felt better. Yet is detaching oneself from life really possible?
In any case, it seems that they were all optimistic. They volunteered, believing their
death might save their family, the ones they loved, and Japan. However, as a student
investigating fifty years after the events, it was not possible for me to understand exactly
how the pilots had felt towards their mission.
Appendix One
The Different Pilots' Training Schools in The Imperial Army Where the Kamikaze Pilots
Were Trained
The Youth Pilot Training School
The students who had graduated from the Youth Pilot Training schools had the
best flying skills of the Imperial Army. This schooling system had begun in 1933,
and lasted until the end of the Pacific War. The age range that was accepted into
this school was between 14 and 17. Originally, the time spent in the school was
three years. One year of general education in Tokyo and two years of
specialized education in various parts of Japan. However, by the end of the war,
the students of the 15th term were trained in only a year and 8 months and were
made into soldiers just in time for the Okinawa Tokko.
Candidates for Second Lieutenant
Non-commissioned officers whose excellence was recognized were educated in
the Air Corps Academy. Because of their experience and career, their skill was
of a high level.
Imperial Army Air Corps Academy
Students who had completed the four-year course of Middle School or the
Higher Elementary School took an examination to enter. They became civil
servants who had decided to work in the Army. Graduates of the 56th and 57th
term were involved in the Okinawa Tokko.
Pilot Trainee
The pilot trainees had to have a pilot's license, and had to be an Officer
Candidate. After one month in a squadron, they received six months of flight
training in the Imperial Army Air Corps Academy of Kumagaya, and after six
months as probationary Officer, became Second Lieutenants. Among the
students of the Ninth term, there were graduates of the Higher Pilot training
schools.
Flight Officer Candidates
Officer candidates consisted of drafted men with at least Middle School
education. After four months of preliminary education, a test was taken. If they
passed the test, they received the required education for officers, and if found fit
for the position were ranked as Higher Officer Candidates. After serving as
probationary officers, they were ranked as Second Lieutenants. If they were not
found fit as an officer, they became the Lower Officer Candidates and became
non-commissioned officers. Those who had the interest in flying received training
with the Special Flight Officer Probationary Cadet in the Imperial Air Corps
Academy. The students of the 7th, 8th, and 9th term were involved in the
Okinawa Tokko.
Special Flight Officer Probationary Cadets
This was for the college students drafted into the war by the Gakuto Shutsujin
who were interested in the Air Corps. The 1st term entered in October 1943,
the 2nd in December 1943, and the 3rd in June 1944. They were made into
Second Lieutenants in one year, half a year earlier than planned. One sixth of the
entire Okinawa Tokko of the Army was made up of these 312 cadets.
Pilot Training Schools
This was not an institution belonging to the Army, but belonged to the Ministry of
Communications. However, the content was almost the same. There were
twelve of these schools and the students were separated into the regular course
and flight training course. Students of fourteen to fifteen years old entered the
regular course. After three years of regular education, the students received one
year of flight training which the students of the flight training course had
completed. To enter the flight training school from the beginning, an educational
background of more than Middle School graduation was required. 108 of the
graduates died in the Okinawa Tokko.
Appendix Two
The 72nd Shinbu Squadron
Many of the Kamikaze pilots mentioned in the Essay were pilots of the 72nd Shinbu-tai
of the Imperial Army. The following are pilots of the squadron:
Title Name Age at Departure
Captain:
First Lieutenant Mutsuo Sato 24
Sergeant Nobuyoshi Nishikawa
Sergeant Kazuo Arai 21
Corporal Yukio Araki 17
Corporal Tsutomu Hayakawa 19
Corporal Kairyu Kanamoto
Corporal Atsunobu Sasaki
Corporal Kaname Takahashi 18
Corporal Mineyoshi Takahashi 17
Corporal Masato Hisanaga 20
Corporal Toshio Chizaki 19
Corporal Takamasa Senda 19
This squadron was formed on January 30, 1945 as the 113 Educational Flight Corps,
then was transformed to the 23rd Rensei Flight Corps. On March 30, 1945, the same
unit was renamed the 72nd Shinbu Squadron. (Shinbu refers to the squadrons of the
Imperial Army which made the suicide attacks by aircraft.) They were stationed in
Heijo, what is now P'yongyan of North Korea. From March 25, 1944, they were in
Kagamihara, Gifu prefecture for about one month. Before the mission in May, the unit
returned to Kyushu, and stayed in Metabaru, for a few days, and flew over to Bansei
Air Base. Their attack was first planned to be made on May 20, 1945, however it was
postponed to May 27, 1945 due to rainy weather.
Of the twelve pilots, three did not depart for the suicide attack. Corporal Atsunobu
Sasaki was killed by an American P-51 on May 2, 1945 in China. On the same day,
Sergeant Nobuyoshi Nishikawa was injured, and could not take part in the mission.
The aircraft of Kairyu Kanamoto malfunctioned on the day of their mission, and could
not take off. The remaining nine made their mission from Bansei Air Base at 6:00 a.m.,
May 27, 1945.
Appendix Three
The Research Method
The first time I learned of this topic was in August, 1992. It was the time when I went
with my parents to Japan and visited manmuseums and talked to many people whose
age varied from12 to 60 and they have told me many stories about war.
There, a great number of primary sources and photographs were displayed, which
made me even more interested in the topic.
Since the summer of 1992, the collection of information started, with no academic
purpose. In 1993, the book Rikugun Saigo no Tokko Kichi by Shichiro Naemura
was published. This book was about the Kamikaze pilots who departed from Bansei
Air Base.
That summer of 1993 was crucial to my interest in the Kamikaze pilots. First, I visited
Chiran Tokko Heiwa Kaikan again on August 21, and looked in more detail at the
letters, diaries and photographs of the pilots. The photographs were extremely inspiring
in a sense, since in none of them were the pilots showing an expression of fatigue, or
regret. Most of them were smiling.
On the same night, I decided to spend the evening at "Tomiya Ryokan" which is what
used to be the small restaurant Ms. Tome Torihama ran during the war, and which the
Kamikaze pilots used frequently. There were several photographs of the Kamikaze
pilots remaining there. Mr. Yoshikiyo Torihama, the grandson of Ms. Tome Torihama,
talked to me about many episodes concerning the last evening the pilots visited the
restaurant.
Since May 1993 I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to organize my thoughts
and information on this topic.
This essay was extremely interesting and, above all, meaningful for me. The
members of the older generation who I interviewed encouraged and supported me
tremendously.
Appendix Four
The following are those who have supported and encouraged my research for the
Extended Essay: (in alphabetical order)
Mr. Seiichi Araki
Mr. Tadamasa Itatsu
Ms. Itsuko Kai
Mrs. Masako Kai
Mr. Kyoichi Kamei
Mrs. Fusako Manabe
Mr. Ryo Matsunaga
Mr. Shiniro Nagao
Mr. Tadashi Nakajima
Mr. Glenn Scoggins
Mr. Tohshio Senda
Mr. Yasuo Takahashi
Mr. Yoshikiyo Torihama
Mr. Akira Yamami