"空の軍神加藤少将 Sora no gunshin Katō shōshō" (War god of the sky: Major General Katō)

Date

1943 November 5

Summary

A story about Major General Kato, who was a skillful and hard-working military aviator and a thoughtful commander. He dedicated his life to the empire and became a god of war. This kamishibai showcases military contributions made by a Japanese pilot protecting the Japanese Army in Southeast Asia.

Creator/Contributor

Producer

Nihon Kyōiku Kamishibai Kyōkai

Author

Suzuki, Keizan

Artist

Koyano, Hanji, 1907-1992

Transcription

Card 24
空の軍神 加藤少將
脚本　鈴木 景山
繪畫　小谷野 半二
製作　日本敎育紙芝居協會
表 紙 の 說 明
空の軍神加藤建夫少將。 性質は淡白で、計画は周到緻密、ことに その特徵は
操縱、戰鬪共に技倆拔群で、優秀を謳はれ、 常に第一線の戰鬪隊長として活躍した 陸軍航空部隊の至寳!
「惜しい人を亡くした」とは 少將を知るすべての人の聲であった。 昭和十二年七月七日、支那事變の勃發と共に 七月二十二日寺西部隊中隊長として 北支の戰線へ――
(ぬ く)

Card 1
(兵一)
「よく降るなあ。」
(兵二)
「支那の雨は、まるで底なしだなあ。」
（兵三）
「一体、いつやむんだ!」
地團太踏んで 口惜しがるのも 道理、七月十九日、立川飛行場から飛び立って 着任以來、
もう一ヶ月の餘になるが、日がな夜がなの 雨つづきで、
脾肉の嘆をかこってゐる。
(ぬきながら)
(支那の子供)
「殘飯進上、殘飯進上。」

Card 2
(加藤中隊長)
「おゝ、可愛いゝ奴だな。お前、 いつも來るのか?」
(當番兵)
「は。なんでも親は、今度の事變で 死んでしまったのだ相で、腹が減ると、こゝにやって來ます。」
(加藤中隊長)
「さうか。俺にもナ、子供が三人ある。 子供ツてものは、可愛いもんだな。 (子供に)さ、日本兵隊さんから、飯をもらへ、 大きくなったら 立派な中華國民になるんだぞ。」
支那の子供は 嬉しさうに、こッくりをしてうなづいた。
(ぬく)

Card 3
(明かるい調子)
待てば空路の日和あり、銀翼 陽にかヾやいて、わが戰鬪機編隊は 北支の上空を飛ぶ!加藤太尉の率ゆる一隊は、第一線に近く進んで、まづ保定に於て敵機擊墜!
ついで第一線の前進に伴なって躍進又躍進!昭和十三年一月三十一日、洛陽飛行場を急襲.
(ぬきながら)
舞ひ上って來た優勢なる敵戰鬪機群と 交戰。

Card 4
日頃の腕の冴えを見せて、 十餘機を忽ち擊墜。數機を損傷せしめたのであった。 次いで歸德の戰鬪には、 味方は五機、敵は二十機。
(ぬきながら)
何にせよ、思ひ思ひの戰鬪をした爲に、はなればなれとなり、

Card 5
(加藤隊長)
「おゝ、歸って來たな、川原か、田中か、齋藤か?」とに角歸隊して見れば、歸って來てゐるのは，僅かに一機。加藤隊長は 双眼鏡を しかと握って空から目を放たずに尙も部下の歸るを待った。
(加藤隊長)
「おお、齋籐らしいぞ、テン坊、よろこべ。」(テン坊は犬の名前)
(ぬきながら)
歸って来たのは齋籐曹長。

Card 6
(齋藤)
「隊長殿、今歸りました。」
(加藤隊長〕
「御苦勞。齋藤曹長。テン坊が お待ち兼だぞ。そして、田中や、川原中尉を知らんか? 」
(齋藤)
「は。田中曹長は、自分と同じく臨城に不時着。川原中尉殿は………」
（ぬく）

