On November 21, 1944 my Dad’s Army medical unit, the 44th General Hospital, moved inland from the landing beaches of Leyte to the inland village of Burauen. Then the hospital set up quickly just outside the village. The 44th General Hospital set up near three airfields the Japanese had built during their occupation of the Philippines. By December, the firepower of the U.S. invasion was overwhelming the Japanese Army. Elite Japanese paratrooper units were called upon to turn the tide on Leyte.
The Japanese Paratrooper Attack on Leyte
Then, in a desperate gamble to turn the tide on Leyte, Japanese Generals Yamashita and Suzuki planned a combined infantry and airborne attack. Their first objective was to take back the airfields. At that time, the 44th General Hospital was expected to be miles from the front lines. But they would soon find themselves at ground-zero of the Japanese counterattack. Also, this included dealing with Japanese paratrooper drop on their perimeter.
My Dad Recalls the Attack
Long after the War, my Dad told me the dramatic story of the Japanese paratrooper attack on Leyte. Taking the Americans by surprise, airborne units dropped on the hospital perimeter during the evening hours of December 6th, 1944. Typically, Dad added his usual humorous twist to this story:
I had emptied the hand grenades from my musette bag and filled it up with golf balls. As I was hitting balls out into the rice paddy, I heard the engines of the Jap planes. They came in low, just over the mountains, and flew right over our tents. Then I saw the paratroopers dropping, their chutes opening and men drifting down like leaves. About a dozen of them landed between me and the camp,
From The Battle of Buffalo Wallow book, “The Philippines”.
As a youngster a Japanese paratrooper attack seemed like a normal part of the War to me. Only after my recent research, did I find out that this was a rare and extraordinary event in the Pacific War. In fact, the Japanese had only executed five paratrooper assaults in the entire War. Consequently, most ended up in failure.
Connecting the Event
Years later, I was I able to connect Dad’s story to the exact dates and location of the event. But more astonishing, I also learned much about the Japanese paratroopers that my Dad’s unit defended themselves against. As it turns out, the elite airborne units were celebrities in their homeland. In fact the paratroopers were honored as “shinpei”, the “soldier gods” or “divine soldiers of the sky”.
The Shinpei
The Japanese paratroopers were celebrated in Japan through songs, publications, and paintings (see painting by Goro Tsuruta: Descends to Palembang, A God Soldier, 1942, in Japan’s National Museum of Art). Additionally the paratroopers were idolized as devoted soldiers who were willing to fight and die for their emperor and the nation’s cause. Consequently, the Japanese government utilized the paratrooper’s fame to foster patriotism and support for the increasingly futile Japanese war effort.
Below, I’ll provide some highlights of this unique and fascinating part of the Pacific War.
An Early Airborne Success
Allied nations imposed strict trade embargoes on Japan. Consequently, Japan seized vital sources of raw materials across southeast Asia by force. Particularly, they needed fuel for the planes and ships used in the war effort. An early target was the rich oil fields at Palembang, Sumatra, in the Netherlands East Indies. In February of 1942 the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) made a successful airborne raid and captured the oil fields. As a result they built up their supply of fuel. Above all, this enabled the Japanese to continue their conquest of the Pacific.
Airborne Units Put on Hold
Even though the paratroopers of the 2nd Raiding Regiment were successful in this early mission, the IJA did not utilize the airborne units again until later in the War. Later, as the Allies forced the Japanese into a defensive war, the need for airborne “surprise” assaults diminished. That was until the U.S. invaded the Philippines at Leyte in October of 1944. Subsequently, as part of planned counterattack to stall the U.S. advance in the Philippines, the IJA launched two separate airborne attacks on Leyte late in 1944.
The Kaoru Airborne Raiding Detachment
The Japanese Fourth Air Army determined to send an elite airborne unit to Burauen. Specifically, they were to inflict damage to the airfields prior to the main counterattack. The elite unit, called the Kaoru Airborne Raiding Detachment, assembled on Luzon. Kaoru translates to “distinguished service” in Japanese. Officers and other support soldiers of the detachment, including medics, were from Japan. However, the paratroopers of this unit were recruited from the Takasago tribe on the island of Formosa. The Takasago tribe were courageous and skilled jungle fighters. Also, unlike soldiers from Japan, they carried a traditional knife called “giyuto” or “loyalty sword.”
