This webpage attempts to tie together the two stories of PFC James Chaisson, a Marine assigned to Golf Company 2nd Battallion, 22nd Regiment 6th Marine Division who earned the Navy Cross and Bronze star for his extraordinary heroism in combat on Sugar Loaf Hill. During his time in combat, PFC Chaisson plucked this sword from the battlefield. This sword in all probability was manufactured during the war under the direction of Colonal Masayoshi Takayama at the time a noted Budo fencing master and later, convicted war criminal who practiced his sword techniques in China and possibly Nanking. Upon returning to Japan from China, he taught his art at the Imperial Navy Academy. He also supervised Academy swordsmiths to produce special composite swords under his direction. We know PFC Chaisson acquired this relic in Okinawa, what we will probably never know is if it was in his souvenier bag from Sugar Loaf Hill.  Sugar Loaf hill looking from the NorthWest - USMC photo (click on pic for expanded view) Company G of the 22nd Regiment's 2nd Battalion, commanded by Captain Owen T. Stebbins, kicked off seven days of agony with an infantry-tank assault the afternoon of May 12 1945. Confident that a speedy operation lay before them, Company G encountered minimal gunfire in its first 900 yards. Suddenly, all hell broke loose as small arms fire, machine guns, mortars, and artillery ripped into their ranks and pinned down two of the three platoons before reaching Sugar Loaf's slopes. Captain Stebbins and Lieutenant Dale W. Bair led 40 men of the remaining platoon toward the hill, but before they advanced 100 yards, 28 Marines fell to Japanese gunfire. John Wukovits - WWII History May 2006 edition | 
Pfc James Chaisson (middle) on the firing line on Asa Kawa USMC photo "By Marine Corps standards, Chaisson, at age 34 was not just old, he was ancient. He'd given up a comfortable deferment because "I got sick of being a damn civilian". (Hallas pg.46) After completing the actions which earned James Chaisson the Navy Cross and Bronze Star, he found himself back at the CP where he got distracted: "I was so damn tired, I could hardly speak...and I missed the damn amtrac. The amtrack took off with my pack. So I said, Oh Jesus. All my good souvenirs were in my pack. All gone." (Hallas pg 49) After he recovered from a exhaustive sleep, Chaisson was ordered back to the rear to seek treatment for his shrapnel wound. While hitching a ride he spotted a bunch a amtracs with Marines loitering around. "Goddamn! There's number 21. That's where my pack is!" Chaisson asked the driver to stop, jumped out and went over to the number 21 amtrac to find three or four Marines sitting around. They had opened his pack and were dividing up his souvenirs, "Fellas, that's my pack," said Chaisson, ... You'd better let me have it." You know, they put everything back and handed it to me." (Hallas pg. 52) Referance: Killing Grounds on Okinawa - The Battle for Sugar Loaf Hill - James H. Hallas | The History Channel's Shootout Okinawa Part I | NAVY CROSS Citation The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to James J. Chaisson, Jr. (976180), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company G, Second Battalion,Twenty Second Marines, Sixth Marine Division, in action against Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima, Ryukyu Islands, on 12 May 1945. Volunteering to assist a Marine unit which was pinned down by intense hostile fire emanating from a well-defended enemy position on commanding ground, Private First Class Chaisson located the source of enfilade fire that was taking a heavy toll on the attacking Marines and destroyed it by leading a flame-thrower assault which killed approximately twelve of the enemy. Observing that his unit was in grave danger of being fired upon by friendly supporting aircraft, he dashed up a hillside and, though painfully wounded by hostile fire succeeded in rolling out panels to mark the position of his unit. Upon returning, he discovered that three seriously wounded Marines were lying in front of friendly lines. Unhesitatingly, he hung on the back end of a tank and allowed himself to be dragged forward along the ground to the positions of the wounded men. Under covering fire form the tank, he assisted the casualties back to the lines. When his small attacking force was ordered to a new location, Private First Class Chaisson seized an automatic rifle from a fallen Marine and in the face of heavy hostile fire, rushed ahead in full view of the enemy, drawing the fire to himself. Although suffering painful wounds, he courageously and determinedly engaged the enemy, thereby aiding his companions to reach their objective and renew the attack. His great personal valor, outstanding initiative and inspiring devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. |  (Ujifusa, Takayama-to Tanrensho saku) Made by Ujifusa at Takayama Sword Forge - Koichi Moriyama Takayama-To swords were developed by the Japanese Navy under the direction of Col. Takayama Masayoshi. He was the initiator of Jissen Budo Takayama Ryu Batto Jutsu, and taught the art of the sword at the Imperial Naval Academy during the war. | The History Channel's Shootout Part 2 PFC James Chaisson USMC G, Co 22 Marines 6th Marine Division. Mentioned in Sugar Loaf Assualt at 5.55 Part 3 | Referances: Killing Ground on Okinawa - The Battle for Sugar Loaf Hill James H. Hallas, Prager Publishers 1996 Stay off the Skyline - The Sixth Marine Division on Okinawa Laura Homan Lacey, Potomac Books 2005 History of the Sixth Marine Division - Bevan G. Cass Navy Cross Award website 
Marine in background has a carbine in his left hand and an acquired Sword in his right! (click on pic to enlarge) USMC photo | Thoughts on Iedo: Excerpts by Nakamura Taizaburo with Guy H. Power & Takako Funaya  Picture of Col. Takayama Masayoshi Before the Pacific war, around the time of the Manchu Incident (1931) which brought Japan into the China war, sensei Takayama Masayoshi, a Japanese Imperial Navy kenjutsu master-teacher, maintained that one cannot kill people with a sword using only kendo training. He withdrew from the Butokukai to go to China where he experienced actual battlefield sword techniques. After his return to Japan he codified these techniques, named the style Jissen Budo Takayama Ryu Batto Jutsu, and taught it at the Imperial Naval Academy; eventually he had the chance to teach Prince Takamatsu-no-Miya. Because of his sword testing in China (and possibly Nanking -Bob), Takayama sensei was later classified as a war criminal and was sentenced to twenty five years in confinement in the mountains of Oita prefecture. Iedo Martial Art - Col Takahama Jyun Tanaka's Blog Iedo - Manual and pictures Beheading Compitition - Nanking | Part 4 Part 5 |
|