Seeing Hacksaw Ridge

Not the Movie - The Terrain

War movies aren't something you'll catch me watching very often. War kinda sucks.

We've heard about the film "Hacksaw Ridge" and, seen a few promotional clips.

Doc Graff and I, decided to take a hike, with cameras and, check the place out.

It was a blazing hot August day and, we were sweating like a few hogs in a roaster.

There's a little museum-looking building we came across and, saw this poster.

The building is called Urasoe Youdore and, it's well worth paying 100 yen to visit.

The staff are friendly and gave us permission to take photos. Little English is spoken.

But, we get by with our pidgin Japanese and Okinawan Hogen.

There are all sorts of treasures in this climate controlled building.

They have archaeological, historical and war-related artifacts on display and, I found this photo.

It shows Medal of Honor recipient, Desmond Doss, visiting Okinawa in 1995. 

For those who never heard of Desmond Doss or Hacksaw Ridge, I shot this photo.

The stone marker, dedicated to him, has been moved over the years.

We had trekked the lower levels of the hill but, wanted to walk Hacksaw Ridge entirely.

That's because there's a spot named Desmond Doss Point, up there somewhere.

All along the walkways, going up and down those hills, there are caves.

The vegetation is too thick, to see many of them and, it's fairly rough terrain.

Not far from the Urasoe Castle walls, we located Desmond Doss Point and, this photo was taken.

The Original Stone Marker

The day wouldn't be complete, without locating the stone dedicated to Pfc. Doss.

A gentleman, working at the museum, gave us directions to the Adventist Church.

It's located far from Hacksaw Ridge, in Kitanakagusuku.

The International Seventh-day Adventist Church, maintains the marker.

The church was located and, a middle aged woman came out to show us the location of the stone.

We thanked her and, asked if photography would be allowed. She gave the OK.

The back side of the stone is etched in Japanese. I can read Desmond T Doss.

When we were done, the lady at the church, invited us to go inside the buildings.

We're sweating like a couple of goats in heat by now and, I ain't crazy about churches.

So, we thanked her and, said it was time for us to get back on the highway.

Church people are alright and, I try to be respectful around them but, don't get too close.

They're religious and I'm sacrilegious so, don't want none of my stuff getting rubbed into them.

 If, you decide to visit Hacksaw Ridge, there's parking at the bottom of the trail. 

For a shorter hike, I recommend parking at Urasoe Youdore ; don't forget to visit the toilets.

There are no Men's or Women's facilities once you leave that parking lot !

Booklets Gathered from Okinawa Prefecture Archives

A Wealth of Information

A visit to Okinawa Prefectural Archives netted me a few pounds of booklets.

These items, written in English and Japanese, are available for free to the pubic.

It helps if, you speak a little Japanese or, bring along someone, to assist with translation.

Anyone who knows me, can attest that, I'm a fairly boisterous character.

The place, has sort of a library atmosphere so, I asked two adults, to enter first.

They speak in normal (soft to me) volumes and, broke the ice before, I entered.

Photography Is Permitted

Many establishments, such as this, do not permit photography.

This facility will let you use a camera, with one exception - NO FLASH.

Many of the items are enclosed in glass cases so, flash wouldn't be a bright idea, anyhow.

Hundreds maybe, thousands of classified/secret documents and messages, may be viewed.

Most of them pertain to the war or, the administration of the Ryukyu islands, afterwards.

Of course, these days, they are no longer considered classified materials.

A few of the Secret files, I took photos of but, ain't showing anybody because, I feel guilty.

Materials Gathered

Top center in the image above, is the only item which was unnumbered.

It contains over 200 pages of information and images depicting Okinawa's history.

Title: Okinawan History on Record Archives as Evidence of Change

Especially important, to me is a scroll, handwritten letter from Kanemaru to the Shogun.

Kanemaru changed his name to Sho En, when he became the king of the Ryukyu islands.

He wrote, thanking the Shogun for a sword, gifted to him.

Sho En is someone, I have a special interest in and, have been tracing his history.

From his birthplace, travels, reign as king, to his burial, I have been researching his past.

Heck, I even know where the other end if his bellybutton (umbilical cord) was buried.

Any Okinawan, whose umbilical cord wasn't saved, may have a problem.

Either, their family doesn't follow tradition or, they might have been born ugly !

Book #2

Minatogawa Human Remains and Paleolithic Okinawa

This is a 55 page booklet filled with archaeology, human, animals bones and fossils.

Book #5

The Battle of Okinawa: Views from the Air

Airbases Photographed by US Forces Before and After the Battle

Fifty pages of images taken of airfields the Japanese had built throughout the islands.

A total of 18 airfields, were constructed during 1944, in preparation for the war.

Okinawa was to become an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the defense of Japan.

