Background
The word "Sasebo" (means "leaf port"; also pronounced "Saseho" long
ago due to Japanese sailors' preference) is probably from the name
of a Japanese ruler in the area, Isamu Sasebo, one of the families
in the Matsuura clan (his name originally was Matsuura Tango
Genzaburo Isamu). He is said to have built Sasebo
castle in the early 1500's on a hill in an area now called Hachiman-cho.
It is thought that the castle was later moved to Hanaguri, now Hotate
Park.
The town just above Sasebo, Ainoura, was considered to be of more
importance and therefore developed earlier. However, the famous
Naval admiral, Heihachiro Togo, thought the Sasebo harbor ideal for
a naval installation when he visited there in August 1883. After
consideration of two other options in Imari and Hirado, Sasebo was
chosen in May 1886 and construction work began in January 1887, with
completion in July 1889. Thereafter, the port was vital during
several wars, e.g. the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese
War, World War I, and World War II.
Sasebo Naval Arsenal 1930
Here is a very interesting table
of all Imperial Japanese Navy ships, in Japanese only. Click
on 建造所 button to sort on shipyard -- Sasebo will be listed as
佐世保海軍工廠. Note that the I-401
super-submarine was built in Sasebo. This submarine was
capable of carrying three aircraft and was intended for use against
US cities and the Panama Canal. Of paramount concern was that these
aircraft might contain bio-weapons. Fortunately, more level-headed
Japanese strategists scrapped that idea! See this special
page on the I-400 super-subs.
Other mighty warships were at the Sasebo
Naval Arsenal as well:
"The Imperial Japanese Navy employed
some 50,000 people at the Sasebo Naval Arsenal at the peak of
World War II, constructing and refitting destroyers, light
cruisers, submarines and other various naval vessels. The 21st
Naval Air Arsenal (Dai-Nijuichi Kaigun Kokusho), established
jointly at Sasebo and Omura, produced a total of 966 aircraft. The
facilities at Sasebo were used for repairs on the battleships Yamato and Musashi
during the Pacific War."
Part 2 of this document has a lot of good info with photos and
diagrams of the Sasebo Naval Base Air Defense Center, similar to our
NORAD in the US:
More can be found about this center, open to the public since March
2017, here at The
Japanese Home Front III: Sasebo Air Defense Command Center.
David Krigbaum has many other interesting articles in this series at
his website.

Aerial photos (USS Boxer,
1956)
Some interesting old maps of the Sasebo area, known long ago as
Hizen:
 |
One of the earliest maps
of Japan (1625), shown as an archipelago rather than a
single island. Kyushu consists of only two regions, Fongo in
the north and Bungo in the south, though the former is
actually Bungo. Hirado (Firando), Hizen (Figen), Buzen
(Bungen) and Chikugo (Checuge) are shown distinctly. Oddly,
Nagasaki (est. 1571) is not shown. Before Nagasaki became
the main port and known as "Little Rome," trading ships
would go to Bungo (Oita), Hirado, Yokoseura (Saikai) and
Fukuda (just west of Nagasaki). Kuchinotsu in south
Shimabara was also visited.
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Drawn by Dutch scholar Arnoldus
Montanus (van den Berg? van Bergen?) and published in 1669.
All of Kyushu was called Bungo.
Hizen 1 - Shows
Hakata (Facata) to the north, Hirado (Firando) Island,
Ainoura (Agnora), and Ushinokubi (Ousinocubi; "cow neck").
Hizen 2 - Shows
southern area to Nagasaki (Nangasacqui) and Kagoshima
(Cangoxuma).
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Produced by Kaempfer in 1690. Shows all of Hizen (Fidsen),
from Nagoya Castle (Nagaja) to Nomozaki. Sasebo area shows
only Hinoura (Finoura) and Oshinokubi (Takashima Island west
of Sasebo Bay, lighthouse is called Ushigakubi).
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Japanese map c. 1690. Shows Chikuzen Hirado Castle in
upper left. Sasebo area points are Emukae, Saza, Ainoura,
and Hiu. Note Kujukushima shown as numerous dotted islands.
The sea route in red is marked with reference to
"Ushinokubi," used as a navigational point.
|
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Map produced in 1707 (by Pieter van der Aa?). Hirado
(Firando) is shown in relatively correct location and Hizen
(Figen) to the east, but other locations obviously
incorrect. Nagasaki is noted as Langasacke.
|
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Map of Japan from 1795
with "New and Accurate Descriptions" by Jesuit Antonio
Cardim (image from Harvard Univ.), showing church locations
on Kyushu - Hirado (Firando), Nagasaki (Nangusaqui), Omura
(Vomura), Isahaya (Isafai), Hizen (Fiozon?). |
 |
Thomson map of Japan (1815) showing Hizen (Fidsen) area,
notably Hirado (Firanda), Hinoura (Finura), and Ushinokubi
(Osinokubi). Two unknown towns are Awo and Kissima.
|
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Japanese map of Hirado and
Nagasaki areas, produced by the famous surveyor/cartographer
Tadataka Ino and, after his death in 1818, completed by his
team in 1821. Ushinokubi is the only point noted in the
vicinity of Sasebo.
|
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Another map by Tadataka
Ino, edited by his helper, Kageyasu Takahashi, in 1827. This
may be the first time the village was identified on a map,
and is written as "Saseho."
|
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Colton map of Japan (1855) showing Hizen (Fizen). Hirado
is spelled Firato. Mt. Tara is the highest point in Hizen,
noted probably for navigational purposes.
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Additional
old
maps of Sasebo area, 1685 to 1897 - the name Sasebo
first appears on a map in 1874 (page 15).
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World War II related
Mostly dealing with Sasebo target data and air raids (佐
世保空襲). See PDF's below (with corresponding dates) for full
data on images.