November 27, 1944 – The First Japanese Paratrooper Attack on Leyte
The first attack, called the “Gi” operation, was launched on November 27th, 1944. It would be led by Lt. Shigeo Naka. The following are photos from the first Japanese paratrooper attack on Leyte.
Lt. General Kyoji Tominaga, Commanding Officer of the 4th Air Army, provides encouragement to the Kaoru Detachment’s jump leader, Lt. Shigeo Naka.
- Rottman, G. and A. Takizawa, Japanese Paratroop Forces of World War II, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2005.
On November 27th, the Kaoru Detachment assembled at Nipa Airfield on southern Luzon. As they prepared to depart, they raised a cheer to the Emperor, “Tenno haika! Banzai, banzai, banzai!” (may the Emperor live ten thousand years). Note that members of the Formosan Takasago tribe hold up their short “giyuto” or “loyalty sword”.
- Rottman, G. and A. Takizawa, Japanese Paratroop Forces of World War II, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2005.
The paratroopers of the Kaoru Raiding Detachment on-board a Type 0 “Tabby” transport. The officer kneeling in the center wears a haversack for demolition charges. He holds an officer’s sword. The sword held by the NCO in the front seat is less “adorned”, similar to the sword my father brought back from Leyte (see below). Note the wicker seats.
- Rottman, G. and A. Takizawa, Japanese Paratroop Forces of World War II, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2005.
Problems for the First Leyte Mission
The airborne mission ran into many problems, including some effective work by U.S. P-38 fighter planes. The November 27th raid was unsuccessful. Although, it proved to the Japanese that an airborne assault on Leyte was feasible.
December 6, 1944 – The Second Japanese Paratrooper Attack on Leyte
Following the November 27th attack, Japanese generals Yamashita and Suzuki initiated the next airborne assault on Leyte. The planned attack would occur in the first week of December. Additionally, the airborne attack would be coordinated with an infantry attack by the IJA 16th and 26 Divisions. The attack would target three airfields near the village of Burauen in central Leyte.
The 44th General Hospital Under Attack
Meanwhile, the 44th General Hospital was in position near the airfields. They were taking in wounded from the fierce battles in Leyte’s Central Mountains. Soon, unbeknownst to them, the hospital staff would be in the middle of the paratrooper attack. The Japanese paratroopers carried out the attack in the evening hours of December 6, 1944. However, the U.S. infantry was not around to protect the hospital. In the early hours of the day, the hospital staff was unarmed. By evening they were more prepared. But they would likely be no match for a well-trained airborne unit.
Nippon News Films the Japanese Paratroopers
A cameraman from the Nippon News documented the mission from early training to its execution. Moviegoers in Japan viewed this in a newsreel called “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Below, I’ve provided a YouTube video with some of the footage. Also, I’ve provided some of the narrator’s comments (as translated into English) next to some of the still images. It was amazing for me to see the actual enemy troops that my father’s unit engaged with. Also, the newsreel footage and still images provide a very personal glimpse into the lives of these soldiers.
Mark Felton Productions Video
The following link on YouTube, by Mark Felton Productions, provides actual footage of the Japanese paratroopers preparing for their attack on Leyte, December 6th, 1944. Of course, the video includes excerpts from the Japanese newsreel. In particular, I can’t image the sight of hundreds of enemy soldiers dropping on top of you. Also, it’s chilling to hear the sounds of a “banzai charge” as the U.S. troops on Leyte did.
The Japanese 2nd Raiding Brigade
Colonel Kenji Tokunaga commanded the Japanese 2nd Raiding Brigade. Their codename was “Takachiho”, after a town in central Kyushu with mystical Shinto significance. This elite unit received training in infiltration and demolition techniques. Also, the men carried advanced weaponry including automatic weapons, land mines, and dynamite loaded in satchels. Similarly to kamikaze pilots, the paratroopers wore ceremonial sashes and a hachimaki, the headband worn by ancient samurai. Lieutenant Colonel Tsunhiro Shirai lead this unit on its assault on the Burauen airfields.