Book #8

The Edo-nobori Ceremony and Triangular Politic

A 72 page, illustrated booklet, depicting envoys from the Ryukyu islands to Edo.

Ships sailed to mainland Japan, bringing island royalty to pay tribute to the Shogun.

Ryukyu formal attire, resembled that of Chinese clothing, distinctly not, Japanese.

This resulted in delegations appearing as foreigners, to the northern neighbors.

Book #10

Okinawa's Recent Past: Views from the Air

Aerial photographs of central and southern Okinawa Island taken by US Forces in 1945

Black and white stereo photography dated JAN-APR 1945

A 79 page booklet of B-29 flight coverage from Ishikawa south to Itoman.

Book # 11

Okinawa's Recent Past: Views from the Air II

Aerial photographs of northern and central Okinawa Island taken by US Forces in 1945

Another 79 pages of images from Yomitan, Onna-son, Ishikawa, Kin, Nago and Motobu.

Okinawaphiles

These printed editions are certainly collectibles and, will surely be out of print.

There are no, ISBN numbers on any of the book jackets; supplies will become diminished.

And, I doubt the Prefectural Board of Education plans on printing more.

Military photography was accredited to U. S. National Archives and Record Administration.

If, you cannot visit the Okinawa Archives, I haven't got time to help you.

There are more important things for me to do, such as chasing bellybuttons !

MAP TO PREFECTURAL ARCHIVES

Okinawa - The Middle of Last Century

Images from Okinawa the 50 Years of the Postwar Era

Some folks are itching to get into another war, these days so, I dug this up.

When two or more nations, can't settle things peacefully, things like this happen.

The bustling capital of Naha, was turned into rubble back in 1945.

There are plenty of civilians, women, children and elderly, who aren't involved in the quarrels.

But, they get to feel the ground rumble, smell the stench and, get blown away, too.

Not wanting to show the really gory things, I took a photo of this camp.

A few miles from where I'm sitting, was the Yaka POW holding area.

It would take some time, to sort out the bad guys from the good (Okinawan) ones.

A few thousand Okinawan prisoners, were sent off to Hawaii.  What for ?

Many of them had been forced to fight alongside the Japanese Imperial Army as conscripts.

And, there really wasn't enough food left on the islands, to feed everyone.

These poor souls, got to return home about a year later. Some of them are still alive.

Japanese, told locals that the Americans would kill, torture and rape if, they were captured.

Fortunately, Okinawans who spoke English, talked folks into surrendering peacefully.

They saved plenty of people from, taking their own lives. That's heroes !

Here's another place, down the road from me. It's the Ishikawa market back in 1952.

It took a few years, to put things back together again. You wouldn't recognize the place now.

It has paved roads with sidewalks and, new, shiny buildings everywhere.

Nowadays, Itoman City is a sprawling metropolis, you could get lost navigating.

Someday, I may have to try and duplicate this photo for a Then and Now.

The photo was taken in 1951 and, doesn't resemble today's Itoman rotary, at all.

To survive, many people had to be imaginative and, create their own industries.

Any scraps of metal, wood or foods, from the bases, could turn a profit if, you knew how.

An enterprising GI or two, sometimes helped the marketplace, I imagine.

If, ya got caught sneaking goods off the base, a person, could go to jail.

Things like that still happen, today !

Outer Islands

The war took place on many of the Ryukyu Islands, not just this one.

While, I was poking around in the historical records, a few new things were discovered.

Allies from the British Royal Navy bombarded the crap out of  the southern islands airfields.

That way, when the US Forces arrived, they didn't need to fight anybody.

Y'all Brits done a bloody good job. Bravo !

Lord only knows, what the Imperial Monsters were doing with a train, on this little island.

But, once the civilians, got ahold of it, they had a sugarcane express and shuttle bus.

Sometimes, I wish we had one of those locomotives on this island. Stupid monorail, ain't no fun.

Whenever these wars end, the winner gets to make the losers disarm themselves.

Nowadays, I think they know better than, to throw trash into the ocean.

Back to the Civilians

Going through this book, which is really a photographic history of Okinawa, reminded me.

It brought back memories, I keep locked away in dark recesses of my brain.

Deliberately, I passed over images, depicting the slime, scents and gore of ground warfare.

Not what you could call an active pacifist, I believe there will always be wars.

Getting up there in age, I don't/won't start a fight with anyone in this world.

Nobody, has any business, killing innocent civilians or, destroying their countryside.

The Battle of Okinawa, destroyed homes, farms, chickens, pigs, cows, goats and horses.

More than 100,000 civilians died and, the living were left starving.

I read a narrative about a young woman, collecting the belts off of dead Japanese soldiers.

That was, to cook for her family, as meat because, there were no animals left alive.

What did those civilians do, to deserve the hell that descended upon them ?

Before anyone decides to start shooting weapons at another country, think about it.

