Jay Dee

The verbiage is different with different reports. In one for 20th of july it states: Just before their departure, pilots receive their short swords from Captain Ariizumi. Another article says: Each was presented with a Tokko short sword. Another says: they were gifts sent by the 6th fleet commander and HANDED OUT, this is the quote: There was a solemn send-off ceremony on July 19 in Maizuru—a ceremony that had become an increasingly frequent routine in the Japanese navy and army air forces in the last days of the war, as pilots of Tokko Tai (Special Attack Corps) readied themselves for their final sortie. The 12 crewmen of the six Seirans were each presented with a dagger in an unlacquered wooden scabbard—a samurai warrior’s personal weapon that has not drawn blood—as a symbol of prayer for success in their last and highest mission of honor. The daggers were sent by the sixth fleet commander in chief and personally handed out by Ariizumi. These gifts expressed an unspoken expectation that each samurai would not hesitate to make the final dive of his aircraft and dash himself and his comrade into the enemy target to ensure the success of the mission in defense of the “ancestor’s land.” That these missions were tokko (special attack), called “kamikaze” by Westerners, was solemnly understood by the flight crew, the commanders, and the nation. It may not have been written in the order of the battle, but it was implicit in the prevailing doctrine of battle, the sacred ritual, and the mounting urgency of the homeland defense. For the first time in the kenkon itteki strategy that had produced the one-mission aircraft designed for maximum effect, the mission became a truly one-way tokko attack. Heres the link: https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/all-and-nothing-2590902/?page=3 It may have been that terminologies from Japanese words to English did not translate the same, so ..Is it semantics, or interpretation, who can say, but the Imperial records might shed light on if the Tokko Sword/ or Dagger ,whichever you choose to think of it to be is another example of varied interpretation in itself. There are writings of actual goodbye letters from kamikazis saved, some of which are available on my next link, the interested may shed light on the subject, but I have not read them yet.....too many, but here they are. http://www.kamikazeimages.net/writings/ As I said the subject hasn't been fully investigated regarding the elusive sword end of this discussion,but,to me Japans records should be the final word...regarding IF the nature of blades like the ones submarine kamikazis had were both issued, presented, or what, but seems no one has asked yet to see the records,or find out what sword maker made them. From my brief investigation, there were 12 "given"(we will say) out on the I-401, so a possible total of 36 for the I-400 class pilots may have been forged for these flying Samurai. I respect all opinions on my humble observations. (More to come)

Darn it, I lost a page , my point was that I believe they did issue short swords on submarines carrying aircraft definitely,so I guess I'm not in the " Nope" club, and now I just need to see the one Lt. Asushi Asamura showed in the missing footage I cannot locate. Those listed by photo in the following link I will add ,might be sources to find his or a photo of an elusive I-400 Tokko short sword in the future. If anyone finds a photo or the footage, leave me a note on the thread. Bruce Pennington is the closest so far to what I recall in the Documentary to be closest to the one posted in his top photo (the shorter version). Thanks again Bruce. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/Japanese-supersub-production-biographies/570/

Hereis another reference of this Tokko short sword in a different article: And thanks ribendao, that is a gift to the Oregon town from the pilot who attacked it unsuccessfully. I will reference him in the next frame , he was the one Spielberg used to model the movie 1941 from. There was two full size swords also surrendered from The I-400 upon it's surrender, and I have a reference to those swords also I will try to add.

First to Bruce, thanks for your photos and comments. The I-58 was a forerunner of the later 400 sub. The Documentary I saw was of the last I-400 pilot displaying his sword,as the Japanese who assisted in the documentary should know of his Tokko shown in whichever documentary it was in,as much is the same info or similar. I have a quote from the transcript that talks of the issued sword... I will add it IF I can find it,but this footage does exist. Here is some info from this site:http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-400.htm ( and specifically this section below proving swords were awarded prior to the mission) I also have other references to it in other writings)

Looks like my post worked. One more thing....is there anybody out there that watched any Sen Toku submarine documentary, or read any books on the subject, that recalls which one shows the pilot showing his sword as I previously stated, better yet, is there an example of this rare sword in the Japanese sword museum? I only saw the sword being shown once, then never saw it again. This is not to be mistaken with two swords surrendered to the US upon the subs surrender. The captain gave the pilots the Tokko sword on route to their first mission. I have the quote if anyone doubts it's true. Thanks.

Under pilot sword can someone post this for me, I cannot get by the security check. There is a documentary on the I-400 Toku Sub that at one time had a scene in it showing a pilot showing an issued Tokko short sword awarded by the captain before the misson they were to carry on the planned kamikazi mission against the Panama Canal.. Is anyone familiar with that sword?( or have a photo ). It is actually more like a hari kari knife in size,but is still considered a sword,and is frequently referred to regarding this sub in many articles. Wouldn't that sword be the only sanctioned example of an issued sword for a navy pilot ever made specifically for carrying during a misson.? In the scene as I recall, the pilot pulls it out of a silk bag, and it shows several Japanese characters on the shirasiah . I believe that pilot is still living. Was it the 361st naval squadron ?