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Iwao Nakano
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Last Letter
from Flight Petty Officer 1st Class Iwao Nakano to Parents
Flight Petty Officer 1st Class Iwao Nakano died in a special (suicide)
attack on October 25, 1944, as a member of the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps
Shikishima Squadron. Lieutenant Yukio Seki led the five bomb-laden Zero fighters
that took off from Mabalacat Airfield in the Philippines, and Seki is credited
officially with carrying out the first organized Kamikaze Corps attack.
The first Kamikaze Unit, which included 23 Zero fighter pilots and Yukio Seki
as the commander, was formed in the early morning of October 20, 1944. The
Shikishima Squadron made its first sortie on October 21, but the five pilots
returned to base when no enemy ships could be located. The same thing happened
for three more days, until on October 25 enemy ships were located.
According to Kamikaze Tokkō Shikishima-tai (1975, 33), the following was the
last letter that his parents received from their son Iwao, but the letter has no
date. On the day before it was decided to make an attack, a fellow pilot encouraged
Iwao while he was swimming to leave something behind in writing. Iwao initially
laughed and made no reply, but after repeated encouragement from his friend, he
stopped swimming and diligently wrote this letter to his parents.
Father, Mother,
As the Emperor's child and as your child, I go to die honorably. I go
joyfully. Please take good care of yourselves. Goodbye.
From Iwao
Iwao Nakano has at least two other letters to his family that have been
published (Kamikaze Tokkō Shikishima-tai 1975, 32-3; Kanoya Kōkū Kichi 2003,
83), but these were written long before he volunteered for the Kamikaze Corps,
and neither one has a date. One of these letters is translated below (Kanoya
Kōkū Kichi 2003, 83):
Dear Father,
There is no excuse for my not writing for such a long time.
After Misawa, there has been more and more. I have been doing well, so
please have peace of mind. Finally from now there is real training. I am
determined to do my very best.
The people in Haramachi probably already have had a snowfall. Please take
care of yourself in the cold weather. Please say hello also to Maki-chan. I will write
again.
Best regards,
Iwao
One can guess that the letter was written sometime late in 1943, since he
started his training at Misawa Air Base in June 1943 and finished sometime in
1943. Haramachi Town, his hometown located in Fukushima Prefecture, probably
would have its first snow in November or December.
Iwao was born on New Year's Day of 1925 as the last child of ten of Shōtarō
and Hideyo Nakano. He entered the 10th Kō Class of the Navy's Yokaren
(Preparatory Flight Training Program) at Tsuchiura Air Group in Ibaraki
Prefecture in April 1942. He died in battle at the age of 19, and he received a
special two-rank promotion to Ensign since his death was by special attack.
In 1980, a monument to commemorate
Iwao Nakano was erected in his hometown of Haramachi. In 1981, the
Kamikaze Special Attack Corps
Shikishima Squadron Five War Heroes Monument was erected in Yukio Seki's
hometown of Saijō City in Ehime Prefecture.
Letters translated by Bill Gordon
September 2017
The information on this web page comes from Kamikaze Tokkō Shikishima-tai
(1975, 15-6, 30-3) and Kanoya Kōkū Kichi (2003, 83).
Sources Cited
Kamikaze Tokkō Shikishima-tai Go Gunshin Hōsankai (Kamikaze
Special Attack Shikishima Squadron Five War Heroes Support Association).
1975. Shikishima-tai go gunshin no shirube (Guide to Shikishima
Squadron five war heroes). Privately published by Naramoto Jinja.
Kanoya Kōkū Kichi Shiryōkan Renraku Kyōgikai (Kanoya Naval
Air Base Museum Coordinating Committee). 2003. Kokoro no sakebi (Cries
of the heart). Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture: Kanoya Kōkū Kichi Shiryōkan
Renraku Kyōgikai.
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