| Dad:ISAMU and Mam:CHIYO met | |
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My Dad, ISAMU was born on 1904 as third son of SHINODA family at MOTO-MACHI, GIFU city, GIFU prefecture.
Mam, CHIYO was a first daughter of ASANO family, born on 1911 at KAGASHIMA village, INABA county, GIFU prefecture.(Today KAGASHIMA, GIFU city) Later ISAMU's elder sister and CHIYO's uncle were married so SHINODA and ASANO became family in law. ISAMU had tried the entrance exam of Navy Academy but failed because of the shortage of his tall height.
He had still hope to go to the sea
so, after 6 months, he entered the Merchant Seaman School.
Before the School begun ISAMU was asked to be temporaly teacher of elementary school
by his child age's teacher who was now prime teacher of KAGASHIMA village elementary school.
SHINODAs and ASANOs were relatives
and ISAMU was now working at CHIYO's home elementary school.
The two met sometimes and got married with their unckles' guidance.
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| Family pre-war | |
| ISAMU was working at NIHON-YUSEN SHIPPING, KOBE branch. KOBE is a major Japanese port of trade. CHIYO's father was a merchant who deal GIFU weaves to traders at KOBE. |  |
| Therefore after the marriage at 1932 the two had new home at KOBE. CHIYO got many friends there, some were foreigner. Through them she learned knowlege and culture, so ISAMU didn't feel loneliness while the voyage. ISAMU liked writing. He wrote new things that he met at abroad to CHIYO. |  |
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At 1933 the first son KAZUO was born.
And at 1935 next son MASAO was born when CHIYO returned back to her home village.
Whenever ISAMU returned homeland and worked on the land
CHIYO went to KOBE, use hotel when ISAMU's stay was short or rent a house when the stay was long.
Then CHIYO backed GIFU and had house at NISHI-KAGIYA in the city,
where the first daughter TATSUKO was born at 1938.
Next year(1939) second son MASAO died by epidemic diseas. A predictor told her the house had bad fate so CHIYO moved to NAKA-KAGIYA, where she had large house. The house had big entrance and was too broad for the four, the mother and the children. At 1940 third son MASA-AKI was born. Aunt, younger sister of Mam and others had visited us frequently and sometimes stayed. When ISAMU returned homeland, he visited relative families or travelled to hotsprings with us. He also had SUKIYAKI party with the neighbors. That was pre-war calm days, most peaceful and happiest time for us that we have never had again, it was so short period. At June 1941 that was just before the pacific war, ISAMU was drafted into the NAVY. |  |
| How was mid-war and aft-war | |
| At Dec. 8th, 1941 the pacific war begun.
Next year, on May 18th 1942 the 13th Subchaser Squadron consisting three subchasers departed KAWARA-ISHI harbor, KURE city. They went eastward through INLAND-SEA. At NARUTO strait there were submarine guard net so they anchored during the night waiting the tide. Next day, 19th, at 10:00AM with highest tide they passed the NARUTO strait, downed KI-I straight, then went by along south shore of HONSHU. Called at AOMORI, OMINATO Bay, KAWACHI harbor and HORONOBE Is. that is the north-east tip of Kril chains, where they departed toward the KISKA. |  |
| Two months later, on July 15th USS GRUNION attacked and destroyed the 13th Subchaser Squadron leaving only one subchaser #26. ISAMU was KIA, anxiousing the family. We had received the information on November. The school kindly cared us as war orphan. |  |
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| At the day when the pacific war begun, KAZUO was second grade of KINOMOTO national elementary school.
KAZUO still remember that morning. The teacher told at the first class that
,JAPAN begun the war against United States and England,
attacked Perl Harbor before the dawn,
sunk Battleship Prince of Wales and arcraft carrier Rexington at southern sea,
he rushed explaining with drawing figures on the blackboard.
And added president Roosevelt and prime minister Curchill were very evil men.
