The Play's the Thing; Bogaazan! The Child on the Battleship Yamato; Part 2

And have some sort of. But the Vietnamese submarine did not maneuver into an attack position. It continued reconnaissance only I think the enemy was aiming to corner the last pride of the Japanese navy, the greatest battleship in the world, not by submarine, but by air attack. Michael and I saw the day break, we had hardly slept on April seven, the gelee resembled a battlefield. We had to make a breakfast with rice balls. So the time was moved up to city, but the brunt of bread deli calling. Breakfast is ready. Duty officer come forward. Delivered to the man on the secondary aircraft division over. I'll take breakfast to the first main armament division.

I'll deliver it to the aircraft division I deliver to the first. And on the enemy submarine left us, but then a modern reconnaissance aircraft approach, the clouds were hanging low. When we couldn't see, we could only hear it sound. His breakfast always like this. No, not really. The rice balls for today are special, made with 100 percent rice, their salted plum in it, as well as an extra sardine. Soup and pickled radish are usual, but there's some extra biscuit and lemonade. Why is this breakfast special? Eat it up. Is this the last breakfast? The enemy information may appear soon to fight well, you need a good

breakfast, then please give mine to the men who are fighting. Oh, don't worry, we have plenty, but I can't join in the fighting. Oh, yes, you can. Since you told me that you really wanted to reach Okinawa on the ship. I've become determined to make it. Until that moment, I almost gave up hope. Since I met you. I've begun to feel courage rising in me. I'll fight better because of you. So you can eat your breakfast now. Yes. Yamoto moves in a zigzag, joining every five minutes so that we can disguise, of course, careful in a minute Tibble tilt when she turns. Oh, that's mean 18 inch guns. I'll go see. The 18 inch guns delivered a warning to the enemy aircraft,

the greatest guns in the world, sent shockwaves down to the pit of my stomach. Departing from pension funds will be in action immediately. We had to eat early because they predicted the air attack would come that new many for combat covid lemonade, sweeping current biscuits is to me, the cigarets, the imperial gift. Lieutenant Ishikawa. I'll deliver it to the first Curatola. Always OK, you know. OK, know, he's fine. Don't worry. I'll tell everyone about the special dessert for supper. Good, I'm going. It was true that we planned a special dessert for supper, but I doubted whether we eat supper on the Yamoto that night, if we did, it would mean that we had reached Okinawa and the manoeuver had been successful. South SSW put to one zero degrees, steady straight ahead

to one zero degrees, steady, straight ahead, receive. Of Kagoshima, the Yamoto turned her course to south southwest, heading directly to Okinawa. Ship is heading for Okinawa now, if we keep on course, we will arrive this evening. Yes, well, it's a bit early, but everyone is having lunch. You have some, too. Is that because the enemy is coming? Since we left cutting, we've traveled halfway to Okinawa when we have the journey to go. Michael, what's the matter? When we come to Okinawa, what if I find my mother is dead? Your mother is alive? I'm sure she is alive and well. I'll have some lunch.

I promise to look for her with you. Are you sure? Yes. I am sure. What a delicious lunch, good, huh? Indeed, it's very nice drink as much as you like. This is only the second time in my life I've had lemon tea and he is having much more measured approach. Oh, oh, Michael, don't leave this room. Whatever happens, the bullets were torpedo's can't reach here. All right. Yes. I think he should be heading for. And. Come in. So it was incredible. Nine main guns, 12 secondaries, 24 anti-aircraft

guns, 150 machine guns. It was definitely the first attack lasted approximately 10 minutes. The Yamoto evaded several torpedoes. One hit the hole on the portside, but that was successfully sealed on an even keel. She sped forward Okinawa at 27 knots, the world record at that time. She really was an incredible ship. But her radar. The eyes and ears of the ship was completely knocked out by the bomb. Crew in the radar room have been killed in action. The entire system is dead. More than years on, are you all right, Michael? Anything I can do once, please let me help you.

No, you stay here. Keep yourself here and don't leave. Here are some more biscuits and lemonade. Even more time in the morning. Nine. The ship turned sharply right and then left, each turned the ship to leave. We cannot keep spending anything up, like just knocked down and rolled over. The enemy formation, more than 100 aircraft staged an all out attack on the Yamoto concentrated bombing and torpedo attacks, three torpedoes had hit the stern on the port side. The second wave had come to an end. Each hour we should start cooking supper, shouldn't we?

Yes, I think so. Suchi We've been torpedoed, but the ship isn't listing the rice cooking pans and so on. Are they undamaged? They're fine, but go ahead. It's already pretty special action supper understood to 120. Then the third attack wave came almost immediately. I did not want to make you feel. We hold on to the. A third people attack concentrated on the port side. Nearly 100 torpedoes hit the port side from the Yamato could no longer

the five torpedoes exploded well inside the ship. The bombs fell like three bomb after bomb exploded on the and. There is no love, the fourth wave attacks the formation of 150 aircraft. It was beyond human imagination, such a massive, overwhelming attack. A total of nearly 1000 aircraft attacked the Yamoto. We did not have a single aircraft to defend ourselves that was defenseless, walking to the right and then to the left, but still heading for Okinawa. Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba

ba ba ba did you call that, you know what's happening at work anymore. I man on the bleeding stop. You don't need to deliver meals any longer. Hey, you need me to come down here. Michael, can you hold this. Yes. We throw quinoa yet to your brother. Does it hurt you. No, it's not hurting me. It's cold. I feel very cold. There was a love the speaker and telephone were out and we didn't know what was happening on the ship, but we could feel the floor listing about 20 degrees and the speed was slowing down. Sir, sir, your mother is still moving, isn't she?

