VOSHN 225

<body><a href="../index.html">HOME</a><br><table summary="209"><tr><td class="etesti">209</td><td class="edate">August 9<sup>th</sup>, 1945.</td><td class="eage">29 years old at that time</td></tr><tr><td class="ei_midasi" colspan=3>I will work for my country when I get well.</td></tr></table><div class="largep"><p>There came an order for the special rescue team to be assembled and we, a team of 10 and a few more police sergeants, gathered around, each wearing a red sash marked "Rescue."</p><br><p>One of my colleagues and I were told, "You two go see if cars and trains can run from the Nagasaki station up to Michinoo (station)."</p><p>As I knew U.S. planes like Lockheed were still flying around over Nagasaki, I couldn't help trembling, realizing this mission might expose us to the danger of death.</p><br><p>In a summer uniform dyed in black, jikatabi boots (Japanese digitated footwear), black puttees (leggings), and hanging a dagger at our side, we left for the urban area where fires kept burning or smoldering all around.</p><br><p>Passing through Ibinokuchi (district), present Zenza-machi (district), we saw the urban area was devastated by fire.  We had sweeping views of the city as far as the hill in Motohara-machi (district).</p><p>Thousands of injured people were milling around.  In the burnt trains, there were corpses sitting upright side by side, burnt and dead.  It was a grotesque sight, which showed how tremendous the explosion was.</p><br><p>As we passed along, we saw injured people everywhere.  They were suffering from severe burns and pleading, "Mr.Policeman, help me, please."  "I will work for my country when I get well.  Oh, please, please help me."  Clasping their hands in prayer, they pleaded with us to help them again and again.  However, we two were utterly helpless, since we carried no medicine or ointment.</p></div></body>