans had already come very close to us.
One day, I was suddenly discharged from Tekketsu Kinno-tai by the company commander. Since we were running short on rationed food due to the American bombing, we were told by the commander, “Because we do not have enough food to distribute to you all, I will let some of you go home. As I am giving a priority to those of you who are not confident in your physical strength, raise your hand.” However, none of us raised a hand. Although, I believe, all of us wanted to raise our hands and go home, no one did. Then the commander said, “Well, I understand. Then I will call your names and those who are called, step forward,” and I was one of nineteen members who were called.
After being discharged, I joined my mother and others in Tamagusuku in the south of mainland Okinawa. However, a few days later, Tamagusuku was under concentrated fire. I believe that it was the naval gunfire from the American warships deployed off-shore of Nakagusuku Bay and Yonabaru We were under naval gunfire for about an hour. All trees were struck down and the surface of Ryukyu limestones turned white due to the gunfire. I cannot believe that we survived the gunfire, but one of my classmates, who was there right beside me, was shot through the head and died. Some people were killed just like that.
(Looking back at the war)
I am still wondering why we did a stupid thing like that. Through foreign diplomacy, we need to prevent war at any cost. I am puzzled why Japan did not try to avoid going to war. I believe that the Navy was against the war and it may be the Army that acted unreasonably and led us to war.
Did you know what Isoroku Ymamoto in the Navy said back then? He said, “We will do our best to continue fighting the war for one year or so.” I want to say, “What in the world are you saying?” It sounds extremely irresponsible. Just look at Okinawa, where people have continuously faced hardships as the consequences of the war ever since the start of the war.
I want to tell the generations who have never experienced war how horrible and fruitless war is. I want the generations who have never experienced war to give more serious thought to what needs to be done to establish true peace.