Images of the Assault
Below I’ve included some images of the the Japanese 2nd Raiding Brigade. Also, I’ve captured some quotes from the Nippon News narrator as he describes the Japanese paratroopers. In particular, note the very dramatic language he uses in the newsreel.
Jump Leader Lt. Colonel Tsunhiro Shirai
“The commanding officer gave his advice to the brave men who make up the Takachiho Unit. He is a dashing figure whose flowing mustache tells of past battles”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
- Photo of Lieutenant Colonel Tsunhiro Shirai, jump leader of the Japanese 2nd Parachute Brigade, Nippon News, https://pacificwrecks.com/history/nippon_news/leyte/tsuneharu-shirai.html.
Planning the Attack on the Burauen Airfields
The plan, called the “Te” operation, was for some of the guerrillas to crash land on the Burauen airfields in Type 100 “Helen” heavy bombers. They were to use demolition charges to destroy enemy aircraft on the ground. Others would jump directly on the airfields from Type 100 “Topsy” transports and attack U.S. positions with rifles and machine guns.
- Japanese soldiers studying topographical map for the Te operation, Nippon News, https://
pacificwrecks.com/history/nippon_news/leyte/map.html.
The Plan to Retake the Leyte Airfields
“There has been no let-up in the American attack on Leyte and other parts of the Philippines. The Takachiho Paratroop Unit has moved to thwart the enemy’s plans, by dropping troops and making landings at a number of enemy airfields in Leyte, at Burauen, San Pablo, Tacloban, and Dulag”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944. The map shows the locations of the airfields on Leyte.
The Elite Unit in Training
“The paratroops endured grueling training day after day amid blood and sweat till their bodies were almost bursting. The elite of our paratroops have not been called to action since that magnificent assault on Palembang in 1942, but they are now on stand-by at the front in the Philippines”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944. Note the hachimaki headbands worn by the paratroopers.
Loading Ammunition for the Leyte Attack
After their initial mission was accomplished, the unit planned to disperse into the jungle and carry out further guerrilla attacks on American positions.
- Operation Te paratroopers loading ammo packs, Nippon News, https://pacificwrecks.com/history/nippon_news/leyte/load-supplies.html.
Getting Ready to Load Up
“The troops are loaded with as many weapons as they can carry. The paratroopers carefully check their parachutes”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
- Photo shows two paratroopers making final preparations before departure from Clark Field to Leyte on December 6th, 1944. Note that one is a medic. His haversacks are packed with medical supplies that he’ll jump with. Note that the Japanese also used the Red Cross symbol, although they did not ratify the Geneva Convention that specified protection for medical personnel in combat.
A Final Toast of Sake
“The troops partake of sake from large bowls before they set off. The sole aim of these rigorously-trained and disciplined brave men is to cut through and strike into the heart of the enemy”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
- Photo: Ceremonial sake was drunk by both kamikaze pilots and the paratroopers prior to their “one-way” missions.
Final Rigging for Jump
Paratroopers of the 2nd Raiding Brigade go through final steps of rigging their jump equipment.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
The Transport Planes are Ready for Takeoff
The plane used by the IJA to transport paratroopers, the Mitsubishi Ki-57 Type-100, aka “Topsy”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
Paratroopers Load the Planes on Luzon
Operation Te paratroopers load into Ki-57 “Topsy” transports at Del Carmen Airfield on Luzon. In the background is Mount Arayat, a potentially active volcano.
The Leyte Mission Begins
“The paratroopers and the strike troops are armed and climb onboard their familiar transports”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
Final Boarding for the Leyte Attack
“The paratroops finalize their plans for a strike from which they will not return. Their mission will be to drop paratroops and make landings on enemy airfields; they will be human bullets to destroy important facilities”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
The Planes are Loaded and Prepare for Takeoff
“The divine soldiers are setting off. The commanding officer smiles as he wields a sword and our sun flag. They are setting off into the red Philippine skies”.
- Nippon News. “Leyte Paratrooper Attack.” Newsreel, Tokyo, Japan, December 6, 1944.
The Leyte Counterattack is Underway
The transports departed from Clark Field, north of Manila on Luzon, to Leyte. The Japanese paratroopers were armed with automatic weapons, land mines, and dynamite loaded in satchels. Shirai carried a flag inscribed with “Exert your most for your country,” signed and given to him by the commander of air operations in the Philippines, Lieutenant General Kyoji Tominaga.
