Register of the Mitsuo Fuchida papers

Finding aid prepared by Maaya Abe and Kay Ueda

Hoover Institution Library and Archives

434 Galvez Mall

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305-6003

hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu

URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives

Title: Mitsuo Fuchida papers

Date (inclusive): 1905-1979

Collection Number: 2021C28

Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives

Language of Material: In Japanese and English

Physical Description: 63 manuscript boxes, 40 oversize boxes, 3 oversize folders, 2 sound tape reels (81.9 Linear Feet)

Abstract: Fuchida Mitsuo was a famed carrier bomber pilot who, in his capacity as commander of the Akagi air group and concurrently as senior air officer of the First Air Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, led the aerial attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Mitsuo Fuchida papers consists of an unfinished manuscript of Fuchida's autobiography (Natsu wa chikai [The summer is near]), photo albums, records of Fuchida's travels and speaking tours in the postwar period, Navy Academy textbooks, maps, navy organization personnel charts, the Bible, and secondary literature on the Pacific War and Christianity.

Creator: Fuchida, Mitsuo, 1902-1976

Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Conditions Governing Access

Boxes 87-97 may not be used without the permission of the Archivist. The remainder of the collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Use

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Acquisition Information

Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2021.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Mitsuo Fuchida papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Biographical Note

Fuchida Mitsuo was born to Fuchida Yazō (father) and Shika (mother) in the Iwaki Village of Kita-Katsuragi District, Nara Prefecture. After receiveing education in his hometown at Kanmaki Ordinary Grade School and Unebi Middle School, he proceeded in 1921 to the Navy Academy and graduated in 1924. He received further technical training in gunnery, torpedoes, and aviation. He entered the Naval Staff College in 1936 and graduated in 1938. Fuchida married Kitaoka Haruko in 1931 and had two children. The son, Yoshiya, was born in 1933, and the daughter, Miyako, was born in 1937. He became a famed carrier bomber pilot who, in his capacity as commander of the Akagi air group and concurrently as senior air officer of the First Air Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, led the aerial attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He participated in ensuing air campaigns in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas but, after incurring injuries resulting from the destruction of the aircraft carrier Akagi at the Battle of Midway, he was based mostly in Japan, serving as instructor at the Naval Staff College (1942), the staff of the First Air Fleet (1943), and the staff of the Combined Fleet (1944), among other positions held. He had participated in the navy's aerial warfare against China prior to the start of the Pacific War, having held the command of the Thirteen Special Air Group at Nanjing (1938) and consecutively commanding the air groups of the carriers of Ryūjō and Akagi (1938-9). The highest military rank he held was that of a captain, commissioned in 1944. Fuchida led a life of a farmer following the breakup of the Japanese army and navy forces under the Allied occupation of Japan (1945-1952), during which he converted to Christianity and was baptized in 1951. The remainder of his life was dedicated to evangelical activities in Japan and the United States while he also authored books, gave interviews, and delivered speeches concerning the Pacific War, especially with regard to his personal recollections of the Pearl Harbor attack and the Battle of Midway. His unfinished manuscript, Natsu wa chikai [The summer is near], in which he relates his life story, was published posthumously as Shinjuwan kōgeki sōtaicho no kaisō: Fuchida Mitsuo jijoden (Kōdansha, 2007). An English translation, For That One Day, was published in 2011. He died in 1976.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Mitsuo Fuchida papers consists of an unfinished manuscript of Fuchida's autobiography (Natsu wa chikai [The summer is near]), photo albums, records of Fuchida's travels and speaking tours in the postwar period, Navy Academy textbooks, maps, navy organization personnel charts, the Bible, and secondary literature on the Pacific War and Christianity. Items in this collection were originally part of approximately 200 boxes of Fuchida Mitsuo's personal belongings that, after his death, his wife Haruko requested that their son, Yoshiya, take custody of at his home in the United States.

Digitized Content

Content from this collection has been digitized and is available via the Hoover Institution Library & Archives Digital Collections portal .

