Attu Paul Nobuo Tatsuguchi

1 attu

1.1 arrival
1.2 battle of attu
1.3 final attack , death

attu
arrival

japanese troops on attu

japanese forces had first occupied attu , kiska in aleutian islands on june 7, 1942 during battle of midway. abandoned attu in september 1942, decided reoccupy it. regiment of ija soldiers northern sea detachment (北海支隊, hokkai shitai), detachment of imperial japanese navy special naval landing force troops, , support personnel began arriving on attu in october 1942. total number of japanese on island between 2,500 , 2,900 men. tatsuguchi arrived on attu on march 10, 1943 on last full convoy reach island. while of north sea defense field hospital located on kiska, tatsuguchi part of 24-man team set small hospital on attu.

with american naval blockade in place, mail between attu , japan infrequent , unscheduled. tatsuguchi received several small packages taeko containing cookies , ointment skin, chafed attu s severe winter winds. 4 letters , several postcards tatsuguchi reached taeko. forbidden discussing unit s exact location or mission, tatsuguchi wrote weather, beauty of snowy , mountainous landscape around him, , success in catching fish. cheered news taeko second daughter, laura mutsuko, born in february. tatsuguchi reminded taeko in letters play classical music daughters.

battle of attu

on may 11, 1943, american seventh infantry division began landing on attu retake island japanese. japanese commander on attu, yasuyo yamasaki, positioned troops – outnumbered 5 1 – in mountains temporarily delayed americans advance inland. tatsuguchi s diary entry on may 12 records japanese move mountains after american landings, stating evacuated summit. air raids carried out frequently. heard loud noise, naval gunfire. prepared battle equipment.

american troops land supplies on attu on may 12.

on may 14, american artillery fired phosphorus smoke shells mark japanese positions in mountains. many japanese , many americans believed these poison gas shells. tatsuguchi noted in diary that, in enemy u.s. forces used gas no damage done on account of strong wind.

tatsuguchi recorded in diary forced move field hospital cave escape american naval , aerial bombardment. relocated hospital , patients several times japanese forces pushed americans. may 17 entry describes 1 of moves:

at night 11:30 o clock under cover of darkness left cave. walked on muddy roads , steep hills of no-man s land. no matter how far or how went did not on pass. sat down after 30–40 steps sleep dream , wake up, same thing on again. had few wounded , had carry them on stretchers. got frost-bitten feet, did not move after effort. after struggling time, had expended 9 hours, without leaving patients.

tatsuguchi refers again , again in diary constant, intense attacks american aircraft , artillery on comrades positions. on may 21, noted strafed when amputating patient s arm , on may 23 naval gun fire hit scored on pillar pole of tents patients , tents gave in , killed 2 instantly. no food 2 days. on may 26, tatsuguchi recorded there ceremony of granting of imperial edict. last line of umanose [japanese defensive position] broken through. no hope reinforcements. die cause of imperial edict.

final attack , death

by may 28 thousand japanese remained, compressed small pocket. yamasaki, apparently realizing japan not forthcoming, decided on 1 last, desperate measure try save command destruction. on may 29, yamasaki organized surprise attack on american positions. yamasaki hoped break through enemy s front lines , seize american artillery batteries, turned on rest of american forces , ships offshore. tatsuguchi s last diary entry records yamasaki s order, disposition of wounded in hospital, , farewell message family:

today @ 2 o clock assembled @ headquarters, field hospital took part. last assault carried out. patients in hospital made commit suicide. 33 years old , die. have no regrets. banzai emperor. grateful have kept peace in soul enkis [believed mean either christ or edict] bestowed on me @ 8 o clock. took care of patients grenade. goodbye iaeke [taeko], beloved wife, loved me last. until meet again grant god-speed misaka [misako], became 4 years old, grow unhindered. if feel sorry takiko [mutusko] born february year , gone before without seeing father. goodbye mitsue, brothers hocan, sukoshan, masachan, mitichan, goodbye. number participating in attack little on thousand. try take enemy artillery position. seems enemy make all-out attack tomorrow.

japanese troops killed during yamasaki s final attack on may 30

yamasaki launched attack in morning on may 30. although attack succeeded in penetrating enemy lines, american rear-area personnel rallied , killed yamasaki , majority of attacking troops. of remaining japanese committed suicide; 27 taken prisoner.

two versions exist of how tatsuguchi died. 1 version did not participate in attack. later in day on may 30, 2 american soldiers, charles w. laird , john hirn, searching remaining japanese forces following defeat of yamasaki s attack, approached cave containing tatsuguchi s field hospital. tatsuguchi emerged cave, waving bible in direction of americans , yelling in english, don t shoot! christian! laird heard , understood tatsuguchi saying , withheld fire. hirn, however, shot , killed tatsuguchi. hirn later stated not hear tatsuguchi saying on wind , noise of battle , thought bible tatsuguchi holding weapon.

the other version told taeko , laura charles laird in 1984. laird, former army sergeant served on attu, stated sleeping in tent morning of may 30 when yamasaki s troops broke through american front lines. man ran laird s tent , laird shot , killed him, discover man american. saw 8 japanese soldiers approaching through fog, shot , killed them too. 1 of them tatsuguchi. laird said found tatsuguchi s diary , address book in shocked see american names , addresses.

j. mudry , of tatsuguchi s loma linda classmates, j. l. whitaker, medical officers seventh division on attu during battle. whitaker in path of yamasaki s final attack, survived without injury. whitaker , mudry stunned later learn former classmate on island japanese forces , killed nearby.