School was militarized thoroughly. First day of every month, all students marched on to the shrine at the center of GIFU city and prayed for the victory of war. Domestic groups were organized at every town, held programs and activities. We made pictures and gifts for the soldiers at front. We drew the posters titled "Guard the home" or "Never end up the attack". Every teachers admired the war and told us frequenty how to win the war. We heard also much about emperor's family and was taught whenever we heard the word 'emperor' we must stand up with stick back. School text book were getting concerned with the war, particulary in the moral and Japanese text book. Russo-Japanese war or SAMURAI knight stories were told. The history class begun with the God story and we must learned by heart the all emperors name from the first emperor JINMU as well as the 'The words by MEIJI Great emperor about education' and 'The emperor war declaration' Strict teacher ordered us to learn by heart 'The emperor words for the military men'(The emperor's five swearing words) The movies also expressed the war. When the war closed up to the defeat, we made head-guard cap each and woar, digged air-raid shelter, did anti-fire exercise by neighbor group, made bamboo spear and drilled the fight. At the sports day we had warlike programs such as elder class's patriotic group (BYAKKO-TAI troop *1) game, man horse fight game, girls played long sword dance. Soon a real army troops moved to our school and used our classrooms and shared with the athletic fields. The air bombing getting tense so my grandfather called us. When the spring of my fifth grade, we moved to avoid the war fire from NAKA-KAGIYA to KAGASHIMA home village. My school was too far and I comuted by train. Younger sister TATSUKO became the first grade of my elementary school, KINOMOTO national school. She had commuted with me for a month but she was too young so changed the school to village KAGASHIMA national school. Then the train iron rail was taken off for military use. I must walk for long way to the school. When I was sixth grade at August, GIFU city was air raided and bombed. Almost part of the city was burned out. Fortunately my house was escaped from the fire. And we came up to the August 15th, the war end. At that time all of us felt that we would never have another air-raid. I remember I went for swimming joyfully to NAGARA river just back of my house. | |
| At school we set desks and chairs at burned flat, that were from Military facility so too big for us.
Anyway we begun the class.
My classmates had been suffered air-raid disaster and the number was half of pre-war.
The winter came. When we got up to the school there were snow on our desk. So we had started our class with clean up the snow. Before mid winter we had barrack school house though the windows had no glasses and we set straw mats to shade sunshine and rain. Those who hoped to try advance junior high school had priority to use the barrack house and started studying for entrance exam. Though we had no light so after the sunset we immediately closed the class. That was as just as the song 'Auld Lang Syne ', Japanese tranlation is 'Old days students studied under firefly light and snow reflection through the window.' (*2) The economical inflation affected on us, I remember the stationery was getting precious day by day. Moreover the food was scarce lesser than the mid-war. My mother's home village had fewer farmer so my Mam went over the river to the opposite side where more farmers ran farms and she exchanged directly something she had instead cash for the food. After she had nothing to exchange she worked hard to let the children go to the school. In daytime she did sales work and also at night did something manufacturing work at house. Elder son KAZUO also worked part-time job after he entered high school and helped mother obtaining scholarship for war orphans. His part-time job were making cigarette, wrapping candy, cutting graduation of scale, tutor for elementary school student, etc. . | (the window had no glass)  |
| Family today | |
| Second son MASAO had died as I mentioned above.
A daughter TATSUKO and the second son MASA-AKI grew up well, feeling lesser missing father
because they were younger and had fewer father's memory.
KAZUO was good at science and mathematics so studied for engineer, became a specialist of hydraulic technology. Later joind a company, Denison Hydraulics Japan(today unioned with Parker Hannifin) that was foreign company collaborating with IHI(Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industried). Today KAZUO has one son and one daughter, two grandchildren. Daughter TATSUKO learned a tutor course for high school music,
then became a tutor of kindergarden.
Her husband also worked in educational field,
had been as a principal of prefecture high school for long days.
Got medal of honor for his contribution.
They have also one son and one daughter, two grandchildren.
Second son MASAAKI liked economical field, became a licensed tax accountant. Inherited his working company as a adopted son of the owner. He has one son and two daughters, five grand children. He is the youngest child. It was misfortune for him to lost father but everyone around him loved him instead the father. He grew up bright. My mother CHIYO is now age 98. Healthy and has good appetite. She stayed sometime short stay hospital for aged and meets her younger sister who is now 91, and other friends. She prefers to have happy time with her seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. As well as reading newspapers and books, do needlework with old clothes for recycling. | Family 1998
(From left) Tatsuko’s Husband, Kazuo, Tatsuko, Chiyo’s Sister, Masaaki, Masaaki’s Wife (Front Side) Kazuo’s Wife, Chiyo  |
| New relationship | |
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A newspaperman TAKUYA ASAKURA of ASAHI SHIMBUN wrote an article 'Torn apart by war, united by gifts of flowers'.(*3)
And one bereaved family at HIROSHIMA saw the article. After 67 years the two bereaved families have relationship.
FUMIYO O-Uo who is an elder sister of boy radio man, SAKAE NAKANO on subchaser #27 .
