Explosive Motorboats

SHINYO!

(Captured EMB under test by an American soldier)

Explosive Motorboats based
at Amoy (Xiamen), China, 1945

© 2011 Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp

Location of Amoy (Xiamen) on Formosa Staits
Hsia-Men (now Xiamen), earlier called Amoy Island in the west, is situated on an inlet of the Formosa (Taiwan) Strait.
10-11 May 1938: Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Shiozawa Koichi’s (32)(former CO of FURUTAKA) 5th Fleet (South China Naval Force) assaults Amoy (Xiamen). Koichi’s forces consist of CruDiv 9's MYOKO (F), CruDiv 10's light cruisers TATSUTA and TENRYU, DesRon 5's light cruiser NAGARA, DesDiv 3’s NADAKAZE, SHIMAKAZE, SHIOKAZE and DesDiv 16’s FUYO, ASAGAO and KARUKAYA, CarDiv 1's KAGA, DesDiv 29’s HAYATE and OITE, SORYU with DesDiv 30’s YAYOI and KISARAGI, auxiliary seaplane tender, collier MUROTO, CarDiv 3's KAMOI, 1st Gunboat Div and auxiliaries SYURI, CHOJU, DELHI, EIKO, IKUTA, KAZAN, KURI, HAYA MARUs and DAIICHI MARU No. 8, NANSHIN MARU No. 8, NANSHIN MARU No. 31, TAIKO, YODATI and auxiliary minelayers ENOSHIMA and ENTO (MAROSHIMA).
Air cover is provided by CarDiv 1's KAGA and seaplane tenders KAMOI and KAMIKAWA MARU.
At dawn, the 5th Fleet’s warships bombard Ho-tsu, Ni-chin, and Wu-tung and cover an amphibious assault landing by more than 2,000 troops of the Yokosuka 2nd, Kure 3rd and Sasebo 7th Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) at Wu-tung, Huang-tso and Ta-tao.
At the same time, NE of Amoy, aircraft from KAMOI and KAMIKAWA MARU bomb bridges, roads, ferries and ships. The poorly equipped Nationalist Chinese 75th Division defenders suffer heavy casualties, are overrun by the SNLFs.
12 May 1938:
That night, Chinese forces abandon Amoy to the Japanese. Thereafter, the IJN’s Jinmen Garrision and 1st Garrison Unit occupy the island.

Amoy 1945 (U.S. Army)

20 January 1945:
The 113th Shinyo Squadron is organized with an authorized strength of 25 Type 5 Shinyo Explosive Motorboats (EMB) and 186 men. The squadon is based in Amoy proper. Lt (j.g.) Ito is the Commanding Officer.
25 January 1945:
The 108th Shinyo Squadron is formed with an authorized strength of 25 Type 5 EMB and 188 men. The squadon is based on Gulangyu Island. Lt (j.g.) Sugita Shigeharu is the CO.

A two-man Type 5 EMB at speed

During the course of the war, the 108th Shinyo Squadon loses nine men and 113th Shinyo Squadon each loses six men, all to unknown causes, probably natural causes and accidents.

15 August 1945: Cessation of Hostilities:
Imperial Palace, Tokyo. At noon, Emperor Hirohito announces Japan's surrender that is broadcast by radio all over the Japanese Empire.

POWs at Guam after hearing their Emperor announce Japan's surrender.

2 September 1945: Formal Surrender Of Japan to the Allies:
Tokyo Bay. Japanese representatives arrive on board USS MISSOURI (BB-63) more than two weeks after Japan accepted the Allies' terms. Foreign Minister Shigemitsu Mamoru and General Umezu Yoshijiro, Chief of the Army General Staff are in the front row. Witnessing the surrender on behalf of the IJN are Rear Admiral, the Baron, Tomioka Sadatoshi (former CO of OYODO)(middle row, behind Umezu), Rear Admiral Yokoyama Ichiro (former CO of KUMA)(back row, right) and Captain Shiba Katsuo (former CO of OI) (back row, behind Tomioka). The others present are the witnesses of the IJA and the Foreign Ministry.
At about 0905, Shigemitsu and Umezu sign the Instrument of Surrender, followed by General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander for the Allied Forces, Fleet Admiral Chester A. Nimitz, representing the United States, and eight representatives of the Allied Forces.

Surrender (National Archives)

9 September 1945: Japanese Surrender of China
Nanjing (Nanking). The C-in-C of the IJA's China Expeditionary Army, LtGen Okamura Yasuji surrenders China to General He (Ho) Yingqin in accordance with General MacArthur's General Order No. 1.

Okamura and other Japanese officers at the Surrender of China proceedings.

-Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp

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