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Fukuoka area
map 1944-11 |

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Sasebo area map
1945-03 |

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Sasebo area map
1945-03a |

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Sasebo area map
1945-03b |

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Sasebo target
area 1945-04 |

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Sasebo targets 2539 754
1945-04-21a |

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Sasebo targets 2539 754
1945-04-21b |

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Sasebo carriers 1945-04-21 |

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Sasebo ko (harbor)
1945-04-30a |

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Sasebo ko 1945-04-30b |

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Sasebo ko 1945-04-30c |

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Sasebo inner harbor
1945-04-30 |

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Sasebo naval dockyards
1945-04-30 |

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Sasebo oil storage 1945-04-30 |

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Sasebo shipping report 4
1945-04-30 |

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Sasebo area 1945-05-21a |

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Sasebo area 1945-05-21b |

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Sasebo naval arsenal
1945-05-23
See:
Sasebo
Naval
Arsenal
and Engineering Dept Report 1945-07-17
|

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Sasebo and vicinity |

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Sasebo vicinity 1944-06 |

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Sasebo vicinity incendiary
zone 1944-06 |

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Sasebo vicinity mosaic d2
1944-06 |

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Sasebo vicinity mosaic da
1944-06 |

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Sasebo vicinity mosaic e
1944-06 |

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Sasebo 1945-06-20 |

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Sasebo shipping report 32
1945-06-20 |

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Sasebo mission table map and
1945-06-28 |

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Sasebo damage assessment
1945-06-29a |

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Sasebo damage assessment
1945-06-29b |

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Sasebo shipping targets
1945-07-02 |

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Sasebo shipping report 34
1945-07-02 |

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Sasebo shipping report 48
1945-07-29 |

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Sasebo 1946 (cropped) |

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Sasebo airfield 1 - 21st
Naval Air Arsenal, Omura
|

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Sasebo airfield 2 - 21st
Naval Air Arsenal, Omura |
CTG54 images
|
Document
source:
Comm
Amphib
4 CTG 54-1 Occup Sasebo Fukuoka 1945-11-11
|

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Sasebo ammo storage Haiki
Straits CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo bomb damage business
section1 CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo bomb damage business
section 2 CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo harbor 1945-09-26
CTG54-1
FULL
IMAGE - shows landing designations A through V
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Sasebo harbor entrance
CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo Harbor Masters Bldg
CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo Japanese LSMs APD
CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo Japanese Naval Bldg
CTG54-1
(This later became the US Navy PX, then the dependent
school.)
|

