The 10.10 Airstrike

There was an Airstrike on October 10, 1944 (Showa 19)
I think it was a Saturday because we had farm work on Saturday
When I got to the school farm,
Suddenly, I heard a loud noise
I put my tools down and went to where I could see the ocean
Jets came in at low altitudes from Aka and went to Tokashiki
A teacher pointed one out and said,
“This is Japan’s performance”
But it was actually a B29 fighter jet
Though we didn’t have much damage,
I heard the bridge and ships in Naha were severely damaged
I saw the smoke coming from Naha
It was pitch black over Tokashiki Island

Japanese Soldiers in Geruma Island

In Geruma, there were 400 soldiers in 1st Company
800 in 2nd and 3rd Company, with its headquarters in Aka
I was in 11th grade at the time
The teacher would have class in the morning and asked us to cooperate in the afternoon
We climbed up and down the mountain
Wondering what we would be doing
We carried sawgrass the Japanese soldiers had cut
And carried each bundle to the bottom valley
During our break, Japanese soldiers told us
“If the enemies land, go to the 1st company because it’s safe”

Airstrike on March 23

On the 23, there was a sudden loud noise
I don’t remember if we were in class that time
I knew that was the enemy because I had experienced this before
The airstrike begun just 3 days before graduation
I don’t even have a diploma
Graduation was supposed to be
On March 25, 1945 (Showa 20)
We had prepared for graduation
We even cleaned the floors of the school
The airstrikes took place on March 23th and 24th,
They started shooting cannons from warships on the 25th and by the 26th, they had already landed

The Landing of U.S. Forces on March 26

I heard the American soldiers had landed, so I went towards Aka from the mountains
When I arrived, Aka already had a flag standing
I then tried to get to 1st company
But they were in the middle of an attack
I ran back and returned to the air raid shelter
My three family members, and an old man and woman
Also came into the air raid shelter
(At the time) My sister was 20 and I was 15
My sister begged my mother to strangle her (by the throat)
We had already heard the U.S. soldiers had landed
So we couldn’t tell them to wait, or tell them that it was too soon to make the decision
I couldn’t say anything
When my mother went out the air raid shelter after strangling my sister
She became a captive, before she was able to take the rope off of my sister’s cold body

The Family Air Raid Shelter

I dug my family air raid shelter myself with soil, not stones
I dug a hole on the side, in the shape of a small cove
I have visited the place to pay my respects multiple times after the war
It’s caved-in now so the entrance is no longer visible

American Soldiers on the Island

There was a huge difference in weapons between the Japanese and U.S. militaries
We couldn’t stand a chance
The ships were like vehicles, once they got to the bay they had tires
They had things the Japanese Army didn’t
There was a watchtower
That you can look out all the way to Aka Island
They built a road in 3 days with a bulldozer
The Japanese soldiers used
Pickaxe and shovels
Now that I think about it, the U.S. soldiers had power shovels
Japan didn’t have heavy machineries like that at the time
Japanese Army’s guns had to put out a cartridge case to shoot again after firing a shot
The guns the Americans had pulled the trigger once to fire multiple shots
There was a big difference in weapons
It was out of the question

Being Released from the Camps, Captives from Ie Island

It was over on the 26th, and we were captives for 4 days separated by gender
Once this was over, it was peaceful
The American soldiers were no longer there
As we were cleaning around our house that was completely destroyed
About 400 captive villagers from Ie Island came in May
It was a forced relocation
We came together as one
To help rebuild
We repaired all the houses
We wouldn’t have been able to do it alone
They came in May, but as 2 years had passed
They farmed and supplied potatoes
There were also fishermen who distributed fish (they had caught)
There were people that made matting from adan leaves
They traded matting, potatoes and rice in Kume Island
This is how we would make ends meet
We were able to get back on our feet as quickly as we did
Thanks to the people that came from Ie Island

A message to Your Children and Grandchildren’s Generation

Your generation must never go to war
We must never let that happen
I’m saying this because I have experienced it
I can’t let your generation have another war