Memoirs of No Battle at Leyte Island (by Katsumi Morita)

　
At the beginning

"Memoirs of No Battle at Leyte" is reproduced by Katsumi Morita belonged to the 13th infantry regiment of Izumi Corps, with permission of the publisher.


(1) Memoirs of No Battle at Leyte

On 20th of October in the 19th year of the Showa (1944), the US forces, which had waited until the time was ripe, began to land to invade the Island of Leyte.
On the landing by the US forces, the response by the Imperial Headquarters, the South General Forces and the 14th Area Forces covering the Philippine Islands, had been described with various opinions after the War, to be well known in the world.


Anyway, the 26th Division (Izumi) which I belonged to, was relieved of the task for the decisive battle on the Island of Luzon, and was given the new task for the decisive battle on the Island of Leyte. We, together with the 1st Division (Tama), were to move to the new island which had been already occupied by the US forces. For the Imperial Headquarters in Tokyo, our movement from Luzon to Leyte might be ordered as if a piece was moved one block on Japanese chess play.


But it was not so simple and easy on the scene, even if the Imperial Headquarters might write down on a military note paper with one sentence of the 26th Division: from Luzon to Leyte. The distance between Manila and Leyte is about 700 km. The air supremacy was already taken by the US forces. The difficulty to transport one division over the sea, where numerous US war planes flied around wildly, was beyond all our imagination. And besides, the two conditions of In quantity and quickly must be satisfactory.

Still and yet, if we had many ships, it might be possible. But our transports were sunken one after another by daily air attack. Any ships named a ship, even if they were of small capacities　 or in low speed, must leave the Port of Manila.


I may be scolded The expression is not good or too bad. Dont you know the hardship of the headquarters? But the situation in Manila looked just so at the time.


After the US forces landed Leyte on 20th of October, Izumi Corps were decided to move to Leyte and we, the 1st battalion of 13th infantry regiment, left port in Manila Bay on 3rd of November.

At the time, I have no exact record about the 2nd battalion. But the 3rd battalion was transported by a high speed ship and arrived at Olmoc of Leyte in about 40 hours and could develop the first battle at the first 10 days of November. Headquarters of the battalion and five companies went board on 8 small boats. Slow and only night navigation by a hot-bulb engine took more than 10 days to arrive in the goal Leyte.

Our navigation was limited at only night to avoid attack of enemy planes. We in boats used to sounds of engine. It rhythmically sounded like a cradle song according to the tire of daytime. We devoured a short time of sleep without knowing hardship of the sailor.

Before sunrise we found an island, and hide the boat under trees of seaside. We took pains to avoid enemy planes attack in awful embarrassment.

In spite of five days navigation after departure of Manila, we could not find Leyte. We could throw a fishing thread and caught nameless fishes at one day time when we could not navigate. We had a peaceful daytime as if we forgot a war.

This peaceful navigation suddenly changed at the 9th day. A big crisis attacked us. In the afternoon of the day, the wind began to blow. When we started to navigate after sunset, it also began to rain.


Being caught in a rainstorm, we could not notice yet that it was due to a typhoon. Our boats had a small capacity filled with 60~70 men, and had no facilities for information or communication by radio. So the isolated fleet could not know the approach of a typhoon.

The boat still continued to navigate, but it increased to rain harder and the wind began to blow strongly. The atmosphere in the boat also began to be abnormal. Although it was midnight, anybody did not fall into sleep. To tell the truth, one of the agreements made at the departure from Manila was that SOS was signed by turning a light in a circle on deck.


The boat rolled and could not go forward. Sakata company commander of Kaｍmon-Maru ordered Someone. Turn a light in a circle on deck. One soldier went out on deck against raining, but soon came back. He said Boats on the right and left sides are turning a light in a circle.

The forces had a really suitable word at the time like this. It is No measures. No help could be expected and nobody could come to help. A small boat of the length of 20~30 meters were played by a typhoon in the ocean. In the situation like this, there is no way except trusting to luck. The sailors put the engine at full throttle and steered with all their might. The boat rolled to right and left, and something anxious started to appear in the boat. But here in the boat, it was no use upsetting or struggling.


