Honor Thy Father – Chapter 11

First and foremost, thank you to all who have read my past blog posts and my book, “Homey’s Adventures.” 

As promised, I am writing this book as a sequel to the happy ending of my first book. I recently started writing this book, and I have been inspired lately. I decided to share this with you. So, without delay here is Chapter 11 of my third book: 

Chapter 11 – Okinawa, Fuse for The Atomic Bomb? 

My father’s 11^th mission was over Kyushu: 

I imagine my mother’s reaction when she received this: 

“I got another letter from Andy.” 

Aunt Shorty responded: “What does it say sis?” 

“He says some of the crew were sick, but well enough to fly. He says they bombed someplace called Kyushu.” 

“Let’s look at the map.” 

Aunt Shorty pointed to the map of Japan: “Here it is in southern Japan. I wonder why there?” 

“He says it was a night raid and they didn’t have any fighter escort. Apparently at night, they can’t use fighter escorts. Sis, I want to cry. This is all so horrible.” 

“May I see it dear?” 

Aunt Shorty reads the letter and then puts her arms around my mother: 

“It does say that they can land on Iwo Jima if they run out of gas.” 

My mom looks at Aunt Shorty with tears in her eyes: 

“Yes, that is something good at least.” 

The island of Kyushu was home to the headquarters of the Japanese army and several war industries. The allies were planning the invasion of Japan (Operation Olympic) to go through Kyushu. 

My dad’s 12th mission was over Okinawa: 

It is strange that he says he can’t say anything about it, but then attaches an article about it. He did this just before the Battle of Iwo Jima started too. The date of this mission was one day before the Battle of Okinawa started. 

The Battle of Okinawa was the bloodiest battle of Pacific Theater of war. It lasted 82 days. There were over 75,000 American casualties and 147 damaged ships by suicide bombers (kamikaze). There were over 110,000 Japanese casualties and over 40,000 civilian casualties. 

The Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum presents Okinawa as being caught between Japan and the United States. During the 1945 battle, the Imperial Japanese Army showed indifference to Okinawans’ safety, and its soldiers used civilians as human shields, or outright killed them. The Japanese military also took food from the Okinawans and executed those who hid it, leading to mass starvation, The Japanese forced civilians out of their shelters. Japanese soldiers also killed about 1,000 people who spoke in the native language of Okinawa to suppress spying. The museum writes that “some were blown apart by [artillery] shells, some finding themselves in a hopeless situation were driven to suicide, some died of starvation, some succumbed to malaria, while others fell victim to the retreating Japanese troops.” 

This view is explained by Victor David Hansen in his book Ripples of Battle: … because the Japanese on Okinawa … were so fierce in their defense (even when cut off and without supplies), and because casualties were so appalling, many American strategists looked for an alternative means to subdue mainland Japan, other than a direct invasion. This means presented itself, with the advent of atomic bombs, which worked admirably in convincing the Japanese to sue for peace [unconditionally], without American casualties. 

So, The Battle of Okinawa may have been the metaphorical fuse for the A- bomb. 

End Of Chapter 11 

I recently started drafting my new book and I have a lot of research to do. I plan to share some of my work as time and resources allows. I am hoping by next Father’s Day, my new book will be completed and published.  

I encourage anyone who had a parent or grandparent who flew in the B29’s from Tinian Island in 1945 to contact me. Without these heroes protecting our freedoms, we would not be able to celebrate our country’s founding on Independence Day. 

Originally, I started this blog as an eclectic mix of what I was thinking during the week and book reviews. I will do some of that too. So, you do not want to miss what follows. Follow my blog to make sure you receive it. 

If you do not want to wait that long and you have not read my first book. I encourage you to go to my website, www.homeysadventures.com. You can read the first two chapters for free, and you can also buy it. Or you can buy it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other fine retailers. Just search for it using the words: Homey’s Adventures by Jim Wish. 

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I liken myself to the Vienna Violinist described in chapter 5 of Homey’s Adventures Too. I play (write) for your enjoyment and mine. God bless you all