Kōchi Naval Air Group Monument
Nankoku City, Kōchi Prefecture
Shiragiku (meaning "white chrysanthemum")
training aircraft made kamikaze attacks at night during May and June 1945,
since American fighters would have easily shot down the slow planes if they
tried to make daytime attacks. The Shiragiku trainers, each with a
two-man crew of pilot and navigator, flew under 100 meters to avoid enemy
radar. Training for kamikaze attacks with Shiragiku trainers took place
at Tokushima, Kōchi, Suzuka, and Ōi Air Bases. The Tokushima Air Group lost 56
men in sorties from Kushira Air Base, and the Kōchi Air Group lost 52 men in
sorties from Kanoya Air Base.
The Kōchi Naval Air Group Monument, located next to the Kōchi Ryōma Airport runway, was unveiled on May 24, 1987, 42 years after the
first Shiragiku sorties from Kanoya. The monument inscription tells the
history of the Kōchi Naval Air Group:
In March 1944, when the Pacific War became more intense, the
Japanese Navy had a pressing need for navigator crewmen training and
established the Kōchi Naval Air Group in this place as a navigator training air
group. In response to the unprecedented national crisis, over 2,000 members of
the air group worked hard day and night with intense training, and the young
eagles who finished their training took off to the skies of decisive battles
that took place one after another. During this time, many men fell victim to
fighting against attacking enemy aircraft and to training accidents, and they
had to face terrible situations in which they had to hold back their tears of
grief. However, with no signs of a turn for the better in the war situation,
finally as a last resort, special attacks, where one plane was to crash into
one ship, ended up being carried out. In March 1945, the Kamikaze Special
Attack Corps Kikusui Unit Shiragiku Squadrons were newly formed. Training
planes called Shiragiku, which had been used for training crewmen, took
off from this runway one after another and participated in the Okinawan
military operations from Kanoya Air Base in southern Kyūshū. In four waves of
attacks from May to June 1945, 52 men in 26 planes carried out heroic
body-crashing attacks against enemy ships. Even though they achieved
considerable battle results, it is regrettable that their young precious lives,
including young crewmen of only 17 and 18 years of age, were lost in the
Okinawan skies. In August 1945, along with the end of the Pacific War, the Kōchi Naval Air Group with only one year and six months of existence was
disbanded. It closed that short but tragic history with its many untold sad
stories. Now, we former comrades meet together at this place and remember the
past. As we vow to never repeat this tragedy and to support eternal peace, we
engrave these words of remembrance on this monument and pray for the repose of
the souls of our friends who died for their country.
The airport grounds still have some wartime concrete
hangars covered with grass that were used to hide and protect planes from
attacks.
Drawing of Shiragiku along with data about this training plane
(on back of monument base)
The following last letters were written by Kamikaze Special Attack Corps members
from Kōchi Naval Air Group who died in special attacks in Shiragiku
trainers:
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