How long the storm continued and whereabouts we located could not be confirmed. As long as nothing could be known, we spent a long time of anxiety and fright looking each other without talking.

Occasionally we heard the sound of zazzaa, zazzaa from the bottom of the boat. We had no knowledge about a ship, so we thought without any notice and anxiety that it might be possible when attacked by typhoon.

(To be continued)

　
I did not know which was earlier, dawn or passing of the typhoon. After dawn the sky was blue and we had no wind and breeze. I knew that the typhoon passed, but I wondered why the boat did not swing. No, it did not move. I was more amazed to see no water around the boat. How the boat stood on the beach! Why not! At the right and the left, other consort boats stood in the same pose.


This could not be expressed by being amazed or being astonished. Four boats really went on the beach at the almost equal space. Everybody could not help knowing the amazing fact.

On the four boats, two platoons of 2nd company, some of 3rd company, and commanding team and three platoons of the 1st company of machine gun, who were totally about 300 men, went on board, I supposed.

Anyway, for antiaircraft we got off boats and moved into the woods of palm. When the next measurements were being planned, we found a ship going far off the coast. Immediately, semaphore was tried. We knew that it was Seikichi-Maru where the commander of 1st battalion was on board. Seikichi-Maru changed its direction and approached the beach. As the beach was far shallow, major Saito, the commander, landed by a small boat. He confirmed our situation and ordered us to go after as soon as possible. And he asked one platoon of machine gun to follow him. Tadaka platoon, that was the strongest, got on board in a hurry. The ship started again to Leyte.

On the way of the story, but Tadaka platoon was only one platoon of our 1st machine gun company that could reach Leyte and fought hard as only one platoon of machine gun of the 1st battalion. All soldiers of the platoon including the leader, but excluding S superior private, died an honorable death as demons of Leyte.


By the marine chart provided by the boat, we knew that this island was Masbate. We left the port of Manila in 8 boats of fleet. Seikichi-Maru went to Leyte and 4 boats were here. Other 3 boats were missing since the typhoon at the night. On the 3 boats, one platoon of our company of machine gun, one squad of the battalion of big gun, one company of other battalion, and almost of the 4th company got on board.

The typhoon went through the center of the Philippine Islands to the east and moved from Masbate to Leyte. According to the late news, the 59th regiment spent a night getting soaked to the skin in octopus pots of the Lemon Pass of Leyte at the night of 9th.


Looking at 4 boats that ran ashore more than 100m far from the sea water at low tide, the captains had a consultation and concluded that we should do our best to float boats on the sea even if impossible. However, everythig we had was 2~3 hundreds of soldiers, shovels and several hoes. Of course, we had no engineers or tools. In the afternoon, anyway digging out sands around Kammon-Maru began.

For five days we had been shut up inside the boat with lack of exercise, so we could not immediately work hard. In the blue sky after the typhoon, the burning sun was blazing down continuously.


We stayed at night in portable tents here and there in the woods of palm, and we worked to dig sands continuously at daytime. It was a job that anybody had never experienced and could not be planned. But, thanks to our efforts, we began to think at 3rd day hopefully that we might dig out one boat. We had been doubtful until then, but all of us changed to believe that it was possible if we tried.

At noon of 15th day when everyone believed its possibility, unfortunately Mr. Horaguchi, the captain of Kammon-Maru, was crushed to death by the bottom of boat which leaned to the opposite side. 　Although works were carried on carefully, it was most regrettable that the accident happened due to dangerous works that had not been experienced. We prayed for the peaceful repose of the dead.

(To be continued)

　
There is nothing impossible if tried hard. On the 16th when a week passed since the running aground, we succeeded to float Kammon-Maru on the sea at last. When we heard the strong sound of engine after a long time and Kammon-Maru moved onto the sea, we shouted Hurray, weve made it.