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Sasebo J-Frigates KAIBOKAN,
Ebisu Bay CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo Japanese Submarine
200-class, Ebisu Bay CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo KASAGI carrier, Ebisu
Bay CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo LST at Supply Basin
CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo LSTs unload onto
seaplane ramps CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo Naval Aircraft Factory
LSM LSTs CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo Naval Base dry dock
CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo ships, Ebisu Bay
CTG54-1 |

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Sasebo ships unload at dock
CTG54-1 |
Repatriation of Japanese,
Koreans and Chinese
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|
Repatriation
of Japanese nationals to Japan, and Korean and Chinese
nationals back to their respective countries
During this initial six-week period alone, a total of
706,183 Japanese were repatriated, over 479,000 of whom were
civilians. Repatriation efforts would take years, but it is
estimated a total of some 3,110,000
military and 3,180,000 civilian Japanese were
repatriated (1976 figures). Sasebo was one of the 18 repat
ports in Japan where they disembarked, accounting for around
1.4 million Japanese.
Final Repatriation Report,
Nov. 1945 - excerpts from Fifth
Marine Division, Occupation of Japan, 1945-09-22 to
1945-11-30 Part 2 (NOTE: The full document, Parts 1
and 2, contains detailed data on names of repat ships and
ports of entry in the Kyushu area. Images to the left are
from Part 1.)
40th
Infantry Division, History of Evacuation and
Repatriation through the Port of Pusan, Korea, 28 Sept
45 - 15 Nov 45 - contains many graphs,
diagrams, sketches and photos |
Special Photo Collections
Col.
John T. Rooney (1917-2013)
- Sailed into Sasebo circa Sep./Oct. 1945 and became the
USMC Supply Officer with the 8th Service Regiment, a unit of
the 5th Amphibious Corps, VAC. Photos include shots of
Sasebo Navy Yard, city and rural area, Nagasaki (A-bomb
damage) and other cities in Japan. (Courtesy of Greg Rooney)
|
Camp Sasebo APO 27
- special booklet commemorating visit by Maj. Gen. Pierson
and Brig. Gen. Peploe on Aug. 11, 1954 (note this scan is
incomplete). Photo
of camp headquarters and chapel (high resolution) |
USSBS
Air
Objective Folder 90-36 Sasebo 90-39 Tsushima 1944-07-18
Photos
1945
- Sasebo Report No 3-a37 USSBS Index Section 7
Sasebo Harbor Ship
Count 1945-04
Sasebo
Photo
Intel Report 563 USSBS-3-a-37 1945-04-23
Fukuoka
Sasebo
Nagasaki photo recon 3rd PRS 1945-05 (report date 1945-07-05)
Omura
Aircraft
Factory 1945-05-04
Sasebo
Photo
Intel Report 620 USSBS-3-a-37 1945-05-05
Sasebo
-
Aircraft Action Report 1945-05-13
Sasebo
Kyushu
No 2 Radar Anti-Aircraft Report No 1-f-18 USSBS Sec7 1945-06
Kawatana
Arsenal 1945-06-12
Sasebo
Bay Target Info USSBS-3-a-37 1945-06-27
Tactical
Mission
Reports 234-237 Okayama Sasebo Moji Nobeoka 1945-06-28,29 No
2-b-56 USSBS Section 7
Sasebo
Naval
Dockyards Report 1945-06-30
Sasebo
Harbor Shipping Report 32 1945-07-02
Sasebo
Harbor Shipping Report 34 1945-07-05
Sasebo
Photo
Intel Report 744 USSBS-3-a-37 1945-07-05
Sasebo
Mission Summary USSBS-3-a-37 1945-07-06
Sasebo
Naval
Arsenal
and Engineering Dept Report 1945-07-17
Special
Study
of Sasebo Naval Base Report 188-45 No 3-i-15 USSBS Sec 6
1945-07-20
Sasebo
Harbor Shipping Report 48 1945-08-05
Sasebo
Target
Report 1945-08-07
Sasebo
Oil Storage Report USSBS-3-a-37 1945-08-10
Sasebo
Munitions
Storage 1945-08-10
Ainoura
Naval
Recruit Training Station, G-2 Report 1945-10-13
Nagasaki
Targets
Report No 3-a(37) USSBS 1945-10-26
Comm
Amphib
4 CTG 54-1 Occup Sasebo Fukuoka 1945-11-11
GHQ
Directives
re Sasebo 1947-10-25
Evacuation
of Japanese to Sasebo (in Japanese)
Sasebo
Naval
Center - Weekly Intelligence bulletins Vol I Nos 1 to 52 14 July
1944 to 9 July 1945
Sasebo
Naval
Base - Weekly Intel Bulletin Vol01 No20
Sasebo
Naval
Dockyard - Weekly Intel Bulletin Vol01 No20
Occupation History
American B-29's destroyed nearly half of Sasebo during WWII, but the
