Last Letters of Second Lieutenant Yoshio Usui to His Parents
On June 19, 1945 [1], Second Lieutenant Yoshio Usui
took off from Bansei Air Base and died in a special (suicide) attack
west of Okinawa at the age of 22. He was a member of the 144th Shinbu 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 Captain. He was from Kanagawa Prefecture,
attended the Tōkyō College of Science, and was a member of the 2nd Class of the Army Special Cadet
Officer Pilot Training (Tokubetsu Sōjū Minarai Shikan) Program.
He wrote the following final letters to his parents with two death poems in
tanka form (31-syllable poem with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5-7-7):
Dear Father and Mother,
Now it has come about that I will advance to a front-line base in Japan
as a member of the honored Special Attack Corps. Finally tomorrow I will
carry out an attack on a target.
I have not done anything in my lifetime of 23 years [2],
and I always caused you worries. I appreciate from my heart that I received
your upbringing filled with love.
However, I believe that tomorrow's daring undertaking will be my first
and last act of filial piety for you.
I will go smiling to fall nobly. I believe that, as we forget everything,
going forth bravely is our greatest joy, pride, and honor as young men and
as youth born in the great Shōwa
Era.
Parents, please do not be disheartened.
Your children, Older Brother and Younger Brother together, fell nobly for
the country. With pride in this, please live beautifully and bravely. I am
praying secretly for everyone's health.
June 4
Yoshio
O
The season of new leaves has passed, and now it is the rainy season [3].
Every day weather with slight clouds is continuing.
I suppose that everyone recently has been getting along without any
changes
Please rest your mind that thanks to you I am getting along in high
spirits.
When I think, it has been a quick week since I came here. During that
time I have been doing regular things, and I am still here.
I do not know what time that I will make a sortie, but do not worry about
my matters. Please live in high spirits.
Cherry blossom to fall bravely
Bloom beautifully, cherry blossoms that can stay
O
Now I go as shield for Emperor
A Yamato [4] warrior to shatter as jewel
O
Dear Father and Mother,
When I quietly reflect, I have memories of the joys of the days that
passed. Also, a difficult time was in the shadows of the mountains in the
Southern and Northern Alps [5].
However, now I forget all of those things. I will go as Special Attack
Corps member and as an Air Force officer.
Finally, I pray from my heart for everyone's great happiness.
June 17, 1945
Yoshio
Letters and poems translated by Bill Gordon
December 2018
The letters and poems come from Naemura (1993, 180-2). The biographical
information in the first paragraph comes from Chiran Tokkō Irei Kenshō Kai
(2005, 177) and Naemura (1993, 180).
Notes
1. Osuo (2005, 206) and Tokkōtai Senbotsusha
(1990, 282) give the date of Usui's death as June 11, 1945. This date appears to
be incorrect, since Naemura (1993, 68, 72-73, 92. 180), who was an officer at
Bansei during the Battle of Okinawa, explains that Usui originally made a sortie
with other members of the 144th Shinbu Squadron on June 8, 1945, but he had to
return to base due to an engine problem. After his plane's engine was repaired
at Kikuchi Airfield in Kumamoto Prefecture, on June 19, 1945, he made a second
sortie from Bansei and died in his attempt to make an attack. Chiran Tokkō Irei
Kenshō Kai (2005, 177) also gives Usui's date of death as June 19, 1945.
2. The traditional Japanese method of counting
age, as in much of East Asia, regards a child as age one at birth and adds an
additional year on each New Year's day thereafter. This explains why the letter
indicates his age as 23 whereas Naemura (1993, 180) gives his age as 22.
3. The rainy season in Japan begins in the first
half of June.
4. Yamato is an ancient name for Japan.
5. The Southern Alps are a mountain range in
Nagano, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka Prefectures. The Northern Alps are a mountain
range in Nagano, Toyama, and Gifu Prefectures.
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.
Naemura, Hichirō. 1993. Rikugun saigo no tokkō kichi: Bansei tokkōtaiin no isho to isatsu (Army's last special attack base: Last
letters and photographs of Bansei special attack corps members). Ōsaka: Tōhō
Shuppan.
Osuo, Kazuhiko. 2005. Tokubetsu kōgekitai no kiroku (rikugun hen)
(Record of special attack corps (Army)). Tōkyō: Kōjinsha.
Tokkōtai Senbotsusha Irei
Heiwa Kinen Kyōkai (Tokkōtai Commemoration Peace Memorial Association). 1990.
Tokubetsu Kōgekitai (Special Attack Corps). Tōkyō: Tokkōtai Senbotsusha
Irei Heiwa Kinen Kyōkai.
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