Authors: Japanese Reaping the Whirlwind: Personal Accounts of the German,Italian Experiences of WW II
Bunroku Yamamoto was an engineer on the Uranami, one of eight destroyers protecting a convoy of cargo vessels carrying some 20,000 men destined for Lae in New Guinea. On 2 March 1943 it was attacked by some 280 Allied aircraft in the Dampier Strait between New Britain and Umboi Island.
The attack continued for around 13 minutes … The greater part of the Japanese destroyers and convoy were in flames and sinking. Those in the water were crying for help. At first, we lowered ropes and pulled them up. However, this method did not progress satisfactorily. We then used the boats which had been assigned to us. These were collapsible, made from two plywood sections, the bow and stern, which were joined. An engine was attached to the stern, which I operated. We were carrying out rescue work when another air attack occurred.
There were three Allied air attacks that day. The 20 Japanese fighters assigned to protect the ships were hopelessly outnumbered and the entire convoy, with the exception of two destroyers, was sunk. Of the 200 men on his collapsible, Yamamoto was the only survivor.
Another survivor from the convoy was Takeo Yamagisawa. With the help of a lifebelt, he made it ashore after 11 days at sea.
The island was a place where walking was impossible due to the steep, stony cliffs. I was found by the natives who showed me where to get water. I had to eat the same food as the natives. They fed me enough but it was of no use as Japanese need rice, so I was in a weak physical condition, barely able to walk. I stayed with the natives for about half a year when the Allied forces arrived and told the natives they were not supposed to hide any Japanese. After that, they did not take care of me. I left the natives and went to an area that was grassy and slept there … I was betrayed and taken to the Australians by the natives. I could not resist as I was weak and had malaria. They took me to a barter station. There I was given malaria medicine and had my hair cut and washed.
Uchiro Watanabe from Ikeda, Hiroshima prefecture, was also captured after being shipwrecked and in a diary written in a messenger’s book taken in Singapore in 1942 he outlined his ordeal:
3 March 1943: Our convoy was attacked by 40 enemy planes in formation at 0800 hours. Almost all of the ships were sunk and the troops aboard dispersed in all directions. Seven of us were able to reach a collapsible boat, which was strafed by enemy planes two hours later. We gave up all hope of life then, but nothing happened.
4 March: The sea was very calm today. Checked the provisions carried by each man. We found that we had four canteens filled with water, six pieces of compressed food, eight cans, nine bars of sweet paste, four bags of condiments, four bags of dried noodles and one can of oranges. To avoid the danger of exposing ourselves to enemy air raids, we tried to get out of the tidal current. We improvised two oars, one with the shovel we had picked up.
5 March: We were hoping that we might be rescued by dawn but we were disappointed. We now faced a shortage of water. I ordered the others to drink some water if necessary. We sighted a triangular island on the horizon to the south. We did our best to reach this island, but due to lack of water and the direct rays of the sun, we became weak as time went on. Two men at a time rowed in one-hour spells, day and night.
6 March: We neared the island considerably, after pulling hard since yesterday without rest or water. By this time, our mouths were so dry that the spittle hardly formed. And then, as if by the grace of Heaven, a squall came. We filled up the four canteens with water. A smile was now seen on the face of each man. We gave thanks to God, and gained confidence in ourselves that we might be able to land today. However we were afraid that it might turn out to be a hostile island or may be uninhabited, so we planned to land at night. Although we did our best to reach the island, we could not do so despite our hard work the whole night long.
7 March: We hoped to reach the island at 2pm. We met an enemy patrol plane, but nothing happened. We were surprised to meet Sergeants Makamura and Saikawa and others – nine men in total – on landing on the island. They all looked healthy, unlike we seven. The chief of the natives informed us that this island is located to the west of the strait between New Guinea and the island of New Britain. We gave unwanted things to the chief. He was so pleased that in return he gave us ten coconuts. Because of the strict want over the island, we planned to leave for the second destination five days later. In the daytime, we prepared for our next stop in the jungle and collected food.
But they were not to move on. That day, 7 March 1943, Uchiro Watanabe was captured and taken to Port Hennessy. He had been lucky. A Japanese soldier captured on Goodenough Island in March 1943 recalled being attacked while in the water:
Blast from bursting bombs was felt up to a kilometre away and shook the body heavily. Concussion from bombs bursting in water was much worse, as it travelled through the water and administered a sickening jar to the abdomen. Allied bombing of life rafts was responsible for many deaths from water concussion and was certainly a primary factor in lowering the resistance of men clinging to life rafts.
Making it through the Dampier Strait to New Guinea offered no safe haven, as another captured diary revealed:
26 May: Since our landing the enemy has had command of the air. It has been a tragic three months. During that period the enemy airplanes have dominated the skies over our lines appearing as often as ten times a day and never less than three times, either by daylight or by night. Many of us were exasperated to the pitch of cold fury at this and were thirsting for vengeance …
Allied air superiority after the Battle of Midway was a constant scourge to Japanese soldiers in the Pacific. As early as November 1942, a diarist in Giruwa noted: ‘Today’s bombing was so terrific I did not feel as if I was alive.’ And an infantryman on New Georgia recalled:
I will remember this New Year under the title of the ‘American New Year’! The unceasing Boeings, North Americans and Airocobras! Regardless of what one might say, the Boeing is the seed of trouble and agony. Three and a half hours of bombing during the night affected my nerves.
