Recollections of Taiwan.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  KAWAGUCHI, Takeshi　

It obtains from Ms Nonaka's diary, and a Toomurag instructor (a name comes out to 
here and there of a diary). It was a time of my creating the list of names of Kobi 
flight corps three years ago. It remembers read this diary and ancient times and was 
filled with deep emotion. A Toomura instructor is the friend who was working together 
in Kobi flight corps.

I wished to read and obtain this diary also in the bereaved family of the persons 
concerned or classmates very much. Then, Ms Nakano was looked for in order to get 
permit of publication. She is after returning to an inland. It heard that it was 
carried out by the teacher of a Kagoshima Thurumaru high school, and requested to 
contact to the classmate who lives in the Ibusuki city, and Mr. Hamada.                                     
 
However, she had already died. If it understands also for a relative's address was 
thought, and the hometown etc.  was looked for. However, there was no key.

Publication was requested from Mr. Nagasue in order to have many people read this 
precious diary. Her permission has not been obtained. It is believed that it is never 
a thing contrary to the deceased's will to exhibit a diary, and to read and obtain to 
the persons concerned.

The "SINTEN Kamikaze party", indicated by this diary, Mr. Torii and Mr. Kuroiwa are 
the relations in which training was received together from basic trainee of Kagoshima 
flight corps to flight trainee of Shanghai flight corps. They were assigned to 12 flight 
corps of Tsudoumo air base after ending flight trainee.

Moreover, Mr. Sibata, Mr. Fukumoto besides Mr. Othuzi, and I were assigned to Kobi 
flight corps from Shanghai flight corps. And four persons who became a Kamikaze member 
met again by Giran air base. I think that old friendship was renewed mutually.

In this diary, not woman-like language is describing only one place.
"Commander Tamai, chicken shit!"
This is the language of a protest as hard as possible which she performed to the 
commander. Receive the commander ordered to be killed in war to a naive young man.

Kobi flight corps who trains the pilot of airplane. newly opened in the State of 
Tainan on May 15, 1944. The KOOHI 13 term student was mainly trained. Operation training 
was stopped on February 15, 1945. Therefore, Kobi flight corps was dispersed.

The trainee returned to the inland safely. However, "NANKINMARU" was sunk by submarine 
of U.S.Navy. It was the night on March 17 which departed from the Kiirun harbor. Therefore, 
our load sank in the sea at about 50 officers who boarded this ship, about 20 instructors, 
and it.
When a ship sank, there were not those who were rescued. This is the talk of Mr. Kofukada 
of a classmate and Mr. Maeda. They were taking the advantage of the coastal defense warship
which was being guarded.

We 20 instructors took the advantage of Douglas from the Sinchiku air base, and returned 
to the inland. Other 15 instructors were going to return from the Taihoku air base.

However, the attack of Grumman was received just as picked-up Douglas ended oil supply. 
It became impossible therefore, to fly. Therefore, it returned to the Kobi air base again. 
There were Mr. Sibata and Mr. Fukumoto in this.

They joined those who remained in winding-up of pending affairs, and went to Tainan flight 
corps. Then, it was admitted in the "Kamikaze strategy" and participated in "Kamikaze 
THUSEI Kamikaze party." And it disappeared in the sky.

After Kobi flight corps broke up, the "Kamikaze party" was composed with the middle 
training plane which we used for training. The activity of the "No3 RUUKO Kamikaze party" 
which sortied on July 29 wants to emphasize especially in it.

Although this party was a training plane with the slow speed called "red dragonfly", 
it sank destroyer Callaghan(DD-792) of the U.S.Navy. Moreover, damage was inflicted also 
on Prichett(DD-561), Cassin Young(DD-793), and Horace A. Bass(APD-124). This is indicated 
by the official score of the United States.

Many classmates who graduated from flight trainee of Shanghai flight corps are assigned 
to 12 flight corps. this flight corps was in the Tsudoumo air base of the Saigon suburbs.
Then, they moved to Taiwan. and The "SINTEN Kamikaze party" was composed It sortied at 
the outskirts of Okinawa from the Giran air base or the Hsinchiku air base. And they 
disappeared in the sky.

The fighter of "SINTEN Kamikaze party."
Explanation of two sequences from before. The second person is Mr. Shibata from the left.
A right end is Mr. Fukumoto.

Picture of the late Mr. Fukumoto.

The next classmate did the kamikaze sortie. From the Giran air base and the Shinthiku 
air base.　
　　　　　　　　　　     
May 3, 1945. 
SHINTEN Party. bombers model 99 (Sinthiku) TAKATHUZI, Banri (Fukuoka, 18 years old)
SHINTEN Party. bombers model 99 (Sinthiku) TANAKA, Yoshimithu (Miyazaki, 18 years old)

May 7, 1945.
SHINTEN Party. bombers model 99 (Sinthiku) TISHIDA, Yoshinobu (Miyazaki, 17 years old)

May 9, 1945.
SHINTEN Party. bombers model 99 (Giran) TORII, Makoto (Kumamoto, 17 years old)
SHINTEN Party. bombers model 99 (Giran) KUROIWA, Yoshito (Fukuoka, 17 years old)

May 13, 1945. 
SHINTEN Party. attack model 97 (Sinthiku) OOMAGARI, Shigetaka (Fukuoka, 18 years old)
TYUSEI Party. bombers model 96 (Giran) FUKUMOTO, Kiyonori (Kagoshima, 18 years old)
TYUSEI Party. bombers model 96 (Giran) SHIBATA, Masasato (Koothi, 18 years old)

May 15, 1945.
SHINTEN Party. attack model 97 (Sinthiku) SHIMAMOTO, Yoshiharu (Kagoshima, 18 years old)
SHINTEN Party. attack model 97 (Sinthiku) OBARA, Tathuo (Kagoshima, 17 years old)

May 29, 1945.
SHINTEN Party. attack model 97 (Sinthiku) ITOO, Nobutelu (Fukuoka, 18 years old)


(Translation May 20, 2003)