Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, has installed a memorial plaque at Northwest Field, Guam commemorating the 315th Bomb Wing which ended WWII almost a week after the atomic bombs!
Emperor Hirohito was a "God" in Japan. His people had never lost a war until WWII. By 1941 Japan had expanded its presence throughout the Pacific. Japan became an ally of Germany who had been in the process of digesting Europe since 1939. Japan had their eye on the United States and struck Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 with an unexpected sucker punch. The US declared war on Japan and responded in turn when Germany declared war on the US. The sleeping giant had awakened.
In 1945 the US dropped two Super Bombs (Atomic) destroying the Japanese cities, Hiroshima-August 6th, and Nagasaki-August 9. The two blows knocked the Emperor down to one knee. He and his close advisors were willing to strike a peace deal with the US with conditions even though his military argued to fight on. War Minister Anami believed an attempted invasion by the Allies was their ace in the hole. Anami was convinced he could kill a million Americans during the invasion.
The Emperor knew his people had to hear from him if he were to turn off the war. He recorded a Rescript August 14th for broadcast to his Empire. Talk of a rebellion was being heard and the War-Stopping message to the Japanese people was hidden. War Minister Anami's Brother-in-law, Colonel Masahiko Takeshita, hatched a military rebellion against the Emperor's peace efforts. The conspirator's plan was to seize the Emperor, impound his recording of surrender and order the Japanese to continue the war.
The rebellion was progressing to plan and on schedule when an unexpected blackout caught the conspirators off guard. Chaos quickly followed advance. A general and his aide were murdered. The blackout lasted from 11:00 p.m. until sunrise-the blood-sworn rebels destroyed everything in their path as they searched violently for the hidden recordings but failed to unearth them. Hirohito's message went out next day, August 15, 1945 and the war was over.
We now know that it was the 315th Bomb Wing operating out of Northwest Field, Guam that triggered the blackout, as they were en route to target. The 315th had been ordered to fly the longest mission ever attempted from the Marianas August 14-five days after Truman had sent Hiroshima and Nagasaki to Hell. The target was the Nippon Oil Refineries 277 miles northwest of Tokyo. The comings and goings of the 315th B-29s, always bombing individually, kept the blackout in place throughout the long MOONLESS night!
There is no earthly explanation for the precise timing of the blackout, which derailed the rebels. However takeoff time of the 315th Bomb Wing was determined by an unprecedented HOLD on Northwest Runway just as the 315th was turning engines. History has since revealed that the HOLD was ordered after the command received a bulletin from the DOMEI NEWS AGENCY: "Imperial Surrender is Coming Soon!"
The 315th was ordered to fly this mission for several crucial reasons: The command wanted to end this war STAT! Ending the war at once would stop the bloodshed and keep Russia out of the peace process. Russia joined the US after the bombing of Nagasaki and was pounding through Manchuria heading for Japan. It was thought she would ask for War Spoils (i.e. Akita oil refineries) and attempt to divide Japan as she did Germany. It was the beginning of the Cold Was!
The 315th Bomb Wing heard the official surrender from President Harry S. Truman while their B-29s were returning to Guam. The 315th Bomb Wing was the Coup de Gras that ended WWII!
Jim B. Smith