She is, and let's start cooking supper now, stop worrying, turn your head this way, so let's cook this supper, meaning the 100 leader cooking pan is out of use. It's a steam pipe has been cut. The kitchen is completely devastated. It's her biscuits. Let's distribute all the sweets. But my arms are gone. I can't be healthy. I can do. It's so cold. I mean, they. Hold on. I'll take you to the infirmary steady and give. Be a perfect. A few more torpedoes hit the ship and a dozen bombs exploded on the market at one. Michael, are you all right? Yes, so let me take the plane stuck towards

a closed. Let's go out to nominate I'll carry you, Cory Booker, I'll take my as well. Michael, hold onto my arms here. Yes. The sixth wave, the seventh and eighth each came as a formation of more than 100 aircraft. They came without a pause. An enormous number of aircraft and countless. Was killed over. I mean, she's thinking, no, wait, I'll open the door if I'm right on the door, do it open, go drop a bomb. Well, water is pouring in.

Come here, come this way, Michael. Let's keep hold of each other to get off the upper deck of the upper deck, but we abandoning the ship here over the door. What is this? The Yamoto is finished. Just people, it thinks the iron door may open, forced open by the water. The water may be overwhelming, but try to hold your breath and will escape from here. Don't let go of me. Aftershocks. Sir, if they explode, if they did break up, you might be able to get out of here.

With me. Yes, sir. It's very cold on the bottom of the sea. You remember the story of a dragon's palace is supposed to stand under the sea near Okinawa, maybe willing to the. She gets on looking out for me, aside from looking out the. Could be the dumbest thing. My arms were still here. She said she. You know, usually you do your duties.

The song was about a mother and father on Okinawa. Teens are going have to a few new flowers, sting your fingers. You know, you go to your parents, words will stay. It's coming. Don't tell me. Our money tossed around by the sea and at the same time pushed out by its incredible power. I was being pumped out to the sea. I found myself grabbing the girl and young women.

I was fighting for breath and struggling to come up toward the sea surface. But I could no longer breathe. That moment is a colossal mouth was sucking me down to the sea bed, the sinking Yamata was pulling me to the bottom of the ocean. I was fainting by the time young, it had drifted from me. I think the girl's hand still kept hold of me. Oh, she then lost the strength of her hands and was dragged away. Perhaps I lost consciousness. Yesterday, I heard the voice of the girl. Michael's voice. Boshoff.

OK, so what does it sound like to you? Borgerson? It is, of course, mother, that was Michael's cry for her mother from the bottom of the sea. From a crew of about 3000, the lives of just over 200 were saved. I was rescued when I was floating on the sea unconscious. Yamoto carrying 3000 bodies in her bosom, some 200 nautical miles north west of Tokushima Island to a depth of 430 meters.

I cannot see lamenting over Michael. He trusted the Yamoto as unsinkable and boarded her. There is no ship that cannot think any ship will think someday. How could we not tell such a simple fact to a little girl? It is a crime of history. I've wondered over and over why, why I was the one who lived, I was older than they were, but yet I live. Maybe I was safe so I could tell what happened to the generation to come would Michael? Yes, Mr. Suzuki. I named my daughter after Michael.

I gave my daughter the name of the girl I could not see. Father, would you like to lie down for a while? I'm fine. Mr. Suzuki, thank you so much for your help with the recording of. Sir, if you're can you tell us a little more? One month after the Yamato's sunk, Okinawa was annihilated. Four months later. Japan surrendered. I am sure that over that sea, Michael's voice can still be heard, that voice calling her her song. To me, that voice has never ceased,

even though the war ended 50 years ago. Do you think it was my imagination? Don't you hear that? I wonder if I'm the only one to hear. This concludes Ferguson by Akira Hayasaka, translated by Yukiko Flynn

and Robert Solomon, the cast in alphabetical order was June. Angela is my friend. Francois Chow is Chef Souji Shizuko Hoshi as Ishikawa's daughter Maiko Jim Ishida as Broadcasting Chief, Dana Reeve as Captain Ariga. Jim Sciutto as Leading Seaman Kondo. Shawn Shimoda as boy seaman. Economy may be wrong as Sublieutenant Ichikawa and Kiani Young as old Ichikawa. Directed by Mako. Radio production and original music by Raymond Guarna. Foley artist Amy Strong. Executive Producer Susan Albert Loewenberg. To order Borgerson by Akira Hayasaka or to receive a free catalog of L.A. theater works, radio play short stories and novels on cassette called LA Theater works at one 800 seven eight eight eight six three. Or Fax us at three one zero eight two seven four nine four nine. We welcome any comments, questions or orders via Internet at L.A.

Works at AOL Dotcom. See no thought they saw you. You see what's on my mind. You know, I've got some. I'll let you know. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Suddenly huddle. That's all you need. See your husband and I know some Michael.