Card 7
「川原……川原……」
さき程戰鬪から歸った姿その儘、飛行服も ぬがず、
身動ぎもせず、歸德の方向をいつまでも いつまでも見すえてゐる加藤隊長。 もしかしたら、さう、もしかしたら? 川原が生きて、還って來る力も知れん……さう思ってゐるのだった。
(ぬきながら)
つヾいて二十八日、又々齋藤曹長も戰死。

Card 8
(加藤隊長)
「おい、テン坊。
今日から齋藤曹長は 歸らないのだぞ。お前を可愛がってくれた齋藤はな」皇國の御楣となって喜んで死んで行った部下達だが、隊長の身としては、失なった部下が惜しい。今日から主人を失なったテン坊よ、
お前も淋しからう、俺も、たまらなく淋しいぞ。
(ぬきながら)
(日記の文章)
四月十一日、またも悲しき便りを書く。
何處までも
天は、我に試鍊を與へんとするか。

Card 9
(日記・つづき)
中川、川原、齋藤、中村、川井と中隊長就任以來の全部を失ふ 何の面目あってか、家族に見えんや。戰力回復の一途に邁進せんのみ、御奉公あるのみ。
四月十三日、部隊長北京に行かれ、中隊に感狀を貰ひ來らる、過去半歲の部下の辛苦報いられ、感激に堪えず、殊に空地一体の實を認められしは
大いに滿足するところ。しかれども
(ぬきながら)
この背後に五名におよぶ戰死者を出せしは 重ね重ね無念とする所、早速 寫眞の前に飾り、喜びを分つ。(以上で、日記文を終る)

Card 10
さきに三月二十六日 寺內北支方面軍司令官より感狀を受け、今亦 德川航空兵團司令官より 二度目の感狀を授與され、戰鬪隊長加藤建夫の名は、敵の最も畏るる處となった。 出でゝは 鬼を挫く日本武人の眞面目は、省みて部下を思ふ切々の情愛ともなるのだった。
(短 い 間)
この年六月、陸軍大學入學の爲 歸國。
(ぬ く)

Card 11
(加藤)
「よいか。正昭も、進英も、雄三も、
立派な日本少國民となるやう、しっかりやれ。」
(子供達)
「はい。」
昭和十六年四月十日、戰鬪飛行部隊長を仰付けられ
再び廣東方面に出動することゝなったのである。
(ぬ く)

Card 12
(加藤)
「おい、土屋。盲目飛行も，大分慣れたやうだな。」
(土屋)
「はい。隊長が着任早々、操縱席をすっかり布でかぶせてしまって、これから これで訓練すると言はれた時には、何の事かと おどろきましたて
(加藤)
「さうだらうな。妙な事を 始めると思ったらう。
だが土屋。いつもいふ通り、敵前上陸する 船團の掩護は、我々の重大任務だ。
その為に、どんな暗闇の空でも、平氣で飛べる夜間航法を もっともっと硏究訓練しておかんとなア。
どうだ、今夜も闇夜だ。
一つ 海南島あたりまで飛ぶか。
(土屋)
「はい。やりませう。」
(ぬ く)

Card 13
時は來た。世界の敵、米英擊滅の時が來た。そして最も名譽で、且困難な 大輸送船團掩護の命令は、 加藤飛行部隊にも下ったのである。
（加藤）
「この大船團、卽ちマレー先遣兵團の大船團掩護は 實に皇國の興亡にも關はるところである。 この重大なる任務を受けた 我が部隊は、如何なる困難をも突破して 必ず之れを遂行しなければならぬ。」堅い決意を以て 加藤部隊長は、自ら陣頭に立ったのである。
(ぬ く)

