At 81, Japanese vet makes rare return to Iwo Jima

v2 · Sep 30, 2008

The tunnels of Iwo Jima snake deep beneath the volcanic rock and soil, their entrances camouflaged by a dense tangle of vines and tall grasses.

In their stifling heat, Tsuruji Akikusa suffered months of hunger and thirst. The bodies of dead comrades lay around him. His closest buddy blew himself up with a grenade rather than surrender.

Finally, Akikusa was the only one left alive in his cave.

In May 1945, he says, U.S. troops found him wounded, unconscious and dehydrated. Out of 21,000 Japanese defenders of Iwo Jima, only about 1,000 had survived.

full story: Newsvine - At 81, Japanese vet makes rare return to Iwo Jima

seesul · Sep 30, 2008

It had to be very touching moment for him...
Hope the future generations and mainly politicians will learn from it...

Wayne Little · Sep 30, 2008

Thorlifter · Sep 30, 2008

I can't even imagine the range and power of the emotions he felt.

syscom3 · Sep 30, 2008

Excellent find!

evangilder · Sep 30, 2008

Neat find.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · Sep 30, 2008

Very good post, thanks.

CharlesBronson · Sep 30, 2008

I know, I know, every ww2 vet deserves respect, but honestly everytime I think in the japanese war the only image that comes to my mind is the war crimes comitted in China and later against the allied POWs and civilians.

I have no simpathy for the japs, not even the olders ones.

lesofprimus · Oct 1, 2008

DO NOT USE THE TERM JAPS BRONSON, ITS DEROGATORY.....

Wurger · Oct 1, 2008

Yes I agree with Les.I think the expression has to be replaced here as soon as possible.

Heinz · Oct 1, 2008

That attitude breeds a vicous circle and to me makes no sense what so ever.

However if that is your opinion so be it.

CharlesBronson · Oct 1, 2008

Sorry no I had no idea a short term for japanese was derogatory .

Shinpachi · Oct 1, 2008

I was going to pass this thread because I heard and read a lot of such miracle survival stories from my father's generation...

Everybody has freedom of speech but I don't want to be called 'Jap' at least. It reminds me of the worst days in the past even if the word might be almost obsolete today.

Thanks everybody for taking care with the word.
I am glad to know such warm consideration from you all at least.

Hi, Charles.
Please call me Shinpachi.
I know you are a good man who loves your own country and want to make friends!

CharlesBronson · Oct 1, 2008

Usually we are called argies and sometime ago I tought it was derogatory until somebody explains that is not, honestly I believe till now that the same could be said about the word "jap". My apologies again for causing some disconfort.

know you are a good man who loves your own country

Yes I am.

and want to make friends!

Not necessarily, I want to share information and opinions, if that bring some friends better but is not the main objetive.

Shinpachi · Oct 2, 2008

Thank you, Charles

seesul · Oct 2, 2008

schinpachi,

I´m just curious, did anyone from your family serve in the army during WW2 and if so, in which unit?

Shinpachi · Oct 2, 2008

Hi, seesul.

My father was drafted for Army in 1944 and stayed in a regiment of Chiba Prefecture till the end of war but I do not know which unit.

My uncle served Navy as a teenager volunteer.

My mother's father stayed in the 2nd Army Devision.
His regiment joined Coup d'etat in Tokyo on February 26, 1936.
After the incident, he and his regiment were sent to the front line in China as a penalty. They were not allowed to return home alive.

One night, his regiment was ordered to separate into two units and to attack the enemy from both sides. After several hours of searching, they found the target - a Chinese military unit on an expected position in the darkness.

My Grandfather and his unit started to shoot them.
The battle never ended so soon. It continued unitl almost soldiers died for hours. He was shot to die.

The opponent was NOT Chinese but the other unit of the same regiment!

seesul · Oct 2, 2008

thank you for your answer shinpachi!
Man, what a story...strange that both sides didn´t recognize they fought against their own army...I´m sorry for a nonsesical loss of your grandfather...

Shinpachi · Oct 2, 2008

My mother was seven years old when her father died in 1937.
She said the funeral was managed by the Army and gorgeous.
She had been missing her father until she herself went away in 1980.

Thank you seesul for your good question.
I had a good chance to recall my family history

seesul · Oct 3, 2008

Yes, there are 2 things that must be very depresing for the kids- either when its parents get divorced or when one of the parents passes away...

Shinpachi, another question, if you don´t mind...
Don´t you have links on the air museums in Japan? I mean the museums with WW2 birds...Is there any Zero displayed in any museum in Japan?

At 81, Japanese vet makes rare return to Iwo Jima

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