- Nippon News, Operation Te: 95th Sentai Ki-49 Helen transport after takeoff from Del Carmen Airfield, https://pacificwrecks.com/history/nippon_news/leyte/ki49-takeoff.html.
Map of the Attack on Burauen
Of the total airborne force, approximately 250 Japanese paratroopers were assigned to jump on the Buri Airfield, 72 to the Bayug Airfield, and 36 to the San Pablo Airfield. In the actual attack, most landed on Buri and San Pablo as identified by the parachute icons on the map. American anti-aircraft artillery took a toll on many of the Japanese transport planes.
- Nippon News, https://pacificwrecks.com/airfields/philippines/san_pablo/maps/paratrooper-attack.html
The Battle of the Airfields
Historians have referred to the events near Burauen as “The Battle of the Airfields” or “The Battle of the Airstrips“. Below, I’ve provided some additional references to the Japanese paratrooper attack. Also, the images help visualize what the December 6th attack looked like.
Aerial Photos of the Airfields
The following are U.S. military aerial photos of the Buri, San Pablo, and Bayug airstrips in 1944 – 1945. The Pacific Wrecks website has these and other World War II maps.
Artist’s Rendering of the Attack
Some World War II historians have done an excellent job of describing the Japanese paratrooper attacks on Leyte. For instance, Clayton Chun in his excellent book, Leyte 1944: Return to the Philippines (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2015) provides a detailed description of the airborne attacks on the Burauen airfields. Also, a very impressive part of the book are illustrations by renowned military artist Giuseppe Rava. Granted, it was amazing for me to view the artist’s rendition of the paratrooper attack, a central event of The Battle of Buffalo Wallow book.
Attack on San Pablo
Once the Japanese paratroopers were organized, they moved towards their objective, the airfields. Some set to work blowing up gasoline dumps at the San Pablo and Buri airfields. They killed a number of U.S. service troops and destroyed L-4 liaison aircraft.
- Illustration by Giuseppe Rava in Leyte 1944: Return to the Philippines (Clayton Chun, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2015).
Burning of U.S. Equipment on the Airfields
Once on the ground, the Japanese paratroopers used a system of bells, whistles, and horns to assemble. Several spoke in loud voices, repeating in English, “Everything is resistless, surrender, surrender!” or “Hello, where are your machine guns?” The 44th General Hospital was positioned in between the
burning planes and fuel at the Buri and Bayug airfields. Thick black smoke filled the air and obscured the remaining daylight.
- Illustration by Giuseppe Rava in Leyte 1944: Return to the Philippines (Clayton Chun, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2015).
The Impact of the “Divine Soldiers” on Japan
By 1944, the tide of the War was turning against Japan. The Japanese government was faced with an increasingly costly and futile effort. As a result, they desperately needed something to instill patriotism and support on the home front. Therefore, they looked to the Japanese paratroopers, their “divine soldiers” for inspiration. Also, they would appeal to the sentiments of the Japanese people by linking the paratroopers to a new class of factory worker.
Inspiring the Japanese People
Similarly to the way that the U.S. used the image of “Rosie the Riveter” to inspire women to work in wartime factories, the Japanese recruited young women to work on parachute production. The once thriving Japanese silk industry was shutdown early in the War effort. Other wartime production facilities were of higher priority. But in practice, silk parachutes proved superior to the synthetic (rayon) alternative. Silk production was considered essential. As a result, the Japanese silk industry was revitalized.
Linking Young Women in the Workforce to the Brave Shinpei
Symbolically, the struggles of the hard-working young women producing the parachutes was tied to the brave Japanese paratroopers, the “shinpei” or “divine soldiers”. Accordingly, Japan’s propaganda machine seized upon this dramatic connection to motivate women to join the workforce and to inspire the men to fight on.
The Historical Significance of the Japanese Paratroopers
In a recent article titled “Heavenly Soldiers and Industrial Warriors: Paratroopers and Japan’s Wartime Silk Industry” researcher Jurgen Paul Melzer eloquently describes the significance of the silk industry and the Japanese paratrooper units to Japan’s war effort. The Asia-Pacific Journal published the article online on September 1st, 2020. It is Article ID 5462, part of Journal 18, Issue 17, Number 2.