This result gave us confidence, which turned belief. We successfully continued to float Mankichi-Maru on 17th, Jinriki-Maru on 19th, and Daiei-Maru on 20th on the sea, which had been worked simultaneously. We thought that they would be impossible, when the battalion commander of Seikichi-Maru ordered us to go after him. But, they had been realized.

All the four boats were dug out. We must be in hurry. We stopped to move at Masbate for 12 days. In the evening of the 21st, we started navigation again to Leyte behind Masbate.

In the morning of the 24th, we anchored at the inlet of a very small island named Jintotolo which was on a little way from Masbate. After the early lunch in the boat, when 4~5 causative soldiers began the preparation on the deck to pick leaves of palm for disguise, suddenly a consolidated bomber appeared at low altitude from the opposite side of the island and attacked us with dropping bombs and machine-gunning and went away. One of the 2nd company was killed instantly and one more was injured. Of our machine-gun company, Kato, 2nd year soldier, was injured in his buttock. It was the fist injury of our company since the landing the Philippines. Fortunately we were not repeatedly attacked and the affairs were settled in a while. But it was an instance that made us realize that we were under attack by guns harder than Manila air raid.

Until the evening, we all buried our comrade of the 2nd company of war death and started night navigation again. We left the island feeling so sorry that he slept alone at a solitary island named Jintotolo in foreign land.

At the next day, 25th, the four boats reached a small fishing port named Daan Bantayan of the island of Medellin located at the north part of the Cebu Island. As the sea was shallow, we could not bring the boats alongside the wharf. I know now it was a really dangerous area which had not any shelter for us.

By these environment and situation, we all were decided to land. When landed, we knew that the friendly troops, the garrison, stayed there. We heard that sounds continually like thunders far away were that of fire at Leyte, and that it would take 7or 8 hours by boat to the west seaside of Leyte, and that we had better make and take rice balls, as cooking could be impossible there . Everything we have heard made us surprised.

So we carried rice out of the boat, and we were very busy to make rice balls using the cooking place of the garrison. In the afternoon we got nervous about the next days battle, an enemy plane came to turn so highly over us and flied away toward Leyte. Soldiers of the garrison advised that boats anchored without any shelter would be easily found and be attacked without fail. In Kammon-Maru, Kato, a 2nd year soldier who was wounded at Jintotolo yesterday, were left alone.

To rescue him, Iida superior private hurried to go in a small boat. It was a job necessary to hurry. He rowed with all his power, moved Kato 2nd year into the lighter, and rowed to the shore.
But a lighter could not run as fast as we hoped.
At the same time the lighter reached the beach, 17 Gruman fighters appeared. They which were divided into 4 groups of 4 fighters attacked 4 boats with a shower of bullets. Nonresistant and defenseless 4 boats were enveloped in flames in a while and it was only a matter of time to fire the ammunition. 4 boats exploded in succession with a great crash. The red-yellow flash was not inferior to the brightness of the sun. It was a scene we could never forget.

I went to the beach to care the patient in a lighter which reached 200m away by the current of tide. So we, several including Iida superior private, ended to watch the shooting and explosion.

Enemy fighters burned down 4 boats by 30~40 minutes of gunfight, without any attack from the ground, leisurely disappeared behind military gains, in formation, in the East sky toward Lyte.

In 3 weeks after departure from Manila, we had experienced a miracle of digging out 4 boats for 10 days at Mastabe. Our desire and hope that we could battle on Leyte tomorrow, even if late, were crashed in a moment.

At the time of 25th of November, we had no information about other front　lines, about Japanese troops at Leyte and about Izumi Corps. We felt easy in fact that the military situation might be developed to our advantage and might possibly celebrate a victory.

But the reality of Leyte on 25th was severe. The 57 regiment (Tama) at Lemon Pass resisted the pressure of US army in desperation. At the south Front, our 3rd battalion of the 13th regiment fought a fierce battle against the US pressure at Dalman and Albuera. They were really the decisive battles at Leyte.

For our wrecked corps that did not know about the serious development at Leyte, the present food was rice balls, but we had no food after tomorrow. More than that, all weapons and bullets disappeared into the sea together with boats.

