One of my Hinomaru Yosegaki flags

[Alan M]

Alan,

The photos are good but it will take a bit to sort everything out. You'll understand after you see what is involved.

Thanks,

Tom

Hi Tom , there is absolutely no pressure on this , if you can look at it as time allows that would be great . I really appreciate your time and effort on this ,

Regards Alan

[tmys]

Alan,

Like I said, this is a unique flag. It a came from Okazaki a Flight Training Class, date unknown, conducted at Okazaki Naval Airfield that had been located near Nagoya City. Its first pilot training class, six months long, was in May 1944 and in February 1945 the course emphasis changed to Kamikaze training. It was abbreviated to just the essentials necessary to takeoff, fly, navigate and dive into ships. The pilots at this base using training and obsolete aircraft (better aircraft were reserved for more experienced pilots) were decimated making numerous kamikaze attacks during the battle of Okinawa.
(Going clockwise from the top middle) Praying for eternal good fortune in war (Just below name of) MATSUO
(Far right upper hand corner horizontal characters) Persevere (Hang in there) Young Eagles (Popular term for Navy pilots popularized by the "Young Eagles song in September 1943)
(Below and diagonally to the left of the sword blade)
At times like these, you have to expect to die at anytime (Smaller characters) Okazaki Flight Training School
(Unreadable and the only portion that did not have a close up. Might be readable with a photo close up.)
(Along tear) Annihilate (3rd character mostly missing) (Smaller writing to left is name of) KAWAGUCHI Gidai
(Some cut off, one character unreadable) East's South --- West's --
Young Eagles (2nd character partially torn off)
(Lower right corner large character) Endeavor ---
Unreadable)
(Characters before the pie slice cut) Run amok
(Lower left corner with horizontal characters and some partial phrases going from left to right)
Pray the Phoenix's ----
Charge fearlessly like a lion ----
(Partial Name) UMIBORI Shin----
Aim carefully to hit the target with the first shot
(One character ((yoko)) frequently part of a name) Side
(Four characters – 2nd and 4th unreadable. 1st) Look/see (3rd character) Certainly/positively
(One small character unreadable)
(Dim characters) War Hero Katoh (War Hero ((literally Military God)) was a term for those officially deified for courage above and beyond and only 11 were officially so recognized in WWII. Two had the same family names as Yoshino (name listed later) dying in a midget submarine in the Pearl Harbor attack and Katoh, an Army pilot shot down in aerial combat with RAF aircraft over the Bay of Bengal in 1942. It is possible these are the two but one being a submariner and one an army pilot makes this doubtful.) Since Japanese military members knew they would be deified in Yasukuni Shrine for dying for the Emperor, these pilots may have been expressing their realization that they would die in combat or were kamikaze pilots whose mission was to die. The latter is difficult to say since there is nothing on the flag to indicate a date and therefore if the flag was inscribed subsequent to the start of kamikaze training.
(Third character scribbled but the phrase appears to say) Attack continuously
(Nine o'clock large character) Loyalty (Below it is unreadable)
(Next up two large characters) Divine Wings
(One unknown character)
War Hero Yoshino
(Only one character readable) Continue
(five smaller characters name of) NAGAE Yutakajiro)
(Four darker/larger characters) Fight with manly bravery
(Remaining three lines unreadable)
This flag more interesting than most and hope it adds to your collection.

Tom

[Wagriff]

Great work, Tom! Impressive translating ! William

[Alan M]

Tom , i am forever in your debt ! As you know i cherish all these pieces of history , but to have this information has me elated and brings the flag alive . Thank you so much for your expertise ,

regards Alan

PS . i will get some more close ups of the parts not covered .

[Alan M]

Hi Tom , can you indicate to me which part of the flag you may be able to read if i managed to get better close up`s

thanks Alan

[tmys]

Hi Tom , can you indicate to me which part of the flag you may be able to read if i managed to get better close up`s

thanks Alan

Alan,

It is about 2 o'clock in relation to the meatball, the several characters moving toward the meatball and starting almost below the tip of the sword blade.

That was the only part of the flag without a close up.

Thanks,

Tom

[Alan M]

Hi Tom , i hope you`re ok over in Texas , i`ve seen all the fires on tv. I`ve some more close up`s for you .

[Alan M]

more

[Alan M]

again ,

[tmys]

Alan,

Thanks for your concern, but I'm well inside Austin in an area with few trees.

One more translation for the writing at the middle top under the name MATSUO.

It may be an inside joke so it is hard to translate, but I think it is something like:

The older brother comes up short and the younger brother makes good.

I'm working on the last one from the closeups you sent.

Thanks,

Tom