city survived. Here is the story of how Americans helped to repair
the city they had nearly destroyed, and to help heal the thousands
of lives there.
Just before midnight on June 28,
1945, 145 B-29's took off from Saipan Air Base on a mission
to bomb Japanese cities, one of which was Sasebo, a city having one
of the largest Imperial Navy installations in Japan. The incendiary
bombing raid commenced just after 0130 the next day and lasted less
than 90 minutes, during which time over 1,200 Japanese were killed
and 42% of the city destroyed. Due to inclement weather, nearly all
of the aircraft used radar targeting. Sasebo received a number of
other air raids in 1945 -- April 8, April 16, April 30, July 2, July
7/8, July 31, and August 10 -- but the June bombing was the only one
to inflict major damage on the city. (See above PDFs for targeting
recon data starting in April 1945.)
What were the results of all these bombing raids on the Japanese
military? Unknown to the Allies, the Japanese were digging in,
literally turning into human gophers, putting not only their
military headquarters but manufacturing, living quarters, and even
schools underground (Sasebo had a huge underground complex). But the
end of the war was in sight, and the atomic bombings finally taught
a stubborn military leadership that surrender was the only viable
option for the survival of the Japanese people. Much credit can be
given to the Emperor of Japan for saving his people by his supreme
decision to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.
When the war came to an end, the Occupation Forces were faced with a
daunting task -- how to fix a broken Japan, and deal with a broken
people, a people that could potentially be full of revenge. Sasebo
was in a shambles and needed basic repairs quickly. The harbor was
full of damaged ships and scattered mines that presented a problem
to the incoming Occupation ships. The damaged infrastructure of the
city alone was appalling, and the citizens were desperate for help.
The United States 5th Marine
Division Amphibious Corps (VAC), which was the first into
Sasebo, was also the same division that had first fought the
Japanese so fiercely on Iwo Jima. The following are excerpts from
the VAC Occupation of Japan Action
Report covering the period from Sept. 22 to Nov. 30, 1945
(see bottom of page for PDF).
Excellent occupation history with many photographs -- Arrival
in
Sasebo, Japan (Chapter 14 of
The Spearhead - The World
War II History Of The 5th Marine Division by Howard Conner
(1950).
CHRONOLOGY:
Sept. 16 -- 5th Marine Division
departs Saipan for Japan (Task Group 54.21).
Sept. 18 -- Col. Wensinger arrives in Sasebo aboard the USS Ralph
Talbot (DD 390) to meet with Japanese officers and civilian
leaders.
Sept. 20 -- VAC advance party from Saipan under Col. Reaves
arrives in Sasebo, along with G-2 officers and officers from the
2nd and 5th Marine Divisions and Amphibious Group 4, and meets
with Col. Wensinger to complete preliminary arrangements for the
occupation.
Sept. 21 -- Vice Admiral Hill with Gen. Kreuger aboard the USS
Auburn, Commander 5th Amphibious Corps flagship, arrive in Sasebo
and receives Col. Wensinger's report.
Sept. 22 -- USS Mount McKinley (AGC 7) docks at Sasebo Port;
receives Vice Admiral Abe and four other Japanese naval officers
for conference from 0800 to 0930.
Sept. 22 -- Advance landing party arrives on beach at Sasebo Naval
Air Station (Green Beach) at 0900. By 1800, 10,000 troops were
ashore.
INITIAL OBJECTIVES:
1. Billeting for troops -- rid
buildings of vermin and lice; repair or install plumbing, repair
electrical equipment
2. Sanitation -- decontaminate and purify water supply (night soil
use a problem)
3. Communications -- establish rapid, adequate radio and wire
communications
4. Supply -- repair railway lines and depots (road conditions very
inadequate)
5. Disposal of all Japanese war supplies and materiel
6. Verify Japanese forces have completely demobilized
7. Supervise repatriation of Japanese troops and also outgoing
Chinese, Korean and Formosan displaced personnel
Though Sasebo was primarily a naval repair base, it became a very