Of course we had no clothes for change. First of all, I heard this situation was informed to the appropriate organization through the garrison.

(To be continued)

　
Anyway we had to secure a place to sleep at the night. We searched vacant houses of local people in the neighborhood and stayed there separately by every squad. Lodging could be easily　secured, it became the biggest job to obtain daily food since the next day. We diverted ourselves by obtaining food everyday, although our long-awaited ships were not given even if November ended.

On 5th of December when we had spent 10days at Daan Bantayan, 2 boats were given hurriedly. For the reason of capacity, 3rd company stayed at the spot. 2nd company and 1st company of machine-gun started to run in full speed on the pitch-black dark sea. Once we felt a shudder of fear when we looked at tracer bullet from a torpedo boat, we could enter Cebu Port safely at 5 oclock of daybreak.

Soon after landing, we received baptism of air raid by more than 10 of North American bombers. It was the large-scale air strike that we had first experienced since landing Philippines. The roaring sound was just as a strong wind blew through a bamboo thicket and was very more effective to blow our fear of failing. We avoided or watched the first air raid. We had no shelter and entered houses avoiding roads and waited for the raid to end. At the bottom of the battle, we realized that we would approach to the main stage step by step. After marching some kilo-meters from the port, we arrived at the camp to have breakfast. We had a meal like meal after a long time.

It was no longer for the unarmed soldiers to eat safely at the camp. We had to take an unexpected duty. We were asked to dig a shelter-moat for the Cebu military hospital at the encampment on hill by several hundreds of soldiers. We were the corps gathered from many places. Digging holes at a hot country was a hard job for us, choosing the interval of air raids.


When we came back to the camp in about two weeks, after releasing from digging a shelter moat, we were provided weapons and bullets and a new set of clothes. We changed our clothes and mind to look like soldiers and the armed forces. We prepared to go to Leyte with a tension.

At the time, Kamioka battalion commanded by Captain Kamioka stayed at Cebu City. This captain, who commanded Kamioka battalion and us, planned to reach Leyte in the shortest course in the direction of the north of the Cebu Island.

We had weapons and clothes and stood in a line in the garden of the camp. Captain Kamioka finished a admonitory address and ordered us. Forward Leyte! Go ahead!

We started to march on 27th under the scorching sun, even in December of the southern country: Philippines.

The troops which aimed at fierce battle, was greedy. We carried everything to the maximum on carts that were down to pans, kitchen knives and cutting boards. The length of our marching file was exceptional.

Our first stay overnight was at Yate which was within the territory of the allied troops. If we could bear the hotness, we could march almost smoothly as the schedule, as there was no need to watch out for air raid and inhabitants often met were friendly.

But the smooth march was ended here. When we went 1km out of Yate village on the 2nd day, we might enter the territory of guerilla. The road was completely blockaded with palm trees and many obstacles. We could not carry carts any more. Therefore, baggage on carts was naturally divided on shoulders of soldiers.

The second stay overnight was at Danao which was a port town. Here, injured soldiers (patient of tropical ulcer and Kato 2nd year soldier) were to move by boat commanded by Shimizu squad leader.

On the 3rd day we could march smoothly by taking off injured soldiers out of the march. We reached Catmon for the third stay and took a long break.

Soon after we started 4th days march out of Catmon, an advance guard was suddenly shot in the darkness before dawn and Sanitary soldier! Forward! was shouted. Ishigami first year soldier was pierced at his upper arm and fortunately had no fracture. I tried to stop bleeding with feeling of hand touch literally. Our side attacked the guerilla by a heavy machine-gun. We took a short break until dawn.

We had the last fourth stay at Borbon. We were woken up to start a march at about 10 oclock in spite of the way of sleeping. We missed the way somewhere. We sank in water under knees, and walked in a bog. We could not easily see a man walking ahead in the darkness of midnight.

At about 3 oclock when long time had passed, we looked up through trees grown thickly. We felt that we walked round and round at the same place.

