Japanese Surrender Delegation in WW2, Historic Photos by Jim Walker
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Jim Walker Photos
The Japanese Surrender Delegation and their Betty Bombers in WW2 on the island of Ie Shima.



 

Betty Bomber coming for landing on Ie Shima

Betty Bomber landing on the island of Ie Shima in WW2.  This Betty bomber, one of two, was painted white and had green crosses painted on them.   They were ordered to be painted white by the United States to identify them as the Surrender Delegation prior to the ceremonial surrender that we commonly see in Japan on the USS Missouri.  The true story of the Japanese surrender has been lost in history and is a fantastic story of bravery by the Japanese delegation as they had to evade their own aircraft that were ordered to shoot them down.  One of the Japanese surrender delegation members was watching through a cannon shell hole in the side of the plane as the flew to meet the American aircraft that were sent out to protect these two Betty Bombers and saw a group of planes coming toward the Betty.  He thought that he was going to be killed because he thought that the planes were Japanese.  He stated that it was much to his relief to see that the planes were American P-38 Lightnings that were sent to protect them.  After flying with the American Escort for a while, they grouped up with a squadron of B-25 Mitchell Bombers, then flew the rest of the way to the island of Ie Shima which is close to the north west coast of Okinawa.

Soldiers line up as the Betty Bomber taxis in on the island of Ie Shima WW2

As the Betty Bombers landed on the island of Ie Shima the American troops stood by.  Once the surrender papers were actually signed on the island of Corrigador in the Philippines.  That is where the Surrender Delegation had to fly to meet General MacArthur and then return to Ie Shima then to fly the remaining Betty Bomber back to Japan.  On takeoff, one of he Japanese Betty Bombers ran off the runway and went into a ditch damaging the aircraft so that it couldn't make the return trip.  The remaining plane was badly shot up prior to any of these events and was losing fuel.  It did not make it to Japan, but did crash just off of shore of their south coast.  The Japanese Generals ordered their troops to kill the delegation and there was a super manhunt to stop the surrender papers from reaching Emperor Hirohito. Fortunately, the people of Japan helped the Surrender Delegation evade their own army and got the delegation to Tokyo to complete the surrender as we all see as being done on the USS Missouri.

Japanese pilot stands on Betty Bomber Wing, Surrender of Japanese on the island of Ie Shima

A Japanese pilot standing on the wing of his Betty Bomber as Jim Walker took the picture.

Japanese Pilot and Crew under the wing of the Betty Bomber

The Japanese flight crew and Surrender Delegation relaxing under the wing of their Betty Bomber as Jim Walker took their picture.

 

Photo by Jim Walker

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Jim Walker Update 2015

This is Jim Walker. US Navy after I was transferred to the South Pacific. We first went to Guam and secured the beach and then finally got to Okinawa to get in on the final clean up there. A typhoon hit us while in Buckner Bay and we were ordered to go to the Island of IEShima. Ernie Pyle was killed there before we landed. He was killed by a  Japanese machine gunner.  We loaded up with Army Engineers and were getting ready for the Invasion of the Japanese Mainland. Our Skipper told us to get our mail off to family and friends because in a few days we were going to Japan and he had been told it would cost 10 waves of attack vessels and men to take the Mainland beach. He told us that we were to be in wave 3 and would all be dead when it was over so to get our mail off immediately. In just a few days after that I heard a transmission from the Enola Gay while it was over HiroShima  and they transmitted the sound the Bomb made.  That Bomb saved our lives. The attached pictures are ones I took of the Jap Betty Bombers landing at IEShima with Jap officers sitting under the wing waiting to see our Officers to make the Initial Surrender arrangements..  You will see the Jap Pilot on the wing of the plane after I got him to pose for me. It took a long while to get him out there because he probably thought he would get shot. After this we were sent to Tokyo Bay and were there when the final Surrender was signed. Spent some time, only a few days and then went North to a place called Ominato Mutsu Kiawan (I think that's the spelling) and there the Army Commissioned a Jap air port for our planes. Then to China and carried Chinese Troops to Manchuria to fight the Communist Chinese. We were in Shanghai three or four times while doing that and then I was transferred to an APA and sent back to the States and landed at Treasure Island. Lots more but I was mustered out after arriving at the Bremerton,Wa. Navy yard and got out in May of 1946.  Jim Walker, now 90 years old and still "SALTY"

This exhibit page was added on Dec. 14. 2015

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The betty bomber was flown to ieshima by the japanese surrender delegation

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includes the 1st, 21st and 34th Fighter Squadrons from World War 2. This is the specialized training that the squadron members went through at Bluethenthal Field in Wilmington North Carolina just prior to their transfer to the island of Ie Shima located just north west of Okinawa.

The Pictorial Review was provided by Seth A. Villa
Exhibit Added 24 Apr-2000

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