轟炸台灣

Posted by EyeDoc

1944年10月12日,美軍在佔領菲律賓後開始大舉轟炸台灣,主要目標是屏東,虎尾,高雄,岡山一帶的軍事及工業區.這也是海軍38特遣隊任務之一.成功之後,接著是14,16兩日由空軍B-29机繼續轟炸.美國海軍10月12-16日日誌記載是:

"TF 38 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher [注:此人真正負責TF58, 旗艦是USS Lexington]) hurls heavy air strikes against Japanese shipping, aerodromes, and industrial plants on Formosa, regarded as the strongest and best-developed base south of the homeland proper, and on northern Luzon. Strikes draw heavy Japanese aerial counterattacks off Formosa during which destroyer Prichett (DD-561) is damaged by friendly fire, 22°08'N, 123°19'E. TF 38 planes sink transport Asaka Maru, cargo ship Shirotai Maru, army cargo ship Mitsuki Maru, and merchant tankers No.6 Horai Maru, No.23 Nanshin Maru, and No.26 Nanshin Maru off the Pescadores[澎湖] 23°30'N, 119°34'E; and transports Bujo Maru and Joshu Maru, army cargo ship Yamahagi Maru, merchant cargo ships Gyoun Maru, Hakko Maru, No.11 Tenjin Maru, and No.1 Takatomi Maru, and merchant tankers No.5 Nanshin Maru, No.11 Nanshin Maru and No.20 Nanshin Maru, dredge Niitaka Maru, and damage tanker Eiho Maru and army cargo ship Shinto Maru off Takao[高雄], 22°37'N, 119°34'E. Also damaged at Takao is German ship Havenstein, Japanese cargo vessels Taisho Maru, Taihoku Maru, and, at Keelung [基隆], Hakozaki Maru.

TF 38 planes also sink merchant cargo ship Shinan Maru in Putai [布袋] harbor, 23°22'N, 120°10'E. Destruction of Japanese air power on Formosa paves way for USAAF B-29 bomber strikes on aircraft plant and airfield facilities on the island on 14 and 16 October 1944. Air strikes on the Formosa area sink Japanese transport Josho Maru, and army cargo ship Yamahagi Maru, off Takao; army ship Mitsuki Maru and merchant tanker No.6 Horai Maru, off Mako[馬公]; Japanese cargo ship Shirotai Maru is sunk by mine off Mako. "

1944年11月中,我的母親背著我還手提行李到高雄左營探望我還在待命出航的父親,就正好碰上這麼一次大空襲.當時大家嚇得魂飛魄散,四下逃命.我母親行動不便,還好有位先生見義勇為,出手扶助.我們母子兩人才度過了一個大難關.可惜當時母親實在心情慌亂,沒能請教這位好人姓名住所,我母親迄今還是梗梗於懷,因為道謝無門.欠了一筆無法償還的人情債.我想這位好人先生也不會在意吧.

這些空襲的傷亡人數不詳,大約僅次於1945年5月31日的台北大轟炸:單單死亡人數就三千多人.像台大醫學院,北一女和建中校舍,都因鄰近大目標之一總督府,都一起受損.