At about half past four when the sky was turning light, we heard the sound peculiar to the engine of enemy torpedo boat. Embarrassment, tension and fear attacked us at the same time. In a while, sounds of fire and explosion of a rapid-fire gun rung at once. Anyway we could do nothing until passing through the bog. After 3 hours of wandering, we felt relieved to find the way revealed by low tide when the sky turned light. But we felt suddenly tired to know that a white house ahead 500m was where we took a short sleep last night.

We could escape out of the bog as it dawned. At the shore a boat was attacked by a torpedo boat. Shells carried on the boat, caught fire to explode. Brass made cartridge flied up by explosion were scattered in every direction and were more dangerous.

A little later we met the group of Shimizu squad leader that moved by boat. We heard of fear that they were attacked by the torpedo boat and Tanaka private 1st class was injured with both legs to instant death.

We gathered all our strength to reach the goal of Tobogon in the evening of 31st of December, 19th year of Showa. After a long march of 100km for 5 days, we took a long break just in case.


Here near the north part of Cebu Island, there were Mitsui unit of boats and it was certain that we could start for Leyte by boats. At the next day, the New Year began. We had repeated a detour for 2 months since the departure from the Port of Manila, we were just in one more step to Leyte.

We waited for boats for 2 and 3 days, but they could not be seen. In the morning of 4th of January, 1st lieutenant Sakata, the company commander, with the medal of commander, read the whole of the Emperor Words and gave instructions to us in front of soldiers standing in a line with formal military dress. It was the anniversary day for hearing the Emperor Words.

In the morning of 6th after one day, a serious incident had happened. Astonishingly His Excellency of the divisional commander who was supposed to be commanding the division at Leyte appeared at Cebu Island. We had supposed a little about the situation of Leyte, but we had not been made known anything about Leyte at the time. The situation became decisive by the fact that the 1st division (Tama) appeared at Cebu Island with the commander presenting the Three Military Flags. The tales spoken by soldiers were fragmentary, but the whole situation was revealed gradually. Severe fight, desperate battle and defeat were beyond our imagination.

We had also received a baptism of bullets and exchanged gun fight. But during the time we devoured a sound sleep at Cebu Island, our friendly troops fought desperately there, fell down and died.


For all of us, a hope of landing Leyte was decisively crashed at last. We had to stay at Cebu Island under the command of Tama division. Those described above were all situations why we could not land the Island of Leyte.

At Leyte, Japanese 5 divisions belonged by 80 thousands of soldiers, developed desperate fights. The movement of our small unit, that was only 0.5 % of those, could not influence a little to the result of the battle. Nevertheless, I would like to write even a sentence at the blank space of the history that there was a small unit that made all endeavor to reach the front of battle somehow or other and but their endeavor could not been rewarded. These memoirs are the best way for a memorial service and consolation of the souls of our brothers who died regrettably at the southern island, I thought. I tried to write down my memories as above.

Additionally writing at the last, we reached the end of the war on the hill of Illihan on the 28th of August, 20th year of Showa (1945), under the command of Tama Corps. We could come back to the home country peacefully.

End

(To be continued)

　
A defeated soldier talks about a general.

On 6th of January, 20th year of Showa (1945), here on the shore of Tobogon near the north edge of Cebu Island in Philippines, about 150 soldiers of 2nd company and 1st company of machine gun of 1st battalion and about 100 soldiers of Kamioka battalion, which belonged to 13th independent infantry regiment (Izumi 5316) of 26th division, which were totally 250 soldiers having no information about Leyte, were waiting for boats to return from Cebu City for 5 days, to carry out the order given at the departure from Manila on 3rd of November of 19th year of Showa, to land Leyte.


Our unit was almost divided into squads to stay at vacant cottages of inhabitants. Early in the morning, I heard of the voice spoken hesitatingly Is there a sanitary soldier? Ask him to come.

Supposing the meaning of the voice, I could understand he was not a soldier going with us. I listened again with sleepy eyes to know that he seemed certainly ask for a sanitary soldier.

I said so to Morita senior sanitary superior private sleeping beside me. He said Morita. Go to see him.
Anyway I went out of the cottage with a bag of medical tools. An unfamiliar soldier was standing outside and said to me Come here.

