Last Letter of Corporal Shigeru Ōhashi
On April 28, 1945, Corporal Shigeru Ōhashi took off from Miyako Airfield [1] in
Okinawa Prefecture and died in a special (suicide) attack at the age of 17 at
Kerama Bay, located west of the main island of Okinawa. He was a member of the Makoto 116th Hikōtai
(Flying Squadron) and piloted an Army Type 97 Fighter (Allied code name of Nate). After his death in a special attack, he received a promotion to Second Lieutenant. He
was from
Gifu
Prefecture and was a member of the 15th Class of the Army's Youth Pilot
(Shōhi) Program.
He wrote the following final letter with a death poem in tanka form
(31-syllable poem with lines of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables) at the end:
Dear Father and Mother,
In this season of early spring, I trust that you have been doing well as
always.
Father, Mother, please be happy.
In this time of destiny for our country Japan, I also received the
long-awaited Imperial command.
With both a healthy mind and body, I look forward to the day when I will
carry out my duty. I have in my heart joy that I was born as a child of
Japan and as your child. I boldly go to die believing that there will be
peace without war and that the young people who survive and come after will
rebuild a prosperous and magnificent civilized country respected by the
world.
Beyond being born a man, I have a splendid place to die and will be a
shield in the skies. I am resolved to die in the plane I love, which will be
my grave marker.
Dying before my parents, please forgive me that I could not show filial
piety to you.
Father, Mother, please live long.
Please give my regards to everyone who took care of me.
This letter will be the last one.
March 29, 1945
From a special attack base in faraway Taiwan
Shigeru
Father, Mother,
Even if
In southern skies
I die
Way of divine eagles
Will not perish
Shigeru, who received Imperial command when 18 years old
He also wrote the following death poem in tanka form:
Both life and death
Both love and jealousy
Without number
I in skies
Will scatter as flower
Letter and poems translated by Bill Gordon
April 2025
The letter and poems come from Tagata (1996, 177-179). The biographical information on this page comes from Chiran Tokkō Irei Kenshō
Kai (2005, 184) and Osuo (2005, 212).
Note
1. Miyako Airfield is located on Miyakojima (also
called Miyako Island), a Japanese island about halfway between Taiwan and
Okinawa.
Sources Cited
Chiran Tokkō Irei Kenshō Kai (Chiran Special Attack
Memorial Society), ed. 2005. Konpaku no kiroku: Kyū rikugun tokubetsu
kōgekitai chiran kichi (Record of departed spirits: Former Army Special
Attack Corps Chiran Base). Revised edition, originally published in 2004. Chiran Town, Kagoshima
Prefecture: Chiran Tokkō Irei Kenshō Kai.
Osuo, Kazuhiko. 2005. Tokubetsu kōgekitai no kiroku (rikugun hen)
(Record of special attack corps (Army)). Tōkyō: Kōjinsha.
Tagata, Takeo. 1996. Nihon e no isho (Final letters
to Japan). Tōkyō: Nisshin Hōdō.
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