The historical significance of Japan’s paratroopers transcends their actions on the battlefield and reveals complex connections among warfare, propaganda, and national mobilization. Initially set up to overwhelm the enemy by surprise, Japan’s airborne troops proved to be surprisingly effective in the glorification of the battle front.
Professor and Historian Jurgen Paul Melzer
The Young Maidens of Parachute Production
We young maidens brace up our frail bodies for the country.
Today we will stitch the white silk again.
While we make parachutes our mind is pure,
strong, and calm just like the white silk. When we are stitching with our sewing machines our mind is just like that of a soldier carrying his gun to the battlefield.
- The verse above was written by a young female factory worker in Japan’s wartime parachute manufacturing industry. Obviously, it dramatizes the connection between the young women and the fighting men.
Final Notes
The Japanese paratrooper attack on Leyte was one of the most interesting discoveries in researching my father’s World War II service. Above all, it was great to connect his story of the attack to the actual dates, locations, and people involved. Also, it was fascinating to learn about the famed Japanese paratrooper units. They possessed unique skills. Also, they demonstrated their utmost dedication to the war effort. Certainly, they embodied the ancient “samurai spirit”.
Artifacts from the Battle
My Dad returned from Leyte with stories and artifacts linked to his unit’s engagement with the airborne warriors. For instance, shown below are a Japanese sword and bayonet from the battles on Leyte.
Japanese Battle Sword
A Japanese NCO’s battle sword recovered by my father from the fallen Japanese soldier at the Battle of Buffalo Wallow, December 10, 1944.
Japanese Bayonet
The Type 30 bayonet in the photo was designed for the Imperial Japanese Army to be used with the Arisaka Type 30 Rifle. It was a single-edged sword bayonet with a 15.75-inch blade. Early Type 30 (1897) bayonets had a hooked quillon guard which was designed to catch and trap an enemy’s blade. These bayonets were issued to IJA paratroopers. This one was recovered by my father on Leyte.
For More Information
My book, The Battle of Buffalo Wallow, tells the story and outcome of the Japanese paratrooper attacks on Leyte.
Additionally, the following is a list of references that cover the story of the Japanese paratroopers in World War II:
- Rottman, G. and A. Takizawa. Japanese Paratroop Forces of World War II. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2005.
- Chun, Clayton. Leyte 1944: Return to the Philippines. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2015.
- Prefer, Nathan N. Leyte 1944: The Soldier’s Battle. Havertown, PA and Oxford: Casemate, 2012.
- Oki Tsuruma, Kōgyō. Rakkasan o Tsukuru Kokoro (The Spirit of Making Parachutes). Tokyo: Fujikura Kōgyō KK, 1943.
6 Comments
My father was a Cpl., HQCo/187th/11th Airborne Division when the enemy jumped. My father was right near General Swing as the action began.
GP, It’s great to learn more about the 11th Airborne, their efforts on Leyte were heroic. Ironic that they made an amphibious landing and were called upon to fight as infantry against Japanese paratroopers. As someone had written, the element of a surprise airborne attack was somewhat lost on them. Your father’s service is much appreciated.
Very interesting site. By the way, elements of the 11th Airborne Division did make a few combat jumps. On Luzon their 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment jumped at Tagtatay Ridge while the rest of the division came ashore amphibiously. They also participated via parachute in the prisoner of war rescue raids later in the campaign.
Nathan, thank you for your feedback and update on the 11th Airborne. Your book – “Leyte, 1944: A Soldier’s Battle” was the best that I found when doing research about Leyte – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHITZ9W/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0. How I wish that my Dad was still living, I’d love to discuss your book with him! -Jim
My Dad was with the 432nd FS at Bayug.He had just returned to the squadron after being wounded aboard ship on October,25. The 431st was at Buri and I’ve heard several personal accounts of the parachute assault.
David, I appreciate your Dad’s service and would love to hear more about the accounts of the parachute assault. It was a unique event that helped me connect my Dad’s stories with the historical facts. Also, it amazed me that there was actual film / photos of the enemy units that our troops engaged with. I understand that the 432nd operated P-38s, a very effective fighter in the Pacific. How was your Dad wounded during the Leyte invasion?