I was not sure of 100 or 200m walking and was shown to the cottage which was not so far. There were three old soldiers in a small room who seemed high class officers. I noticed that one of them had a rank badge of Lieutenant General on his chest. I did not know how to salute to so high class officers. To His Excellency in a leaning pose, Mr. Colonel lying on his back and Mr. Army Surgeon beside him (His rank might be Colonel, but I could not remember exactly) I bowed to salute with sitting on the floor.

Anyway I asked to Mr. Army Surgeon. He said His Excellency was bullet wounded at his left upper arm. The Chief Staff was bullet wounded at his right upper arm. I have nothing for care. Treat their wounds as Im watching.

After watching, His Excellency was two piercing bullet wounded. Anyway I gave the same care and treatment as soldiers and gave a tight bandage.

Next Mr. Colonel, called the Chief Staff, got a scrape on the most upper part of his right arm. The wound was 7~8 cm and muscle was exposed without skin. Piling some pieces of rivanol-gauze thickly and fixing by bandage, I finished a treatment. I asked Mr. Army Surgeon about a preventive injection for tetanus. He praised me Sure thing. You had such a thing fortunately.


During my treatment, the Colonel grimaced, but received my treatment with saying nothing about his pains. So I could treat him easily. But I could not stand that His Excellency complained of pains Ouch, Ouch all the time.

After treatment I had nothing to do. I made a bow and got out of the room. A soldier was standing out of the room. I watched his step to know that ten and some pieces of 100 yen bills of home country were spread to be dried because of being wet with sea water.

I was strangely impressed that His Excellency Lieutenant General carried so big money even at field battle and went back to the cottage of leading group.


Well and now, when I came back to the cottage, all got up already and I reported Kubota superior private on a series of situations of treatment. But he did not believe them and Do you have a dream still after the suns rising up?, he laughed.

The fact that an apprentice sanitary soldier treated wounds for His Excellency Lieutenant General and a high class officer, could not be easily believed by Mr. sanitary superior private, a veteran of 2nd year soldier.


But at lunch time in some hours, it had been well known to the neighboring units that the Commander of 102nd Division advanced to Cebu Island from Leyte and he was injured. Soon after that, the guard unit for His Excellency was so small that our company escorted him on the way to Cebu City.


Some days later, 1st Division had advanced to Cebu Island from Leyte Island holding the Three
Military Flags. First at the time, we knew about the real fact that they fought hard and were decisively defeated.

Thinking again, on 27th of December of 19th year of Showa, we decided to make a march from Cebu City to reach the main battle field of Leyte. What did our five days of hard march for 100km on the east coast of Cebu Island mean?

In a record of war I read after the war, it was written that 14th Directional Forces sent a telegram meaning the direction of self-support and self-fight to 35th troops at Leyte Island on 22nd of December.


I will come back again to the main story. I supposed that leading the army corps for guard to go to the fiercest battle field, and resisting the big enemies with the newest and most powerful weapons by small troops with light weapons, and accepting full responsibility of the worst situation of battle, must be anguish for the Old General beyond description. The movement of the Division Commander to reach Cebu Island was described later in many literatures and reports of the war. Some of them were negative and dishonorable for him. Of course, I was a defeated soldier. How could I talk about the general?


The His Excellency was questioned about his early advance from Leyte at the end of the war and took the rap for war criminal unexpectedly after the war, and he was died before coming back to the home country, I heard.

Anyway it must be a daydream for me that a sanitary soldier of private 1st class treated bandage for the His Excellency who commanded many troops at the battle field with flying the yellow General Flag.


Our troops were called the imperial troops that were admired with many flowery words of honorable, brave, invincible, undefeated, and so on. In the military history that had been dressed with glories and honors for 70 years since the military construction at Meiji Era, the truth beyond our fragmentary imagination was secretly sowed in places where ordinary citizens and private soldiers could not know, I really thought. I observed the hidden part of the history by chance.

End

(The end)