Artist’s Profile

 

Artist: TANEJI KAKIMOTO

 

■1920 December 16  Born as second son of Taneichi and Hatu Kakimoto

 

■1926         Enter Iwamizawa City Elementary School in Hokkaido

 

■1936           Enter Yokohama City Commercial College

 

■1941            Pass the first class grade B examination for conscription

 

■1942

February    Joined the Artillery Regiment in Mt. Karafuto (No. 43 North Unit). Kamisikuka was the northernmost railroad station in Japan at that time.

 

  May          Enter Field Artillery Military School in Yotukaido, Chiba Prefecture

 

  October     Graduate the Military School

                Serve as an apprentice officer back in the artillery regiment in Mt. Karafuto

 

  December   Transferred to No. 7 Field Artillery regiment in Asahikawa

 

■1943

February    Transferred to No. 795 Unit, No. 42 Field Artillery regiment, No.24 Division in West Dong’an, Manchuria

 

  December   Appointed as sublieutenant (Sho-i), called up immediately after the completion of two-year active service, and placed on reserve

 

■1944

March       Only one battalion departed Busan.  The original unit was crushed in Okinawa on its way to the south.  Two out of three ships in our fleet was sunk.  My ship was attacked by torpedo, but it did not explode.

 

   April        After being chased by submarines of enemy for 40 days, landed on the Mereyon Island, Caroline Islands in the South Sea Islands which was then mandatory territory of Japan.

                After landing, we were attacked fiercely, and lost all the bullet and foods.  No supply was made.  It was the start of the days of starvation. 

                It was like a hell of earth, where people going crazy, committing suicide, stealing, shooting, and so on.

                Among my platoon of twenty-six, only three survived.  Rest was dead from starvation.

 

■1945

August 1       Appointed as first lieutenant (The date might be August 20)

 

   September 1   Promoted from Sho-Hachi-i to Ju-Shichi-i (by receiving a notice in later days)

  

   September 25  Returned to Japan at Beppu Port on the hospital ship for repatriate.

                     Discharged from military service after a check-up at Military Hospital

                     Finally returned to my hometown, Iwamizawa after several days.

 

On my way home, I took a side glance at the city of Yokohama.  I sent two telegrams on the way, and one of them reached at my home just before I came back.  My mother hurried to greet me and shed tears of joy.