Formosa, Karenko, Kamikazes, POW, Active WW2 Sub

I am a newcomer here.

I have some info on the presence of a Kamikaze airbase at Karenko, Formosa (present day Hualien, Taiwan; where I live) and several aerial recce photos taken of Karenko in early-Jan 1945 (see attached thumbnail; the full sized .jpg files are 45MB!)

I have also located the Karenko POW camp, along with the Intelligence/Command & Communications HQ here.
PVII Document

I have also been aboard one of the two US-made WW2 Submarines that is still in active service here.
Museum documents an operating US, WW II built submarine in Taiwan.

Anyone here have an interest in these subjects?

 

Welcome to the forums! That must be fascinating having so much history from WWII and after sitting right near where you live. My respects and greetings!

 

Thanks for welcoming me.

The local ROCAF guys call me "Col. FOG" ( = F-in' Old Guy). I have a VIP hat for the 12th TRS; the same squadron that had two F-5s fly into a mountain during a night mission about a week ago; we lost three experienced pilots (very sad) and my favorite Taiwanese a/c, F-5F #5401 "The General's Mistress".
The 12th TRS is part of the 401st CCW, which represents the remaining ROC organizational decendants of the CACW "Flying Tigers".
Taiwan's memorial/museum dedicated to Gen. Chennault and the CACW is located on the 401st airbase.
The Google Earth pics of static displayed a/c at Hualien Airbase were taken and posted by me.

I'm a bit lonely for a few more WW2 buffs hereabouts. My hobby for the past 40+ years has been studying WW2.

 

Dang, those are some nice lookin' planes. Very impressive! And sad to think of one getting shot down You have my sympathies for the pilots your country lost.

 

The planes weren't shot down. The tragic flight of two a/c directly into a mountain was the result of a navigational error. Thanks for your empathy.

So, what's your special area of interest?

Note: I am not a blogger by any stretch of the imagination. However, it appears to me that there are many kind and mutually helpful persons on this website, and I hope I have a chance to encounter a few of them.

EDIT: To clarify, I am an American married to a Taiwanese.

 

I am interested in all areas, particularly the Eastern front and the western front war after D-Day. But I have studied all areas of WWII since I was a kid.

And don't worry, I am not a blogger at all either. It's not one of those things that's required in order to have lots of fun here on the forums. If you do, if you don't, either way it's good!

And that's interesting! What part of the States are you originally from? I knew a girl once who was born in Peoria, Illinois, but lived in Peking and then Singapore. Recently she moved back here. I believe she also lived in India for a while and definitely spent some time in South Africa.

 

I love that part of the state. My dad and I used to go up there when I was a kid and go ice fishing on Lake Winnibigoshish. International Falls was out transfer point for when we used to go fishing in Canada. I love that part of the world! Great to have another who's familiar!

 

Greetings, Gentlemen!

I am originally from Washington State, but lived in many other States over the years. My father's side hails from southern Minnesota; my grandfather drew the plans for the Pietenpol (a 1930s era homebuilt a/c powered by a Model A engine that is still being built today; anyone heard of it?). A quick online check on the Pietenpol should reveal my identity, along with the record of my father's death long ago in a Pietenpol crash.

I moved to Taiwan in 2005; reason... as a childless American widower, I fell in love with a Taiwanese lady. GOOD REASON!

I had to leave behind my extensive collection of books about WW2. Shame on me. Of them all, I'd surely like to get those Ballantine's Illustrated History books back again. I had the whole set, and it took me 30 years to collect them; half of which were in mint condition.

Most recently, I have been involved in the production of UH-1Y/Z helicopter components at AIDC in Taichung Taiwan.
Once a military aviation buff, always a military aviation buff! Eh?

Now, can somebody here tell me how to "send a salute"? Is a "recruit" even permitted to do so?

 

Recruits can salute, as I recall. There's little "thumbs up" icon at the bottom left of a post. That's the salute button. Welcome. And I'm enjoying what you've posted so far. Fell in love with a Vietnamese girl myself last year, so I'm glad to hear about you and your sweetie. I hope things continue to work out well for the both of you, and I hope you have many enjoyable hours indulging your WWII and aviation hobbies around here.

Sincerely,
David

 

Reference to Pietenpol Floatplane here: EAA - Homebuilders

"The 1932 Flying and Glider Manual has information on the Pietenpol Air Camper and the Ford motor conversion. Stock # 21-14170. The 1933 Flying and Glider Manual has information on the Pietenpol Seaplane Floats, stock #21-14171. The other 1929,1930 and 1931 Flying and Glider Manuals have good information but nothing on the Pietenpol. These manuals are available from EAA 800-843-3612."

