This flag is one that was clearly presented to a Tokko guy. Though it was possible to be in Yokaren and not become a member of the Tokkotai, you were given the choice of ticking off one box out of 3 in your questionnaire about willingness to join Tokko, which said "Passionately wish to Join, Wish to Join and Refuse" A Tokkotai surviver that joined in 1943 said "As the results of the questionnaire were held in confidence, we could only guess by how the instructors treated the students, but to refuse to become Tokko would have required iron nerves and was almost impossible".
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Translation
Right side of meatball
The One Hit that Promises Victory!
Tsuchiura Naval Air Unit
Class “A” Preparatory Flying Student (Yokaren)
In celebration of Masaki Nakamura’s enrollment
Slogan above Meat Ball;
Self Denial in Service (of the Nation)!
Slogan under Meat Ball
Perseverance!
Left of the meatballMay 1943
Tokyo Metropolitan Junior High School Number 3
(Presented by) The School Parent’s Association and The Secretary of the School Alumni Association
Flag size: 94cmX74cm
Material: Cotton
Brief Research
In 1943, Yokaren students were graded into 3 classes. Class A (Ko) was the highest educated, being graduates of Junior High School (4 years) level and between the ages of 15 and 20, also eligible for entry into the Army and Naval Academies. Class B (Otsu) was for Elementary School (8 years) graduates 14-20. Class C (Hei) consisted of draftees.
Originally, the Oppama base in Yokosuka served as the training base, but as space ran out with the increase in inductions, the operation was transferred to the Tsuchiura Air Unit at the Kasumigaura airbase also known as the hosting airfield for the Zepplin visit as well as Charles Lindberg’s landing. Then rapid further expansion of the program caused various other Yokaren bases to be established from 1943.
Tokyo Metropolitan Junior High School Number 3 was established in 1901 in Ryogoku in downtown Tokyo and exists today as Tokyo Metropolitan Ryogoku Junior High School, which has a good track record of sending its graduates to Japan’s top universities.
In 1943, the induction of new class “A” recruits into the Tsuchiura Air Unit took place on April 1 (Class of 12 first wave), August 1 (Class of 12 second wave) and October 1 (Class of 13 first wave). So Nakamura’s actual induction should have been in April and the presentation of the flag made after the fact.
Masaki Nakamura’s name appears in the Yokaren’s KIA list for Class of 13, Class “A” students. His birth place is listed as Kagawa Prefecture, his personnel number “Sa (as in Sasebo) 12611”, but his Air Unit is recorded as Matsuyama Air Unit, not Tsuchiura. Matsuyama was added to the Yokaren program from October 1943 and the October 1st induction of the Class of 13 (first wave) was its very first crop of students. Nakamura is a common name, but the way Masaki is written is uncommon enough to make me believe that the Masaki in the KIA list cannot be a different person and mere coincidence. When Nakamura volunteered for Yokaren, there was only Tsuchiura, so though he may have come to Tokyo for his studies from Kagawa, the Navy could not have applied the rule of assigning him on the basis of his family registry location. However, with the opening of the Matsuyama School 6 months later, close to his hometown, he must have been transferred to better spread out the training load. Date and place of his death is not mentioned in the list. -
Amazing analysis. I was wondering what books or other source mateirals were used, especially how his unit and the roll call sheet information was identified.
I've been trying to pick up named IJN flight gear recently, with the hopes of doing research in the future.
Quick question: at this point in the war, 1943, how long was the flight training program. Pre-war, I believe the IJN flight school had one of the longer and most rigorous courses, with tons of washouts. At the end of war, I heard it was greatly abbreviated, but not entirely sure how bad it had become.
Really nice job...I'm more impressed with the background info than with the flag, which is incredible in itself!
Last edited by kaigunair; 05-01-2008, 11:23 AM.Comment
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When Yokaren started in 1930, the training lasted 2 years, but by the end of the war, it got reduced to only 6 months. As an example a Class A student joining the Okazaki Air Unit in 1944 had his Entrance Ceremony on 19th May and the Graduation Ceremony on 11th November.
General Studies consisted of Japanese, Math, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, History and English. Military Studies consisted of Navigation, Aviation, Gunnery, Communication, Engine and Maintenance. Gym subjects were Judo, Kendo, Sumo, Swimming and Bayoneting. Quite a lot of cramming to take to an early grave.Comment
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Nick that post puts this flag in perspective. Great leg work to research this wonderful flag. Very good work.Originally posted by Nick Komiya View Post
ScottComment
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Kaigunair,
I forgot to reply to your question about the primary source of research. Here's the KIA list for class 13 http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~un3k-mn/...13-eimeibo.pdf You will find our student on page 65 left column second from bottom.Comment
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Nick,
Outstanding!Its amazing what can be garnered from these flags!Comment
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Yokaren Flag
Terrific research Nick. Bringing life to otherwise "dead" pieces of history makes your research meaningful. I can think of only a few better or important pastimes........ MikeBComment
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I bet every signed flag tells a story if you choose to take the time to translate & add up the facts! Another great bit of flag sleuthing Nick!Comment
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