The strafing was just as bad as the bombing. A prisoner from Cape Wampun said that ‘bullets seemed to search for a soldier until they hit him’. Another soldier recorded:
The enemy air raids are terrible. I can’t lift my head because of the fierce bombing and strafing. I eat potatoes and live in a hole and cannot speak in a loud voice. I live the life of a mud rat or some similar creature.
As the Allies tightened the noose around the Japanese air base at Rabaul on New Britain, the situation grew desperate. ‘Every day we have raids,’ wrote one Japanese serviceman. ‘If there are none during the day, they come at night. It is becoming unbearable.’ ‘Everyone has a helpless feeling,’ wrote another. And it was taking its toll:
The majority of soldiers were rattled by air raids. As soon as the sound of planes was heard, all rushed to trenches and shelters and cupped their hands over their ears.
At Arawe Island to the south of New Britain, a private wrote during a raid: ‘I expect this will be the end of my diary writing.’ It was. And there was worse to come, as a superior private at Kamiri recorded:
In preparing for enemy landings, we are conserving ammunition rather than expending it in fighting enemy aeroplane attacks; hence the enemy planes bomb and strafe us from very low altitudes. I would like to go back home once more, and in one piece. Many others have voiced similar thoughts.
In Burma, the RAF dominated the skies. A diary captured there said:
Today the enemy aircraft came over twice. According to an old soldier, that is the smallest number of raids that we had so far in a day … Today the weather has been fine and the enemy has given us no rest at all, bombing and machine-gunning divisional headquarters throughout the day. If this continues we shall soon want to be withdrawn. I started praying that all was well with the family at home … Rain stopped play this morning, but the weather cleared up in the afternoon and the bombers concentrated on the steel bridge to our rear for four and a half hours. I have lost count of the number of times that the bridge has been bombed. If only we had some aircraft of our own we could ward off the majority of these attacks … I get so scared when we are being bombed that I would do anything to get home to my wife and family.
Under constant air attack, those in the front line clutched at straws:
Newspapers in Japan publish such slogans as ‘one more plane’, ‘send at least one more plane to the front’. Being in the front line I realize the reason for this. I pray that people on the home front will exceed American and British production. Enemy aircraft have come again and are circling overhead. They will probably bomb us.
The Japanese had captured the American islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians on 7 June 1942. The following year the US decided to take them back. On 1 June a diary was taken from the body of a dead Japanese medical officer, who had studied in California for five years to became a doctor. His diary records the fall of Attu.
12 May: 0155. Carrier-based plane flew over. We fired at it. There is a fog and the summit is clear. We evacuated to the summit. Air raids carried out frequently until we heard gun noise. It is naval gun firing. Prepared battle equipment. Information, American transports, about 41, began landing at Hakkai Missaki. Twenty boats landed at Massacre Bay and it seems that they are going to unload heavy equipment. Day’s activities: Air raid, naval gun firing, landing of US forces.
13 May: Battle. The US forces landed at Shiba Deia and Massacre Bay, and the enemy has advanced to the bottom of the Misumi Yama from Shiba Deia. We have engaged them. On the other hand, Massacre Bay is defended by only one platoon, but upon the unexpected attack the AA machine cannon was destroyed and we have withdrawn. In a night attack we have captured 20 enemy rifles. There is mountain artillery gun firing. Approximately 15 patients came in the field hospital attached to the Arai Engineer Unit.
14 May: Battle. Our two submarines from Kiska assisting us have greatly damaged enemy ships. First Lieutenant Suy Uki died from shots from rifle. Continuous flow of wounded in the field hospital. In the evening the US Forces used gas but no damage was done on account of the strong wind. We took refuge in the trenches in the daytime and took care of the patients during bombardment. Enemy strength must be up to a division. Our desperate defence is holding up well.
15 May: Battle. Continuous flow of casualties in our field hospital caused by the fierce bombardment of enemy land and naval forces. The enemy has a great number of Negroes and Indians. The West Arm Unit have withdrawn to near Shitagata Dai. In a raid I was ordered to West Arm but it was called off. I just lay down from fatigue. The facial expression of soldiers back from West Arm is serious. They all went back to the firing line soon.
16 May: Battle. If Shitagata Dai is occupied by the enemy, the fate of the West Arm is decided, so we burnt documents and prepared to destroy patients. At that moment, there was an order from the Sector Unit hospital to proceed to Chichagof Harbour by way of Unanose. At 0100 in the morning I accompanied patients. There was an air raid so we took refuge in the former field hospital cave. The guns of a Lockheed spat fire as it flew by our cave.
