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Main aiirbases for the special attack force
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Young pilots of suicide missions departed from the airbase shown on
the map above. They flew Southwest over Kaimon mountain. The Kaimon
mountain is 922 meter (approximately 3000 feet) tall, and is also called
Satsuma Fuji (geometrically symmetrical beautiful mountain like Mt.
Fuji located in Satsuma region). Legend tells that pilots of suicide
attack mission looked over their shoulders many times to see this most
Southern mountain of Japanese mainland while in the air and said good-bye
to the country they grew up in. Also some of the young pilots saluted
the mountain.
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The young pilots departed
in May 27 1945
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There is an island called Kikaijima. This island is located East
of Amami Oshima islands. The hill on the Kikaijima airport has beds
of cornflower that bloom in early May. The island residents say that
the pilots of suicide mission units dropped flowers from air when
they departed for their final mission, and these flower seeds created
the flower beds. Passage quoted from "Kyou ware Ikiteari" (English
translation by Mr.Nobu)
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