Tsuiki Kamikaze Ginga Squadron Sortie Site Monument
Chikujō Town, Fukuoka Prefecture
Tsuiki Air Base in the northeast part of Fukuoka Prefecture
still serves as an active base for the Japan Air Self Defense Force. The base
has 1,600 personnel and a fleet of F-2 and F-15 Fighters and T-4 Trainers. Next
to the runway is a small monument erected in 1979 in remembrance of the one
kamikaze squadron that made sorties from Tsuiki. The monument has the following
inscription:
Kamikaze Special Attack Corps
Kikusui Unit Ginga Squadron Sortie Site
Before dawn on March 18, 1945, five Ginga Type 11
bombers of the Navy's 262nd Attack Hikōtai took off from
Tsuiki Airfield. They carried out taiatari (body-crashing) attacks on the enemy
task force south of Kyūshū and achieved outstanding battle results. We honor
here these 15 young warriors of the skies who gave their lives during a
national crisis and record hereafter their names.
The names of the 15 men who died are inscribed on the bottom
part of the monument. The Ginga Squadron from Tsuiki was led by Lieutenant Teruo
Matsunaga.
The museum at Tsuiki Air Base has one of its three exhibit
rooms dedicated to the Pacific War period. This room has photos and letters of
the Ginga Squadron members. There are also photos and other items related to
the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps Byakko (White Tiger) Squadron formed at
Tsuiki. The exhibit room has other information about special attack squadrons
of Type 93 Intermediate Trainers (nicknamed Akatonbo or Red Dragonfly) that were
formed at Tsuiki Air Base, but these squadrons never made a sortie in kamikaze
attacks.
The base has another monument, which is dedicated to the
heroes from Tsuiki who died for their country. It has the following
inscription:
With the outbreak of the Greater East Asia War, the Tsuiki
Naval Air Group was established in 1942 and given responsibility for the
country's defense. In 1945, many Navy personnel and other persons associated
with the base died as American forces carried out several air attacks on
the base. After the war ended on August 15, 1945, wooden memorials were built
several times by caring persons. Now that 33 years have passed since the war's
end and we see the prosperity of a peaceful Japan, eleven cities, towns, and
villages in the area around Tsuiki Base build here this monument to those
heroes who died for our country, and we eternally honor their spirits.
The monuments and museum are located inside the base
and can be viewed only with advance arrangements.
The following last letter was written by a Kamikaze Special
Attack Corps member who took off from Tsuiki Air Base and died in a special attack:
Acknowledgments
My visit to Tsuiki Air Base to view the Kamikaze Ginga Squadron Sortie Site Monument
would not have been possible without the kind assistance of Senri Nagasue, a former
Navy kamikaze pilot who lives in Fukuoka City, and his Navy training classmate
who previously worked at Tsuiki.
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