And FUMIYO's son is MASATO O-Uo. Both FUMIYO and NAKANO families did know the KIA date of
SAKAE NAKANO, but did not know where.
FUMIYO O-Uo vaguely had thought by her mother's tale that
his uncle died by enemy attack on small craft such as torpedo boat
at somewhere East China sea.
O-Uo eventhough was born on 1946 after the pacific war, researched the fact.
19 years ago, at 1990
he knew the detail that
his uncle SAKAE NAKANO was killed off KISKA Bay
by the attack of USS Grunion
on July 15, 1941 AM 11:33(JST).
Now I(KAZUO) can imagine the scene that SAKAE NAKANO was 20 years younger than ISAMU/commander of SC #27 and worked at radio room next to commander's room. It may be the fate caused by the two that makes two families know the same fact. Anyway it is strange that the bereaved family had not been informed the location of KIA. The soul must had thought regretfully. | 
Fumiyo O-Uo, Sakae’s Sister & Masato O-Uo, Fumiyo's son
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NAKANO family didn't know for 48 years where SAKAE NAKANO had died.
The nephew MASATO O-UO tried to know and at last he got this formal report on 1990.
This form informs SAKAE NAKANO's war career.
Personal history
Registered domicile: YAMAGUCHI pref. OSHIMA county, MORINO village, 737 YASHIKI Navy 2nd grade sailor SAKAE NAKANO Birth: Jan. 2, 1925 Date: fact
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| Kiska Veterans made their Union. They introduced TOSHIMASA HIDAKA to O-UO.
TOSHIMASA HIDAKA was once machinery mate of Subchaser #26(Matsushima's) at Kiska.
HIDAKA knew there was not good tale about the 13th Squadron attacked by USS Grunion.
At that time HIDAKA had been in the machinery room of SC #26
so he asked KOYA HORITA who was Chief medical officer of 13th subchaser Squadron to tell the scene of the torpedo attack.
HOROTA wrote a report at 1990 and send to O-Uo,
at that time HORITA became the chairman of SENDAI city medical doctor group.
KAZUO SHINODA, son of SC #27 commander, received HORITA's report at 2009 from O-Uo via ASAHI SHIMBUN newspaper/TAKUYA ASAKURA. ( Horita's Report ) HORITA's report proves the letter of MATSUSHIMA, commannder of SC #26 the only survived vessel of 13th Subchaser Squadron. Now we know information of the bereaved families. FUMIYO, sister of NAKANO/radioman and mother of O-Uo, is the deceased. Also HIDAKA and HORITA are. | Koya Horita, Chief medical officer of 13th subchaser Squadron  |
| (Kiska veterans union)
July 29th 1943, 5,200 soldiers evacuated from KISKA. The survivors organized the union at 1964 to thank to the sacrifice of dead and veterans. And held annual ceremony to pray for their souls. At the beginning the union had more than 600 members. Year by year the members got old. At 41th ceremony(2004), only twelve of 244 members attended the ceremony. 
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| Afterword | |
| We will have soon July 15th, the 68th anniversary of ISAMU's death.
17 years have passed since I wrote 'My father's memory' at his 50th memorial service.
(See Kiska Petals)
KAZUO and his wife pray every morning to the family Buddhist altar,
and every month visit the cemetery to serve fresh flowers,
thank that we live in safe and wish father's repose.
In these 60 years my thought about my Dad is changing. Before I felt sorrow that I had lost the blood relation, today I see it as one of historical event. Last year on October I saw the article that US Navy broadcasted the submarine USS Grunion was found. Since then KAZUO has obtained further informations and they remind the memories about 67 years before. KAZUO has the thought that is the same with the commander MATSUSHIMA of SC26, as he wrote in his letter to CHIYO, DAD:Isamu is 'now both friend and foe alike at the north sea under falling ice, must be hoping the human peace, also praying the fortune of families, smiling how we were so unwise that fought such war. '. How happier days today are, KAZUO think, reminding the sorrow of Dad's death by the war also the hard days at mid and aft war. Again KAZUO think that his experience is valuable teachings of our history, must keep telling to our children and grandchildren in every occasion. With this thought KAZUO wrote this article. |
 | Kiska Bay now and then
Above: Landscape under Japanese occupation. A paintig drawn by the veteran. Central three ships are the 13th Subchaser Squadron, T. Hidaka told. Below: Memorial Party at Kiska 1978
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Death Army Corps: Lieutenant TAKEDA and others, ..
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