Photo attached is last one known of the Pietenpol in which my father died, taken a about two hours before it crashed; she surely was a beauty!
I am sitting in the forward cockpit, awaiting my ride at that time.

 

G'day Colonel FOG! (O'War).
You sound like a very interesting person and a fine addition to the forum, welcome aboard mate.
Isnt that F-5 a T-5? Talon? Or am i just being annoying?

 

Thanks for the welcome. I salute the flag astern.

The pic is an F-5F #5401, built about 25 years ago by AIDC in Taichung Taiwan.

The only WW2 era a/c I ever flew in was an N3N-3 "No No Nanette!" owned by my uncle. He gave me a ride that had my butt trying to suction itself to the seat!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Aircraft_Factory_N3N_Canary


You are far from annoying, and your dog loves you.

 

gotta love those old F5s, smooth clean lines

 

ATTN: PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE KAMIKAZES IN TAIWAN!

It seems I have ran across an online book (posted in its entirety) that has much of the information I have been seeking.
Kamikazes, Corsairs, and Picket ... - Robin L. Rielly - Google

It's called "Kamikazes, Corsairs, and Picket Ships"

It presents detailed information of the Kamikaze attacks originating from Taiwan, with the first attack on a picket DD 521 Kimberly occuring March 24 1945 (see page 97-8, 101) by two Vals flying from Taiwan, perhaps staging at Ishigaki Shima located a bout 50 miles offshore of Karenko (Hualien). Karenko is again mentioned as the source of the Kamikazes on page 102 (note the reference to "Karenko South"), with B-24 and B-25 raids being conducted against them. The 17th Air Regiment at Karenko South was the IJA base; therefore Karenko North (nearer to my home) would be the IJN base. or some other IJA Regiment (23rd or 105th?).

Although the book presents a conflict between its text and its Appendices in regards to airbases used by the IJN's 1st Air Fleet (Karenko = primary fighter base; listed in Appendix IV) and the IJA's 8th Air Division (noted in the text on page 88; but not in the Appendix), thus both being listed as having bases in Karenko (Hualien), this actually coordinates well with there being TWO airbases: Karenko North and Karenko South (separated by a good distance) as shown in the recce photos from CVL-25 Cowpens that I have.

See also: Asisbiz KAWASAKI-KI-100 Ki,100,I,Otsu,17Sentai,Karenko,East,Formosa,1945 Ever seen that tail emblem before?

Kawasaki Ki-61 Ki-100 (Aircam Aviation 21) Pages 49 and 51; 17th Air Combat Regiment - Fighter cover for the Kamikazes.

 

Ah, the F-5! Sexiest little lady ever to fly. Gotta love the clean lines and coke bottle fuselage. Damn, makes me wanna take her out dancing and give 'er a twirl!

I also have a ROCAF Colonel friend who used to fly the F-104s here. Now, THAT airplane was scary! My father used to refer to that rocket with virtually no wings as "The Prostitute"... Gave a guy one helluva ride, but she had "no visible means of support"! LOL
I won't ever forget the day at an Abbottsford airshow when the crowd was gazing right, and four F-104s came hustling in unnoticed from the left at about 300ft, hit their afterburners in quick succession in front of the crowd, and went roaring off into the sky. SHhhhhh...... WHOOSH.... BOOM! BOOM! BOOM-BOOM!!.... ROARRRRRRRRRRrrrrrr.
I couldn't count the host of persons who dropped to the ground in fear.... and the lines to the lady's restrooms seemed extremely long right afterwards. Hahahaha

See my local pics from Hualien airbase; I tossed in the F-101 VooDoo just for fun.

 

See the pics. WOW! That VooDoo was much bigger than I had thought!

 

Hi Colonel,
I would be very interested to know if you have discovered any new information concerning Karenko POW Camp. Knowing that it was only open for 10 months, I dont suppose there is much to find, but any more info. or photos would be interesting. Karenko Camp was apparently so disgusting, that when the Red Cross were to visit, the men were moved to a better camp, so the conditions could not be seen.
My F-in-L was at Kinkaseki Camp, but many of the top brass were in Karenko Camp, before moving to Tamazato Camp and then onto Shirakawa Camp.

Enigma (in UK)

Apart from WWII, as a tourist can you tell me if the train journey from Taipei to Karenko is interesting and shows off the scenery of the island well ? Is this also a return journey that could be achieved in a day ?