17 May: Battle. At night, about 1800, under cover of darkness, left the cave. The stretcher went over muddy road and the steep hill of no-man’s land. No matter how far or how much we went, we did not get to the pass. We were rather irritated in the fog by the thought of getting lost and we sat down every 20 or 30 paces. Would have liked to sleep, dream and wake up again – and do the same thing over again. The patient on the stretcher does not move and has frostbite. After all the effort, we met up with Commander Colon Yamasaki. The pass is straight and narrow, falling steeply towards Chichagof Harbour. Sitting on the butt and sliding the feet, I slid very smoothly, changing direction with my sword. It takes ten minutes to slide down. We were straggling by the time we reached Chichagof Harbour ward. It took about nine hours. We set up a field hospital. Walking is now extremely difficult due to rheumatism in the left knee that reappeared in the pass.
18 May: Battle. At night, there was a phone call from the Sector Unit hospital. In some spots on the beach there were some friendly float-type planes waiting. I went to Attu village church, which seemed to be someone’s home as there were blankets scattered around. I was told to translate a field order which was thought to have come from an enemy officer in Massacre Bay. I was ordered to execute a detailed sketch map of Massacre Bay and Holtz Bay which was in the possession of Captain Robert J. Edward, Adjutant of Colonel Smith. I got tired and went to sleep. First Lieutenant Hijio is also in charge of translation.
20 May: Battle. The hard fighting of our 303rd Brigade at Massacre Bay is fierce and it is to our advantage. We have captured enemy weapons and have used them to fight. We shot ten enemy closing in under the cover of fog. Five of our enlisted men and one medical NCO died. Enemy pilots’ faces seen around Unanose. The enemy naval gun firing near our hospital wards is fierce and drops around 20 metres away.
21 May: Battle. We were strafed while I was amputating a patient’s arm. It is the first time since moving over to Chichagof Bay that I moved into an air-raid shelter. The nervousness of our CO is severe and he has said his last words to his officers and NCOs that he will die tomorrow and gave all his possessions away. Hasty chap this fellow. The officers became desperate and things became disorderly.
22 May: 0600. Air raid again. Strafing killed one medical man. Akeyaki was wounded in the right thigh and has a fractured arm. During the night a mortar shell came awfully close.
23 May: Battle. Seventeen friendly medium naval bombers destroyed a cruiser off-shore. But naval gun fire hit the pole of the patients’ tent and killed two instantly. From 0200 in the morning until 1600 we stayed in foxholes. Officers and men alike suffered in the frost. Everybody looked around for food and stole everything they could find.
24 May: Battle. It sleeted and was extremely cold. I stayed in the Hisume barracks alone. A great number of shells were dropped by naval gunfire, and rocks and mud flew around causing the roof to collapse. In a foxhole, about 5m away, Haysaka, a medical man, died instantly when shrapnel penetrated his heart.
25 May: Battle. Naval gunfire shook the earth when the Kisimi Barracks blew up. Consciousness has become vague. One tent burnt down after a direct hit by an incendiary bomb. My room looks like an awful mess from the sandbags that come down from the roof. Hirese, first lieutenant of the Medical Corps, was wounded. There was a ceremony of the granting of the Imperial Edict. The last line at Unanose was broken through. No hope of reinforcements. Well for the cause of the Imperial Edict.
27 May: Battle. Diarrhoea continues. The pain is severe. I took a number of pills, then slept pretty well. Planes strafed us. Roff broke through. There was less than 1,000 left from more than 2,000 troops – wounded from the coastal defence unit field hospital headquarters, the post office and the rest in the front lines.
28 May: Battle. We only have two days’ rations left. Our artillery has been completely destroyed. There is a sound of trench mortar also of anti-aircraft guns. The company at the bottom of Attu has been completely annihilated except one. I wonder if Commander Yenagawa and some of the men are still living. Other companies have been completely annihilated except for one or two men.
The 303rd Brigade has been defeated. Yenagawa is still holding Ananous. There are many cases of suicide. Half the Sector Unit Headquarters has been blown away. I gave 400 shots of morphine to the severely wounded to kill them. Ate half fried thistle. It is the first time I have eaten anything fresh in six months. It is a delicacy. Orders came from the Sector Commander to move the field hospital to the island, but it was called off.
29 May: Today at 2000 we assembled in the front of headquarters. The field hospital took part too. The last assault is to be carried out. All patients in the hospital were made to commit suicide. Only 33 years old and I am to die here. I have no regrets. Banzai to the Emperor, I am grateful I have kept peace in my soul. At 1800 took care of all the patients with grenades. Goodbye Taeke, my beloved wife who loved me to the last. Until we meet again grant you God speed. Misaka who just became four years old will grow up unhindered. I feel sorry for you. Tokika, born February of this year and gone without seeing your father. Be good Mataur, brother Kachair, Sukechen Masachan, Mitlicher, goodbye. The number participating in this attack is a little over 1,000 to take enemy artillery positions. It seems that the enemy is expecting an all-out attack tomorrow.