Card 14
十二月〇日、空は密雲に覆はれて、豪雨やまず、風は猛り、波は怒って、稀に見る惡天候。
(ぬきながら)
雲の切れ目から見下す加藤隊長の眼の下に――

Card 15
進む、進む。
荒れ狂ふ大洋を、一路南へ南へと、山下奉文中將の率ゆる大兵團輸送船。マライへ、マライへ、暴戾イギリスの根據地、マライへの敵前上陸なのだ。
敵の飛行基地は近い、來るなら來て見よ、 わが輸送船團に、それこそ 指一本でもさはらせる事ぢゃないぞ!
(ぬ く)

Card 16
(加藤部隊長)
「船團を、命令の時刻まで 完全に掩護しました。」(司令官)
「御苦勞」
かつての訓練、盲目飛行は立派に ものを言った。
此の惡天候を侵して、陸軍飛行部隊が、困難な海上掩護を成し遂げ得たのは、 精神力と、優れた技倆あればこそだ。
そして、十二月十一日付、寺內南方方面陸軍最高指揮官から、又々感狀を與へられたのである。
(ぬ く)

Card 17
(手紙)
「新年お目出度う、今日は元旦だ。 馬來半島の〇〇で、父は益々元氣、皇紀二千六百二年の新春を迎へたから 安心せよ。」久方振りの父からの便り、一家揃って 手紙の中の父を偲ぶのであった。
(手紙・つづき)
日本は今、世界の人が「あッ」と驚く樣な大戰爭を、 しかも勝ち戰をやって居り、
尙、日本の榮えるのも、ほろびるのも、 此の戰爭によって、きまるのだ。
此の大事な時に生れて來た父も、お前達も、幸福と思はねばならぬ。
立派な日本少國民になる樣、しっかりやれ。 一月一日 父より」
（静かにぬく）

Card 18
(部下甲)
「全く加藤部隊長は、空の宮本武藏だね。
どこまでも修行を止めない。
いつも陣頭に立って、部下と共に活動する、あの氣力には心から頭が下るよ。」
（部下乙)
「さうとも。神樣でなければ 出來ないと思ふ位だ。」
(部ド丙)
「ほんとになア。部隊長殿がへたばったッて事は
一向きかんからなア」
(部下甲」
「必殺隼部隊の部隊長だからな」
(部下乙)
「戰鬪機乘りの第一人者といふべきだよ。大東亞戰爭以來、僅か三月餘りの間に
三回も感狀を頂いてゐるのだからな。」
(ぬきながら)
しかも当の部隊長は、

Card 19
功に誇らず、部下を勞り、
愛機隼に、敵機擊墜の標示を書く事を 樂しみにしてゐた。 陸軍最初の落下傘部隊に、直接協同部隊として加はり、見事に成功せしめた加藤部隊長、
マライ、スマトラ、ジャバ、ビルマと、南の空、南の海を從へた隼號。我等は、加藤少將が、遂に護國の神となった聖なる日、五月二十二日を忘れる事は出來ない。
(ぬきながら)
(加藤部隊長)
「それ來た! つかまへろ!プレンハイム」

Card 20
ビルマ、アキャブの基地に來り襲った敵機一! すばやく機上の人となって、見事に擊墜はしたが、めくら打ちの敵彈に、無念や――
(ぬきながら)
わが隼は右翼から火を發した。

Card 21
空征く武人の常とし、今は之れ迄と 意を決したのである。 部下に別れをつげるものゝやうに、心もち翼を右左にふるかと見えたが、逐に 自爆をとげ、印度洋の海中深く、沒し去ったのである。
(しづかにぬきながら)
それは、敵機二百數十を擊墜した。
神鷲の最期らしい壯烈さであった。
「加藤の前に加藤なく、加藤の後に加藤なからん。」

Card 22
空の御奉公を自己唯だーつの天職とし、空に生き、空に戰ひ、空に散った、空の武神。
畏くも
天聽に達した感狀は前後七回。
特に 二階級を進級せしめられたのである。
(ぬきながら)
北海道上川郡東旭川村に、その生家を訪へば、
古びた家は、何も語らないが、