Win, lose or draw, someone has to put the civilian population, back together again.

Photos from "Okinawa The 50 Years of the Postwar Era."

Book jacket ISBN4-89095-085-0 does not appear in Google Search

Some used copies at Amazon

Mr. Miyagi and the Stone Marker in Kunigami

Image on a Clipboard

Today's visit to Kunigami was for the purpose of gaining some information.

Doc Graff and I, have visited Mr. Miyagi a few times before and, he's very friendly.

Searching for a book concerning King Sho-en, I wasn't having much luck.

Miyagi, used to be in an office, next to the library. He's a historian.

We asked if, the gal working there, could give him a call and, she seemed puzzled.

There are many people, with the name Miyagi, in  northern Okinawa.

I told her, we're looking for the Miyagi, who's kinda ancient, like me, she knew, who I meant.

She placed a call and, started to turn on the air conditioning, for us, while we waited.

"Nah, we don't need AC, we'll go outside and do some smoking." I told her.

Miyagi, showed up, smiling and waving, from half a block away.

Inside the library, he understood, exactly what I was searching for and, hurried back home.

He showed up with an old book, he had highlighted pages on and, got to work.

Miyagi, got an unmarked copy off the reference shelf and, had copies of pages, made for me.

When I tried to pay for the pages, the gal told me, they are free. Yay !

Thanking Mr. Miagi and the girl in the office, we were ready to go down the highway.

But, Miyagi had a request. "Could we translate something from English to Japanese?"

Heck yeah. The guy always helps us. So, he ran back to his house again.

We found a spot in the shade and, did some more smoking. Miyagi was back in minutes.

He had a color photo attached to a clipboard. I took an iPhone camera snap of it.

We got the translation done and, Miyagi scribbled it down, under the photo.

He was delighted. He started telling us the story, behind the memorial stone.

Then, asked if, we had a few minutes to spare and, a car, to go see the stone marker.

The three of us headed off, in Doc's automobile and, were there shortly later.

It took awhile, peeking through some bushes, in mosquito and habu land, to find it.

Our cameras, were left behind, in the car.  This is another iPhone photo.

We got out of the bushes and, Mr. Miyagi continued with the story. He was very happy.

He waved his hands and almost danced, with joy, thanking us and giving a history lesson.

He even, had us walk a bit, down into town, to show us where the library, used to be.

Back in 1945, some Imperial Army soldiers, spotted Robert M. Flynn.

He was crouched down, sort of hiding. Two soldiers shot him at close range.

Then, Miyagi motioned, as if swinging a sword. Flynn whacked their heads off.

Then, hopped in a vehicle and escaped from, anyone else encountering him.

He died from his wounds that day. But, Miyagi was glad, the enemy soldiers got killed, too.

He kept hopping around, bowing to us and, practically danced in the street with joy.

He wanted that stone translated and, kept thanking us for our help.

Doc, offered to drive him back to his home and, he just wanted to walk. What a guy !

He's going to have that memorial marker, cleaned up and, put it back, where it came from.

We'll have to return and, join him, when his restoration is complete.

Back at the Office

A little Google Search helped me find some information concerning the stone marker.

Flynn, Robert M. LT USNR was killed in combat June 15, 1945.

There wasn't any more information available in these records. I'll look for more.

Maybe, someone who reads this blog, can come up with something more detailed.

It's a sad story but, something I believe, needs more investigation.

There aren't many people, still alive, who remember the Battle of Okinawa.

And, I think it's important, for both sides, to learn from it and, remember.

Don't you ?

Suicide Boat Squadron Monument in Kin Town

Help from Google Translate

 

 

Here's a site I've passed by hundreds of times and, never gave it much thought.

Someone keeps the marble stones swept, cleaned and, places fresh flowers there.

One day, I used the photo option and translation feature on the smartphone.

That's when I discovered the significance of this monument.

 The building, off to the right was a Japanese Army headquarters during WWII.

There were suicide motorboats, stationed in Kin.

Little, wooden boats, loaded with explosives and, manned by teenagers.

If you weren't qualified to fly kamikaze airplanes, you could still serve the emperor.

Learn how to crash, wooden boats into US ships and, you could be a dead hero.

Going back, with the big camera, I shot this plaque for folks, to read.

If, you can't read Japanese, don't worry. I'm not too good at it, either.

Use the translate option and photo feature on your phone and, you'll see what, I saw.

Standing in the middle of the street, to take this photo was tricky.

Cars, would come along and, I'd have to move, to wave them by.

People, walking down that side of the road, were stopping, to avoid ruining my photo.

They're so friendly. I would greet them and, tell them, to go on and pass by.

This is a special place and, might be sacred, to some people.

After the photography was done, I had to do something to, not appear sacrilegious.

Walk over close to the stones, bow my head and, act sort of reverent.

