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S/D (5 Jan 48) Age 25; inducted in 1943; assigned to General Staff Headquarters, where he trained for defense if invasion and in leadership of the civilian home guard. About 23 July 1945 he was transferred to the Staff Section of WAH with POs MIYAMOTO, MIYAMURA, SKIROMA, FUKUSHIMA, NARAZAKI, SATANO, OSAMU, MOMOTA, HIRAKAWA, KUNIHIKO, SXAKI, YAMAUI MIKUBARA, NISHIDA, ATSUNAGA, FUSEHIMA (can also be read SOEJIMA) and AKAMA. Such men were picked selectively for the Tokyo school. (Defendant was a PO). At WAH Defendant received training under ITEZONO of civilian training for home defense, trained in kendo. Defendant saw about 10-12 flyers thru the windows of the prison. Defendant rode on a truck with about 8 flyers to Aburayama about a week after the Hiroshima bombing, saw them executed that morning (Hiroshima bombing - 6 August.) On that morning an unknown PO (duty Officer for Itezono to convey his orders for the day) told those in quarters, including Defendant, that there was to be an execution of flyers and that they were to go along to watch and learn, to remain there until called. They then went to the truck; there were about 8 flyers on it and 1st Lts. ONO, EGUCHI, KUROKI, OTOSU, and perhaps one other. About ten POs, including SATANO, got on the truck; something less than 10 POs walked. NARAZAKK arrived late at the scene of execution. Before they left, an Officer told them they were going to Aburayama, arriving there about 1000. The blindfolded flyers were led to a flat field. Defendant heard that an execution of a Jap soldier and a Korean person had just been performed, but he saw but one coffin. There were 3 LS Os already there and one or more NCOs. The POs lined up in 2 rows, and the flyers were led to a spot just off the flat field and hidden from the road, guarded by soldiers. A hole was dug farther back from the field and foot path prior to arrival. After 15-20 minutes ITEZONO took his position on the right of the formation, ordered them to salute TOMOMORI, whereupon TOMOMORI told them the flyers were not PWs but enemy persons, having bombed indiscriminately, the speech lasting 7 — 10 minutes. All heard the speech but guards of area and Ps. ENATSU was standing near TOMOMORI when he spoke to the group. Then someone talked in English to the flyers, may have been PO AKAMA, who spoke a little English. Later it was said that a PO asked a flyer about how he felt about dying, why American students were called into the army; who would win the war. Defendant did see some POs walk over to the flyers. PO OTSUKI and some others practiced with bow and arrows, aiming at objects across the field - shot 3 - 4 arrows - the shooting was poor. The POs then reassembled in positions advantageious to a good view, about 5-10 meters from the pit. 4-5 Lts. had drawn their swords and were practicing the beheading stroke, including 1st Lt. KUROKI and perhaps 1st Lts. OTOSU and EGUCHI. A Lt. directed the soldiers as to where a flyer was to sit by the pit, Jap. fashion, kneeling, and one of the Lts who had been practicing lowered his sword 2 - 3 times over the neck, and then severed it. The next 4 - 5 flyers were beheaded by the Lieutenants who were practicing. 1st Lt. KUROKI did a good job executing a flyer. NODA - 2 Among the 1st 4 or 5, some did not cut deep enough, and as the body was still jerking after it fell in the pit, these persons had to peirce the hearts with their swords. One of these last 5 missed the neck and cut the flyer in the back of the skull or back; the flyer bent down lower when hit, but righted himself and the executioner struck him again in the neck and as he fell into the pit, pierced his heart. Either the 5th or 6th flyer was shot at with bow and arrow, the next or 6th or 7th was hit with a karate stroke and executed with a sword. The next, or 7th or 8th, was executed by KARAZAKI, who used the Kesagiri stroke. The last, or 8th flyer was hit by several Officers, using karate strokes and kickkng him in the scrotum and finally executing him with a sword. The flyer shot at with bow and arrow— the 5th or 6th— was led to a spot about 10 meters in front of the pit, made to kneel, and PO OTSUKI took position about 10 meters away, kneeling on one knee, with cross bow, shot 3 arrows, the first 2 missing and the last glancing off the eyebrow. One of the Os demonstrated the proper shooting position to OTSUKI before he started shotting. Since he was not hitting the flyer, ITEZONO told him to stop and ordered him to be led to the pit, where he was executed. Either the 6th or 7th flyer was led about 20 meters in front of the pit. Prior to this, ITEZONO said "Is there not someone here who is good at karate?" Since the person that was good was not present, ITEZONO said, "NODA, step forward and demonstrate a karate stroke.M Defendant was embarassed since not experienced, but demonstrated the punch straight foward from the shoulder 4 or 5 times. ENATSU then said his style was not good, instructed him verbally. The flyer was held by the band by an NCO and ITEZONO told him to try the stroke on the flyer. Defendant stood about 1 meter in front, put his left foot forward, struck him with closed fist twice in the abdomen, once with right fist and once with left. The flyer made no sound. ENATSU then said his body was leaning too far foward at the shoulder; Defendant stepped back, and ITEZONO told him to stop. The flyer was then led to the pit and executed. Defendant believes the next flyer was decapitated, the 7th, he believes. About this time or a little earlier the group of POs that walked, including NARAZAKK and YAMAUE, arrived, and ITEZONO instructed YAMAUE to try karate on the last, or 8th, flyer. Defendant thinks an ICO led him to a position about 20 meters in front of the pit, and YAMAUE struck the flyer 4 - 5 times, being expert. Defendant believes a Lieutenant held the flyer while he was being struck in the diaphram. YAMAUE had removed his shirt. Defendant believes the flyer fell down. A Lieutenant then struck the flyer, running from about 6 steps in front of the flyer, stopping just in front, hitting him in the diaphram, striking him about 4-5 times. One of these Os kicked the flyer in the scrotum with the tip of his shoes. ITEZONO then said "That is all." The flyer was led to the pit and ITEZONO told PO NARAZAKI to execute him by cutting his neck. Then someone, perhaps ITEZONO, told him to use the kesagiri stroke (straight down through the shoulder). After performing the stroke NARAZAKI pierced the heart, the flyer having fallen in the pit. NARAZAKK then went to a nearby house and washed his sword. 10 minutes then elapsed between the last execution and assembly, during which a low rankkng medical officer looked into the pit for some time. ITEZONO then assembled NODA -3 the personnel as "before, the POs on the left, the Os on the right, ordered a salute to TOMOMORI, after which TOMOMORI made about the same speech as before, was again saluted, and they returned by truck. When executed the flyers wore only shorts. ITEZONO directed the execution under TOMOMORI, as he told Defendant later, also telling Defendant later that the POs would not be held responsible. After the war ITEZONO told Defendant he believed the flyers had been tried in court. General ITO told Defendant in Sugamo that the flyers had never been tried. The karate was the result of someone's suggestion at the scene, not prior planning, believes ENATSU suggested it to ITEZONO. |