Three remains from the Battle of Okinawa found in Nishihara

Three remains from the Battle of Okinawa found in Nishihara

On July 26, one set of remains of a body was almost completely unearthed in the Kochi area of Nishihara, which was the scene of fierce fighting during the Battle of Okinawa.


July 27, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On July 27, three sets of remains were found in the Kochi area of Nishihara, which was the scene of fierce fighting during the Battle of Okinawa. They were found by Seizen Takaesu and Kobun Iha who are members of the Gamafuya volunteer group dedicated to the recovery of remains of the Battle of Okinawa. With one of the sets of remains, most of the skeleton was unearthed. On July 26, an expert confirmed it was the skeleton of an adult male. In the same area, this January seven sets of remains were found that seem to have been soldiers and young civilian personnel of the Imperial Japanese Army.

Buttons off a school uniform were found near the remains. The Chinese character symbolizing Middle School was inscribed in the center of a cherry blossom emblem on the button. Takamatsu Gushiken, a representative of the Gamafuya group, said, “It is possible that the buttons were off a uniform of the First Okinawa Prefectural Middle School (now Shuri High School).” He is thinking of asking the Yoshu Alumni Association about the remains. Gushiken pointed out that it is necessary to carefully continue collecting remains in the area.

According to Naomi Doi, an instructor at the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine who inspected the remains, judging from the teeth of the lower jaw and the femur, the skeleton of the body that was mostly recovered seems to have been that of a young adult male about 160 centimeters tall. While its skull was missing, the skeleton was found lying on its front, with its right shoulder dislocated. The person seems to have been shot and to have had broken bones.

(English translation by T&CT, Mark Ealey)

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