Card 23
明治二十五年ハ月、少將の父 加藤鐵藏二十六才の時、北海道屯田兵下士官となって移り住み、銃を執っては帝國の北のまもりを固め、 鍬を握っては、北海道の開拓につとめ、日露戰役に從軍して名譽の戰死。父子二代盡忠の家の勳は、
長く 一億國民に聖戰完遂の心構へを示してゐる。
(終)

Translation of transcription

Card 24
War god of the sky: Major General Kato
Script: Keizan Suzuki; Illustration: Hanji Koyano; Production: Nihon Kyōiku Kamishibai Kyōkai (The Association of Japanese Educational Kamishibai)

(Explanation of the cover)

NARRATOR
War god of the sky, Major General Kato was a frank man, who acted on meticulous planning. He was particularly skilled in navigation and fighting. He was a celebrated air commander of the Army Airforce on the frontlines.

Everyone who knew him lamented his death. He went to the battlefield in North China as the Teranishi unit's company commander only fifteen days after the Second Sino-Japanese War erupted on July 7, 1937.
(Pull the slide.)

Card 1
SOLDIER 1
It rains a lot.

SOLDIER 2
Rain in China is endless.

SOLDIER 3
When will it stop!

NARRATOR
It’s reasonable to feel frustrated because it’s been about one month of nonstop rain, day and night, since they departed from the Tachikawa Airfield on July 19.
(As you pull the slide)

CHINESE CHILD
Give me leftovers. Give me leftovers.

Card 2
KATO AIR COMMANDER
Oh, you are lovely. Do you always come here?

SOLDIER ON DUTY
Yes, sir. His parents died in the war, so he comes here when he’s hungry.

KATO AIR COMMANDER
I see. I have three children. They are adorable. Get rice from the Japanese soldiers. When you grow up, be a fine Chinese citizen.

NARRATOR
The Chinese child joyfully nodded.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 3
NARRATOR (continued)
(In a bright tone.)
A sunny day arrived after a long wait. Our fighter plane formation unit flies over North China with their shining silver wings against the sun.
Major General Kato’s unit approached the enemy frontlines first and attacked the enemy planes!
Proceed! Proceed with the frontline moving forward. On Showa 13, January 31, they stormed the Luoyang Airfield.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
Kato’s unit exchanged fire with the enemy fighters as they soared.

Card 4
NARRATOR (continued)
Kato’s unit excelled, shooting down about ten planes and damaging a few more. In the next virtuous battle, we had five aircrafts while the enemy had twenty.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
Each pilot fought his own battle and the planes dispersed.

Card 5
AIR COMMANDER KATO
Oh, they came back. Kawahara? Tanaka? Or Saito?

NARRATOR
There is one plane returning to the base. Air Commander Kato gripped the binoculars and stared at the sky while waiting for his pilots to return.

AIR COMMANDER KATO
Oh, It’s probably Saito. Tenbo, be happy. (Tenbo is a dog’s name)

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR
The returning pilot was Sergeant Saito.

Card 6
SAITO
Air Commander, I’m back.

AIR COMMANDER KATO
A great job. Sergeant Saito. Tenbo was anxiously waiting for your return. How about Tanaka or Lieutenant Kawahara?

SAITO
Just like me, Sergeant Tanaka made a forced landing at Lincheng. As for Kawahara…

(Pull the slide.)

Card 7
KATO
Kawahara…. Kawahara…

NARRATOR
Air Commander Kato has been motionlessly staring at the direction from which the planes should return, thinking there is still a chance. Yes, there is a chance that Kawahara will be back alive.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
Sergeant Saito died in battle on the 28th.

Card 8
AIR COMMANDER KATO
Hey, Tenbo. Sergeant Saito will not return any more. He really liked you.

NARRATOR
Kato misses his pilots, who delightedly died as a shield for the Empire. You’ll be masterless, Tenbo. You must be sad. I’m also painfully sorrowful, he thinks.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
(From his diary)
April 11
I write another sorrowful letter.
How far must heaven challenge me?

