Shinohara’s testimony: “I could not see the aircraft, but clearly experienced the bombing”

On July 20, 1945, Shinohara (篠原昭次) was in the sixth grade of elementary school. As air raids intensified, his family had left Tokyo and returned to his father’s family home in Isohara, Kitaibaraki, about 1.3 kilometers from the impact site. The following summarizes his testimony.

• One morning, I knew that a single B-29 was approaching. It was cloudy, so I could not see the aircraft, but I recognized its sound.

• The late Murata, who owned a rice field nearby, happened to be passing in front of our home. When the B-29 came, he said, “Let me come in for a moment,” and took shelter under the eaves. Just then, there was a tremendous explosion and vibration.

• After the war, I used to go to cut wood around Bomb Hill. Sometimes my axe struck pieces of metal embedded in the trees that seemed to be bomb fragments.

• On the day the bomb fell, I set off for Seika Elementary School, but the surrounding area had been burned in an air raid. Thinking there would be no lessons, I soon returned home.
Research note: this supports the date as the morning after the Isohara air raid of late July 19.

• I thought it had been a one-ton bomb.