busy commercial port in the beginning of the Occupation, and by
November 30, some 432 vessels of all types were anchored in Sasebo
Bay.
The Corps was paid in Japanese yen, the rate being ¥15/$.
Supplying food and shelter to Sasebo citizens was of utmost
importance. The Black Market was a problem that was continually
being addressed, but, the entire city having been under the
employment and guidance of the military, the lack of initiative and
organization on the part of the Japanese was a great barrier to
their own rehabiliation.
Upon arrival in Sasebo, the Corps had 126 military government
officers who immediately set up the military government office which
included a legal, administrative, agriculture, transportation,
salvage, fishery and agriculture sections.
The Provost Marshall crime reports for the first full month of
October 1945 show the total number of arrests and violations at
2,160 cases, the majority being for AWOL and improper uniform; there
was only one murder-rape case during the entire month (the next
month shows only one murder and one rape, incidentally, with the
majority of cases being for AWOL and desertion).
Notes:
From 5th
Amphibious Corps Occupation of Japan NOV1945 Part 1:
P. 282 quotes re how everything went
smoothly
Images of 409~411 - Naval District units, personnel, strengths
Images of 420~421 - Fortress & NAS weapons, etc. found
"Civilian population has been acquiescent and docile with little
expression of emotion or show of interest. There has been no
evidence of unrest and no political trends have been noted." --
G-2 Periodic Report No. 1, Sept. 22, 1945
p420 - Sept. 23, 1945 - "Military authorities have complied in
every respect with all prescribed requirements and have cooperated
to the fullest extent without making any attempt at evasion or
violation of Allied terms. There have been no known acts of
violence or destruction of arms and equipment."
Images of 422~423 - Sasebo conditions (from G-2 Periodic Report
No. 1, Sept. 22, 1945)
p. 428 - Map of "Coastal Defense and Anti-Aircraft Positions"
424, 425 - Military leaders and units, asst. info; Girls School
used as combined HQ; Pre-Occup org of Sasebo Navy
"The bulk of the enemy's forces in
the SASEBO area both before the end of the war and at the
present time are naval. None of the pre-occupation naval forces
remain in existance as organized units. Currenlty the naval
troops are organized into three temporary groups: Security
police (HOANTAI), Service and Shipping. The first group are
acting as guards on all naval installations. The second group
are provisioning the HOANTAI. The third group is being detained
near KAWATANA as potential crews for shipping removed from
SASEBO Harbor to OMURA Bay. All naval ground personnel in the
SASEBO area are under the direct command of Vice Admiral ABE,
Koso.
"Within the 10-mile restricted zone are a total of 736, about
half of whom are guards and the remainder service personnel.
Vice Admiral SUGIYAMA, Rokuzo and VIce Admiral ABE have
established a small combined headquarters in the Girl's School
in SASEBO for liaison and demobilization purposes. Also within
the 10-mile restricted zone are 25 guard and liaison personnel
from 951st Naval Air Group, 14 similar Army personnel under
command of 1st Lt. SUGIMOTO, Masajiro from the SASEBO Heavy
Artillery Regiment Replacement Unit are stationed in the
barracks of the original two companies moved to KOKURA on 17
September. A small MP detachment commanded by Sgt. YOSHINAGA,
Seisaburo remains in SASEBO with branches at AINOURA,
HARIOSHIMA, YOSHIE, and HAKATA -- all small localities in the
SASEBO area. The bulk of the original SASEBO MP Unit have moved
to KOKURA."
-----
"Pre-Occupation Organization of Japanese Naval Units in the SASEBO
Naval District. According to Japanese representatives, the defense
of the SASEBO area was an entirely naval affair. All forces in the
area were under command of Vice Admiral ABE. The principal units
were as follows:
SASEBO HOBITAI (Defense Unit):
Duties were mine laying and mine sweeping.
SASEBO Combined SMLF: An infantry force of 20,000 deployed