Then, made like, I was saying a prayer for them, from me and my family.

"It was nice, to have never met you," was all I said.


More About Suicide Boats

Travel Photo: Things Were Looking Grim

General's Last Night

 

 

This cave was the final command post for the Japanese Army, during the Battle of Okinawa.

Generals Ushijima and Cho had their headquarters here and, knew the war was ending.

On the night of June 21, 1945, they made their final preparations.

The American forces, would soon overtake them and, surrender was out of the question.

The Generals, said their farewells and, ordered the troops to fight until death. 

Shortly after four, the next morning, they left the cave.

Spreading a sheet a little way from the cavern the entrance they did a samurai thing.

They had failed the Emperor so, poked their swords in their bellies.

If you enjoy morbid travel stories: Read It All in an Army History Book.

Travel Photo: A Sign in a Museum

Former Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters

 

 

 This photo was taken in the museum located above the tunnels at this site.

It tells how civilians were conscripted to assist the military with their war.

The military policy of "local procurement" provided an economical labor force.

Women and children were used for construction projects and, other things.

400,000 innocents were stuck in the battle zone.

Okinawans remember ! 

 See an image from this site featured in Photography Tip: Leading Lines

A Photographic Visit to Haebaru Museum

It Will Leave You Unpleasantly Surprised

 

 

Haebaru is a town situated to the south and east of Naha, Okinawa.

It's one of the few places I've been, where the boundaries, don't reach the ocean.

There is no fishing port.

Inside, you can see many of the cultural items most museums display.

 There is one room dedicated to those who emigrated away from this island.

The Darkest Place

 

 

This is a re-created bunker known as the Army Hospital Cave.

Just about an hour before taking this photo, we had toured the real thing.

Trust me. The one in the museum, is much more comfortable.

There are bloody patients stacked on wooden bunks, lining the hallway.

Email me, if you want to see those photos.

Hopefully, you can read this. I took photos of the writing on the wall.

It saves me from typing and, I don't need quotation marks.

More than 2,000 people from Haebaru died during the Battle of Okinawa.

Back in those days, even little kids, had to be loyal to the Emperor.

If you got caught speaking the Okinawan language, you might be a spy.

And, a Japanese soldier might kill you.

There's a story about that kimono, hanging on the wall.

The woman, wearing it survived but, not her child.

The village of Haebaru was pretty much, wiped off the map.

They have samples of what did the maiming and killing.

No signs posted, saying "Do Not Touch."

But, I didn't, anyway.

War, is always a two-sided story. The USA and Japan were in this one.

Okinawa never wants to see war, again.

 A visit to this museum will help you understand why.

Haebaru Town English

Never Ending Discoveries in Okinawa, Japan

Decades Could be Spent Finding Them All

 

The question is asked frequently.

"Do you think you will ever run out of material to photograph and write about on Okinawa ?"

The answer is, "No."

The photo above, is an example of a recent find. 

In over 35 years of traveling up and down this island, I had never heard of or, seen this place.

It is called: Nishihara Village Office Wartime Underground Shelter.

It seems that, in the 1940's, the Japanese Imperial Army needed to occupy some buildings in town.

Local residents were (ahem-ahum) employed to dig this underground shelter.

That way they could store all the important papers and documents.

If you worked in the village office, you could take stuff out and work on it at home. 

Then, bring it back at night, to be stored in a safe.

A Quote From the Historical Marker

 

 

"Today, in Nishihara, the office shelter is one of the few important historical artifacts left from the war.

Such remains constantly remind us of the hardships and tragedies of war, even as its lessons fade with time."

Kenji Monument at Mabuni in Itoman, Okinawa, Japan (Images)

10 Photos of the Kenji Monument Area

 

It's been a few years since my last visit to this war memorial.

April of 2013, Doc Graff and I went back for some photography under cloudy skies.

The Battle of Okinawa began in April of 1945.

Hundreds of high school-age children were forced to serve with the Japanese forces.

The Kenji Monument is a memorial to those who lost their lives.

A bit off the beaten path, not many travelers visit this site.

It should be part of any tour going to Peace Memorial Park.

Good photojournalism requires the author to answer five questions.

Who, What, When, Where and Why?

Any other information you can provide is a bonus.

So, it's important to look at the scene from every possible angle.

Down in the caves was probably where these youngsters lived their last few days.

Visitors should go inside to get a feel for what it was like.

Things smell different and the sounds aren't the same.

It could give you goosebumps or, make your heart rate change, being in there.

And, you have to be really careful coming back out.

Maybe, you would slip and fall or, be blinded by the light, leaving the caves.

It would be nice to do an article about the Kenji Monument.

The Who, What, When and Where parts, I've got them all and, even more.

The only ingredient I'm missing is.....

 WHY?

LOCATION