From a site I found (very good read):
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Runway/9601/kurita.htmlWhen asked what was you most memorable mission, Kurita-san related the following.
Kurita-san: ''I encountered the true American Bushido''
January 23, 1945, all my air crew gathered in the air raid shelter of our base under the weakly shining bare light bulbs, awaiting for the order for the mission we were about to start. A staff officer explained that our Fourth Air Force in the Philippines had been driven into a corner by fierce enemy counter attacks, and the headquarters staffs are keenly awaiting to be rescued at Laoag, on the west coast of Northern Luzon. The officer continued 'There is no radio communication with Laoag and no detail information available, but we must carry out this mission no matter what.' This means a 'Kamikaze rescue' as we may have to land right in the middle of the enemy surrounded airfield. The staff officer concluded his explanation, and order, by saying 'You may have to force land your plane at Laoag airfield. Do accomplish the mission at all cost.'
The setting sun in my window, my loving Ki-67 'White Tiger' cruised southward over the Bashi Channel at very low altitude, almost with a splash of water on my wing tip. Looking at the west, watching the beautiful southern sun set into South China Sea, it was hard to believe there was a bloody war on this pretty earth.
Though there have been many situations where I thought of getting killed, I thought today is the day that I will finally have to go. My veteran engineer, intrepid-spirited Warrant Officer Inoh, shouted 'Men, it's about the time our American friends to show up. Get your balls tight.'
A P-38 Lightning.
Continuing in low altitude flight, we reached land from the Northern tip of Luzon. So low was our altitude we were ripping coconut leaves with my wings, as we were fearing to find enemy planes. The low altitude flying was also so we wouldn't be caught by enemy radar. The rosy-cheeked young gunner of our crew positioned at upper turret reports 'No enemy in sight' with high pitched boyish voice thru the voice tube. We landed at enemy surrounded Laoag field taking a chance to find an unguarded moment by the patrolling P-38. It was greenish ranch-like airfield.
With a small rising-sun flag in their hands, soldiers started to appear from no where. Slowly taxiing as we had no knowledge of the airfield's condition, the plane suddenly stopped with a big noise, GOT-TAN. With engine power up the plane doesn't even move! The plane's main gear dropped into a crater and cannot move. The more we tried to move the worse it got. If we keep trying we may end up in damaging the propellers and we will never be airborne. We shut off the engine and Warrant Officer Inoh and I got off the plane and found that our right main landing gear sank into the crater made by an earlier strafing attack.
One of the ground soldiers came up to me and said 'Sir Lt, the black smoke you see over there is the Navy plane that came to rescue us not too long ago and got shot down by an enemy plane. The enemy planes left only a few minutes ago. You must hurry before they come back again.'
[ The Japanese Naval Bomber/Transport Mitsubishi G4M (KI-67 Hiryu's Counter part may have been the victim that day ]
Being on an grass airfield where we were losing the battle, there is no way you can find ropes and equipment to pull the plane out of the crater. Soldier after soldier, came out to help us pull out the planes landing gear from the crater. All the soldiers looked half dead with apparent malnutrition, and were wearing rags. We just had to rescue the plane before rescuing anybody, or we won't get back to Taiwan. We tried desperately with all our might to pull out the plane. Though almost unthinkable, we pulled the heavy Ki-67 out from the crater.
Brooonn, suddenly breaking the silence, a strange engine sound became audible. The sound is heard coming from west. 'Bogie ..., take cover' There is no air raid shelter, not even trenches. We all threw ourselves flat on the ground. The scarlet colored sun in her back, the plane is getting closer to us. The time has come, the desperate moment is here with us. Holding the breath, wondering when they will start to open fire. In that moment, all the fond memories of the good old days flashed back to me. My short but wonderful 24 years of life is now ending. Yet, I still had to look who is taking my life. I saw a large beautiful flying boat. Too beautiful to be enemy plane. No, it couldn't be our enemy.
A Consolidated PBY Catalina All of a sudden, the pilot of the flying boat opened the window and started to wave his hand at us. A red face with oval sunglasses. It was my very, very first time to look at an American pilot, and at this close distance. No, it couldn't happen, this is the real battle ground, kill or be killed. I ordered my rear gunner not to shoot. The gunner shouted 'please Lt, let me shoot. It's the bogie.' I repeated my order not to shoot. The gunner, reluctantly, gave up.
I took my white scarf off the neck and waved at the American pilot saying 'thank you, thank you for not taking our lives.' I knew he couldn't hear it, and couldn't understand what I was saying, anyway. I just had to say it. W/O Inoh said 'Lt. the enemy guys do some crazy things, too, don't they' in his native Kyushu dialect. Warrrant Officer Inoh, naturally, felt relieved also, I believe. Finding a meat ball Japanese plane has somehow smuggled his way into Laoag through heavy patrol lines of U. S. forces, and somehow got into trouble, the pilot of the flying boat, I believe, decided to give us a break. Banking his wings, the flying boat went away. It was a real eye-blinking moment happening. We feared that enemy planes may come back again if we don't hurry and take off. With a group of 20 odd board, I took off from Laoag and headed north over the moonlit Bashi channel back to Peitung the fires of an air raid that was burning the city serving as a guide.
Almost six decades from the day in Laoag, had the Captain of the flying boat sent a wire back to the base at that time, telling 'A bogie standing still at Laoag. Send fighters to finish it.' we would have been attacked, the plane smashed, and we either would have lost our lives or committed suicide after wandering Luzon mountains, or even died from starvation.
There is a famous history in Japan where a Samurai lord presented supply of salt to hostile war lord. 'To Help Frailty is a Virtue.' This is the teaching of Japanese Samurai, and we saw the spirit in the American soldier. This was an unforgettable incident at Laoag, Philippines, it kept me alive until today to spend peaceful happy life.
The flying boat, I believe, is either Consolidated PBY Catalina, or Privateer. A few years ago, I had a U. S. Navy pilot friend of mine, aboard USS Independence, check to find the Captain of the flying boat thru U. S. Navy Veterans Association, but there was no success. I'm longing to find the chance to say, 'Thank you for saving my life.'