Card 9
NARRATOR (continued)
(Diary continues)
We’ve lost Nakagawa, Kawahara, Saito, Nakamura, and Kawai, everyone I’ve known since I was made a company commander. How could I not be embarrassed in front of their families? I’ve pushed forward to regain our military strength and serve the Emperor.

April 13th
The Air Commander went to Beijing and received a certificate of gratitude for the unit. This recognition is extraordinarily satisfying and moving in that it recognizes our pilots’ hardships in the last half a year.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
These five men who have backed me up perished in battle. I deeply regret it. I immediately placed the certificate in front of their pictures and shared the joy with them.

(Diary excerpts end)

Card 10
NARRATOR (continued)
Kato received a certificate of gratitude from the Terauchi Japanese Northern China Area Army Commander on March 26. He also received the second certificate of gratitude from the Tokugawa Air Force Commander. Fighter commander Tateo Kato’s renown reached the enemies and sparked fear. The serious military man who, on the outside seemed to have the ability to crush a demon, became sincerely benevolent toward his men.
(A short pause)
Kato returned to Japan to enter the military college this June.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 11
KATO
Masaaki, Shin’ei, and Yuzo. You do your best to become fine young Japanese citizens.

CHILDREN
Yes.

NARRATOR
Kato received an order to be in the fighter air force unit on April 10, 1936, to return to the Kwantung region.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 12
KATO
Hey, Tsuchiya, you seem to have gotten used to flying blind.

TSUCHIYA
Yes, sir. I was surprised you instructed me to fly with a cloth completely covering the pilot seat as soon as you were promoted.

KATO
I understand. You probably thought I started something strange. However, Tsuchiya, it’s our grave responsibility to guard the fleet before landing on the enemy’s land. We need to study ways to train to fly in the dark night sky. Tonight is also pitch dark. Shall we fly near Hainan Island?

TSUCHIYA
Yes, let’s do it.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 13
The time has arrived--the time to annihilate the US and British armies. Kato’s Air Force unit received the most honorable and difficult order to guard the giant transport convoy.

KATO
This large convoy that is to guard the giant Malay advance troop will influence our Empire's destiny. Since our unit received the operation order, we will break through every barrier and complete this mission.

Air Commander Kato leads the unit with firm determination.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 14
NARRATOR
December 〇〇
The weather is rarely this lousy. The sky is covered with thick clouds. The storm does not stop, and the downpour continues along with roaring wind and angry waves.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
Air Commander Kato looks down and sees from between the dark clouds…

Card 15
NARRATOR (continued)
Proceed. Proceed.
The tremendous military transport convoy led by Lieutenant General Hobun Yamashita dashes through the roaring ocean, heading straight south, towards Malay, towards Malay. They will help land at the brutal British base.
The enemy’s air base is near. If you want to attack us, come on. I will not let you touch even a corner of our convoy.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 16
AIR COMMANDER KATO
We’ve successfully guarded the convoy through the end of the ordered hour.

COMMANDER
Thank you for your great work.

NARRATOR
The past training and blind flights served well. Despite this lousy weather, the Army Air Force unit protected the naval convoy thanks to their mental power and excellent skills.

Kato received another certificate of gratitude from the Japanese Southern Area Army Commander Terauchi.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 17
NARRATOR (continued)
(A letter)
“Happy New Year! It’s New Year’s Day here today. I’m doing well at 〇〇 of the Malay Peninsula as we welcome the new year of the 2600th year of Imperial Japan, so don’t worry.”

This is the first letter they received after a long hiatus, and Kato’s entire family thinks of him.

(The letter continues)
Japan is fighting and winning a great war at which the world marvels. This war will determine if Japan will prosper or perish. You, and I, your father, should feel happy about having been born to experience this momentous time.
Work hard to be fine little Japanese citizens.

