The Story of Fujii and Fukuko by Bill Gordon

The handwritten text in the painting was exerpted from a web-published account written by Bill Gordon for the May 2006 reunion of survivors of the U.S.S. Drexler Survivors Reunion Association. The photographs of Fujii and Fukuko were appropriated from the same site. That website no longer exists, but another version of the story can be viewed here .

The Text:

"This is the tragic story of First Lieutenant Hagime Fujii, an instructor at Kumagaya Army Aviation School. In December 1944, Fujiii's wife, Fukuko, comitted suicide along with their two children, Kazuko (age 3) and Cheiko (age 1) , so that her husband could freely go on a special attack (suicide ) mission.

"Fukuko initially opposed her husband's joining the special attack force, but in time she came to undersand her husband's firm determination to join his students to attack the enemy. On December 14, 1944, she left the house with ther two young daughters, went to Arakawa River near Kumagaya Aviation School, and jumped into the frigid water with ther daughters.

"The next morning on December 15, the three dead bodies were discoverd. The two girls wore their finest kinimos with one-year old Cheiko carried on her 24-year old mother's back and three year old Kazuko's hand tied with a rope to her mother's hand.

"Fujii was contacted at Kumagaya Aviation School. He hurried to the spot in a police car with Warrant Officer Shimada, who could find no words on consolation since the tragedy was so great. Fujii said with a moaning voice, "Perhaps today, I will shed tears. Please forgive me for only today. Please understand." In order to hide his tears, he crouched down before the three lifeless bodies and gently brushed sand off their white skin. "I am alway telling my student to commit themselves totally to be ready to die, but I myself cannot devote myself this far."

"On February 8, 1945, the 45th Shimbu Squadron was formed to carry out kamikaze attacks, and Fujii was apponted as its commander. The squadron of 12 men included nine KI-45 Type 23 Toryu Fighters (Allied code name of "Nicks"), with three aircraft manned by both a pilot and a radio operator/gunner. The squadron was named Kaihin which means " cheerul spirit" in Japanese.