Last Letter of Sergeant Jūji Uchimura
On April 1, 1945, Sergeant Jūji [1] Uchimura took off from Nyūtabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture and died in a special (suicide) attack
west of Okinawa at the age of 21. He was a member of the Makoto 39th Hikōtai
(Flying Squadron). He piloted an Army Hayabusa Type 1 Fighter (Allied
code name of Oscar). After his death in a special attack, he received a promotion to Second Lieutenant. He
was from
Kagoshima
Prefecture and was a member of the 10th Class of the Army's Youth Pilot
(Shōhi) Program.
He wrote the following short final letter:
Without any free time, I will go without seeing you.
Everyone, please enjoy good health.
I also am doing a great deal, so I requested those here to deal with my
bags.
Jūji
Sure hit, sure sinking
Special Attack Corps Sōryū Squadron
Sergeant Uchimura
Letter translated by Bill Gordon
May 2018
The letter and biographical information on this page come from Chiran Tokkō Irei Kenshō
Kai (2005, 98, 217) and Osuo (2005, 212).
Note
1. The pronunciation of the given name of 重二 could
not be confirmed. Jūji is a common pronunciation, but Shigeji also is a possible
pronunciation.
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.
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