within a 15-mile radius of SASEBO. Subordinate units were the
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th SMLF's.
SASEBO area AA Defense Unit (CHIKIN HOKUTAI): Manned all AA guns
in the SASEBO area. Strength about 5,000.
SASEBO Naval Guard Force: Manned CD guns in the SASEBO area.
Unit was organized into "barracks" located at SASEBO, AINOURA,
HARIO and KAWATANA. Unit was commanded by Captain YAMADA.
Details of Suicide Boat Units have been reported to the 5th
Amphibious Force and will not be covered in this report."
Sept. 23, 1945 - 100 suicide boats were found in the SASEBO
area....
[For detailed information on these Shinyo
suicide boats, see this report, USNTMJ
Ship
and Related Targets, Japanese Suicide Craft 1946-01-15.
The other suicide craft, the Kaiten,
was considered much more viable and therefore was produced in
greater quantities. For more information, read the entry for
June 10, 2010, on this
page; see this map
link
for the Kaiten Memorial Museum on Ozushima, near Tokuyama
in southern Honshu; also this
article.]
Lieutenant Colonel Jin, a
Staff Officer at General Headquarters, and later acting
as an Intelligence Officer on Okinawa from where he
escaped in a small boat, explained the reasons for the
use of suicide units:
I know that you in the
United States found it more difficult to manufacture
crews than planes and did everything possible to
rescue the crews, but our strategy was aimed solely at
the destruction of your fleet and transport fleet when
it landed in Japan. It was not very difficult to
manufacture second-rate planes, that is, makeshift
planes, and it was not difficult to train pilots for
just such a duty; and since pilots were willing, we
had no shortage of volunteers. At no time did we run
out of pilots to man these planes, but our big
difficulty was rather a question of manufacturing than
a shortage of crews.
But, I wish to explain something, which is a very
difficult thing and which you may not be able to
understand. The Japanese, to the very end, believed
that by spiritual means they could fight on equal
terms with you, yet by any other comparison it would
not appear equal. We believed our spiritual
confidences in victory would balance any scientific
advantages and we had no intention of giving up the
fight. It seemed to be especially Japanese.
Also, may I point out another thing. You call our
kamikaze attacks "suicide" attacks. This is a misnomer
and we feel very badly about your calling them
"suicide" attacks. They were in no sense "suicide."
The pilot did not start out on his mission with the
intention of committing suicide. He looked upon
himself as a human bomb which would destroy a certain
part of the enemy fleet for his country. They
considered it a glorious thing, while suicide may not
be so glorious.
-- Mission
Accomplished: Interrogation of
Japanese Leaders of WWII, 1946 (p. 34)
|
p433 - Destruction of documents by Japanese prior to our landings:
Extensive reconnaissance by 5th
MarDiv reveals that careful and virtual complete destruction of
all documents in the SASEBO Aircraft Factory and NAS was
completed sometime prior to our landing.............
Many intelligence targets in Sasebo were placed under
investigation. These included:
Naval Air Station and 21st Naval Air Depot
Sasebo Navy Yard and Naval HQ
Sasebo Aircraft factory
Naval District and Personnel Offices
Research Laboratory
Underground command posts (with operable radios)
Sasebo Fortress Artillery Battalion HQ
Naval drafting office
City hall
Railroad station
Post office
Telegraph exchange
Police station
Newspaper offices
Hoko HQ
Underground machine shops
Radar and repair installations
Assembly plants buildings (with 90 planes in production)
429 - Inventories of asst. arms, etc. found
431 - Military Police org
435 - Secret & civic orgs
436 - POW camp in Emukae
439~ - Ainoura Naval barracks and local strengths
440 - Heavy Artillery unit history
p436 - "Vice President of the SHINWA BANK (SASEBO), MAKI, Kenichi,
states that in his opinion the occupation has been running very
smoothly, that the Japanese people have noticed this fact, and
that they are more than willing to cooperate with the occupation
