Japanese commanders told the crews sailing east that their target was the American fleet moored at Pearl Harbor.

“When I heard that, the blood rushed out of my head,” Mr. Yoshioka recalled. “I knew that this meant a gigantic war, and that Hawaii would be the place where I would die.”

  • Erika3sis [she/her, xe/xem]
    ·
    3 months ago

    Asked in that interview if ever [sic] thought of visiting Pearl Harbor, he at first replied, “I wouldn’t know what to say.” He then added: “If I could go, I would like to, I would like to visit the graves of the men who died. I would like to pay them my deepest respect.” [...] “I knew that [attacking Pearl Harbor] meant a gigantic war, and that Hawaii would be the place where I would die.”

    A bit disappointing that he ended up dying rather uneventfully in Japan rather than having a sudden heart attack while visiting Pearl Harbor like he wanted to, thereby fulfilling his prediction that he would die in Hawaii.