January 1st,
From, Father.
(Pull the slide quietly.)

Card 18
KATO’S SOLDIER 1
Air Commander Kato is truly the Miyamoto Musashi of the sky. He never stops training. He always leads the unit and is active with his subordinates. His mental power humbles me.

KATO’S SOLDIER 2
That’s right. I almost think Kato is like a god.

KATO’S SOLDIER 3
That’s right. I’ve never heard talk of the Air Commander being tired.

KATO’S SOLDIER 1
He is the commander of the killer falcon unit.

KATO’S SOLDIER 2
He is a leading pilot. He has received three certificates of gratitude since the beginning of the Pacific War three months ago.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR
On top of that, this air commander,

Card 19
NARRATOR (continued)
He is not arrogant about his achievements, takes care of his subordinates, and enjoys shooting at enemy planes from his favorite plane. Air Commander Kato joined to work with the Army’s first parachute unit and succeeded. He flew to Malay, Sumatra, Java, Burma, the South skies, and the South Sea. We shall not forget the day when Major General Kato became a national guardian god on May 22.

(As you pull the slide)

AIR COMMANDER KATO
There it is! Catch it! Blenheim.

Card 20
NARRATOR
An enemy plane attacked the bases in Burma and Arakan. Kato quickly started his plane and shot them. However, he regrettably fell victim to the enemy’s random shootings.

(As you pull the slide)

Kato’s plane emitted fire on the right wing.

Card 21
NARRATOR (continued)
Kato, a warrior of the sky, decided this was it. He waved the wings as if he was saying goodbye to his men. Eventually, he completed a suicide bombing and disappeared deep into the Indian Ocean.

(As you pull the slide quietly)

NARRATOR (continued)
He shot down some two hundred enemy planes. It was a courageous end for the eagle god.
“No man like Kato existed before Kato. No men like Kato will exist after Kato.”

Card 22
NARRATOR (continued)
Kato regarded his service in the sky as his sole vocation. He lived in the sky, fought in the sky, and perished in the sky. He was a god of war in the sky.
He received about seven certificates of gratitude that reached the emperor’s audience. He was promoted by two classes.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
When you visit his birthplace in the East Asahikawa village, Kawakami County, Hokkaido, his old house sits quietly.

Card 23
NARRATOR (continued)
Major General Kato's father, Ketsuzo Kato, became a military settler colonist in Hokkaido at age 26 in August, 1892. He guarded the northern border of the empire with his gun, cultivated Hokkaido's land with a hoe, joined the Japanese army during the Russo-Japanese War, and died honorably. The father and the son for two generations—their loyalty is longstanding—showed the 100 million citizens their determination to win the holy war.
(The end)

Scope and contents

Suzuki Keizan 鈴木 景山 (author); Koyano Hanji 小谷野 半二 (artist); Nihon Kyōiku Kamishibai Kyōkai 日本敎育紙芝居協會 (producer); Nihon Kyōiku Gageki Kabushiki Kaisha 日本教育画劇株式会社 (publisher)

Language

Japanese

Script

Japanese (alias for Han + Hiragana + Katakana)

Genre/form

Kamishibai plays

Collection information

Collection title

Kamishibai collection

Collection ID

2018C32.12417284

Collection abstract

Japanese illustrated paper play sheets, intended primarily for children and women at the homefront and dealing with World War II propaganda themes.

Rights

No known restrictions.

Holding repository

Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Preferred citation

"空の軍神加藤少将 Sora no gunshin Katō shōshō" (War god of the sky: Major General Katō), Kamishibai collection, Hoover Institution Library & Archives, https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3460q

Identifiers

Record ID

2018C32.00021

Permalink

https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3460q

RefID

fb99357583c4ea8cdebadc8246639dd2

EZID

ark:/54723/h3460q

Digitization information

Imaging system

iXG 100MP, Phase One

Capture date

2020-11-12T11:19:57-08:00