forces.
"It is reported that the Japanese people in SASEBO would like to
talk freely but that they still fear the Japanese government since
no official word as to the attitude of that government toward
freedom of speech has been received in this area."
p444 - General trend in newspapers (Nishinippon, Nagasaki and
Mainichi) "indicate favorable Japanese impression of behavior of
American troops in the NAGASAKI-SASEBO areas. The papers also
indicate appreciation of the humanitarian efforts of American
doctors in the NAGASAKI area." No doubt the doctors were busily
engaged in treating A-bomb victims.
p449 - Sept. 27, 1945 "Editorials in local newspapers continue to
ask for public cooperation with the occupation forces, and suggest
that future Japanese governmental policy be based upon
constitutional law giving power to the people instead of to the
army and navy. They have also emphasized that the civilian
population has been particularly impressed by our mechanized power
and now understand the part it played in the defeat of Japan."
SEE THE
FOLLOWING PDF FOR EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT:
Bookmarks for original archival documents: PART 1 -- PART
2
For a shorter summary, see The United States Marines in the
Occupation of Japan by Henry Shaw (1969), containing
numerous references to Sasebo. Also available here.
See also SECURING
THE
SURRENDER: Marines in the Occupation of Japan (Sasebo-Nagasaki
Landings) by Charles R. Smith
US
Navy Cruise Books - Sasebo and Nagasaki
These excerpts from US Naval Cruise Books contain a
fascinating history of the occupation of Sasebo and Nagasaki
as seen from the eyes of American sailors. Full of photos
and humorous quips.
USS Saga
Shannon Cruise Book (Sept. 9 to Oct. 17,
1945) - first Allied ship into Sasebo after end of war;
includes initial minesweeping activities and a section on
Nagasaki
USS Wichita
Cruise Book (Sept. 11 to Nov. 5, 1945) - flagship of
task group assigned to evacuate Allied POWs; contains long
section on Nagasaki, including evacuation of Allied POWs
(9,041 persons, including 1,512 Americans, 3,662 Dutch and
Javanese, 2,667 British and 1,060 Australians)
USS
Santa Fe
Cruise Book (Sept. 21 to Oct. 8, 1945) - includes
photos of Tokyo
USS
Karnes
Cruise Book (Sept. 22, 1945)
USS Mount
McKinley Cruise Book (Sept. to
Nov. 1945) - includes surrender conference; many Japanese
warships identified in harbor area, including carriers Kasagi and Junyo
USS
Tazewell
Cruise Book (from Oct. 23, 1945)
USS
Thomas
Jefferson Cruise Book (July to Nov. 1945)
USS
Pondera
Cruise Book (Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, 1945)
USS Springfield
Cruise Book (1945)
USS Mobile
Cruise Book Part
1 - Part
2 (1945) - includes photos of "Magic Carpet"
Operation, A-bomb damage in Nagasaki, and Allied POWs (for
more on Magic Carpet, see The Magic Carpet That
Brought Everybody Home)
USS
Boxer
Cruise Book (1950)
USS Leyte
Cruise Book (Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, 1950; Dec. 26 to
Jan. 7, 1951)
USS Saint
Paul Cruise Book (1950-1951)
USS Manchester
Cruise Book (Oct. 4, 1950 to Feb. 13, 1951)
USS Princeton
Cruise Book (1951)
USS Princeton
Cruise Book (1950-1952)
USS
Lowry
Cruise Book (1952)
USS Epping
Forest Cruise Book (1953)
USS New
Jersey Cruise Book (1953)
USS Bremerton
Cruise Book (1954)
USS
Oriskany
Cruise Book (1954)
USS
Boxer
Cruise Book (1956)
USS Princeton
Cruise Book (1957-1958)
USS Toledo
Japan photos Part
1 - Part
2 - Part
3 (1958) - good collection of photos from Kyushu to
Hokkaido, many in color
USS Kearsarge
Cruise Book (1959-1960)
Asst.
Cruise
Book excerpts for the following ships:
1951 USS Brown
1952 USS Bataan
1953 USS Mispillion
1953 USS Noble
1953 USS Point Cruz
1953 USS Preston
1953 USS Theodore E.
Chandler
1954 USS Montrose
1954 USS Rochester
1954 USS Stormes
1954 USS William
Seiverling
1956 USS Bon Homme
Richard
1956 USS Columbus
1957 USS Bennington
1957 USS John S.
McCain
1957 USS Whetstone
1959 USS Ranger
1959 USS Floyd B
Parks
1959 USS Nicholas
1959 USS Shangri-La
1959 USS St. Paul
1959 USS Toledo
1959 USS Yorktown
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