Chichi Jima Defense Plan - 1945 - Major Horie References

Major Yoshitaka Horie

Editor's Note: These pages contain scans of an original document typed by Major Yoshitaka Horie, Japanese officer in charge at Chichi Jima, the central base of supply and communication between Japan and the Bonin Islands. The document was written by Major Horie on December 23, 1945 and kept by my uncle, a U. S. Navy radarman on LST 871.

Major Yoshitaka Horie, as staff to Lt. Gen. Todamichi Kuribayashi, was responsible for control of arms and supply traffic to Iwo Jima. He was Iwo’s “Emergency Supply Officer.” The Major would survive the campaign to become its chief Japanese chronicler. Thanks to him, the world knows more of the Japanese side of the Iwo battle than any of the other island battles.

Mar. 23, 1945 was the last day that Kuribayashi’s radioman got through to Major Horie’s relay station on Chichi Jima. At about 5 o’clock the station received the message “All officers and men of Chichi Jima, good bye.” A weeping Horie ordered the radioman to stand by, just in case something further came through. “But there were no more messages from Iwo Jima. Ah!” (Richard Wheeler, A Special Valor, The Marines and the Pacific War, pp. 331, 333, 404).

Major Horie’s report mentions Col. Presley M. Rixey, USMC, Commander of the Bonins Occupation Force who is cited in History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II by Robert Sherrod on pages 350-356

Iwo Richard Wheeler credits Maj. Horie in the Preface; with picture on page 59 and quotes on pages 13-30, 204, 210-211.

Title Page
Table of Contents
Page 1 - Preface; General Situation; Japanese Strength in Spring and Summer, 1944
Page 2 - Situation of Bonin Islands, 30th of June, 1944
Page 3 - Defense Plan; Estimate of Enemy's loss; Conclusion

References to Major Horie in World War II history books

Dr. John Wick's Chichi Jima and Bonin Island website
Read Doc Wick's Commentary

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