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941

World War, 1939-1945 -- Naval operations, Japanese

Officers

Biography

Tora! Tora! Tora! (Motion picture)

Evangelicalism

Fuchida, Mitsuo, 1902-1976

Japan. Kaigun

Biographical file

Address books 1971-1975

box 50, folder 1

1971 住所録（日本）Address Book "Japan" 1 1971

box 50, folder 2

1971 住所録（日本）Address Book "Japan" 2 1971

box 50, folder 3

1971 住所録（日本）Address Book "Japan" 3 1971

box 50, folder 4

1975 住所録（日本）Address Book "Japan" 4 1975

box 50, folder 5

"Addresses" address book (non-Japanese)

box 50, folder 6

Unlabeled address book in 三和銀行 notebook

box 50, folder 7

Address book (possibly Fuchida Haruko)

box 50, folder 8

Fuchida Haruko address book

box 51, folder 1

「銀行」banking information 1968–1984

box 51, folder 2-3

「保障」social security and benefits information 1963–1976

box 51, folder 4-5

「身上」戸籍, immigration visa, re-entry and history of travel, marriage certificate 1956–1965

box 52, folder 1

「保健」health-related and correspondence 1968–1971

box 52, folder 2-3

「税金」taxes 1956–1976

box 52, folder 4

「土地家屋」 1947–1970

box 52, folder 5

「自動車」car (insurance, etc.) 1953–1964

box 53, folder 1-2

「自動車」car (insurance, etc.) 1964–1967

box 53, folder 3

「家具」furniture and applicances receipts 1962–1971

box 53, folder 4

「家具」furniture and applicances receipts 1946–1947

box 53, folder 5

Camera and film equipment documents, manuals

box 53, folder 6-7

よろづものしり帳 Various notes and language study

box 54, folder 1

Tokyo trials affidavit

box 54, folder 2

作文帳

Funeral

box 54, folder 3

参列者名簿 4 sets 1976 May 31

box 54, folder 4-7

弔電 condolence telegrams

box 54, folder 8

弔辞 message of condolence

Scope and Contents

大阪水交会副会長山本; 日本キリスト教団堺教会　北井定太郎

box 54, folder 9

Funeral wreath money envelope and official letter on behalf of Prince Takamatsu

box 55, folder 1

Funeral photos

box 55, folder 2-5

Funeral koden (money/offering envelopes)

box 56, folder 1-5

Funeral koden (money/offering envelopes)

box 57, folder 1-4

Funeral koden (money/offering envelopes)

box 57, folder 5

Business cards (of funeral guests)

box 58, folder 1-2

Business cards (of funeral guests)

box 58, folder 3

Notes from Box 87 (flags and Grandfather Yazo's pilgrimage)

box 58, folder 4

日本史の重要史的事項と世紀 notes

box 58, folder 5

1952 卒業記念奈良県高市郡畞傍中学校 Unebi Junior High School

box 58, folder 10

Items found in Fuchida's book collection

os_folder 2

Koto certificate for Fuchida Haruko

Military career of Mitsuo Fuchida

Certificates

box 9, folder 9

Certificates from school and training years

box 86, folder 1

Certificates from school and training years

box 86, folder 2

段位免許 Rank certificate

box 86, folder 3

The Citation of 瑞宝章 (the Order of Sacred Treasure) to Fuchida from Director of the Award Bureau 瀬古保次(Seko Yasuji) on behalf of Emperor Hirohito, 勲三等 (kun 3-tō) certificate

box 97

Wooden box that contained the Citation of 瑞宝章 (the Order of Sacred Treasure) to Fuchida

Access

Box 97 may not be used without permission of the Archivist.

box 86, folder 4

Certificates of gratitude

box 86, folder 5, online digital

Certificate of Gratitude (kanshajo) on the Pearl Harbor Attack to the Kido Unit from the Commander of the Combined Fleet Yamamoto Isoroku 1942 April 15

view online item

box 90, online digital

Acknowledgement of Fuchida's accomplishment on the Pearl Harbor attack by Imperial Household Official 中根直之助（Nakane Naonosuke) on behalf of 伏見宮（Prince Hiroyasu Fushimi) 1941 December 27

view online item

box 9, folder 10

従五位受勲 (The Citation of the Ju-Fifth Ranks) from the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Office, Matsudaira Tsuneo to Fuchida 1944 December 1

box 9, folder 11

正五位受勲 (The Citation of the Sho-Fifth Ranks) from the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Office, Matsudaira Yoshitami to Fuchida 1946 April 29

Maps

os_folder 1, online digital

Map of the "Ketsugo" (Decisive) Air Force Operation Plan (決号作戦AF兵力配備概要) 1945

view online item

box 78

New World Maps

box 85, folder 1

9 maps of Japan, 1 tourist map 1953-1956

box 85, folder 2-3

Blueprints

War and post-war maps

os_folder 3

Imperial Japanese Military Map for Operation Preparation 日本総部素図（Japan)

os_folder 3

Imperial Japanese Military Map for Operation Preparation 軍司令部作成作戦要素図日本南方海方面 (Japan Southern Sea)

os_folder 3

Imperial Japanese Navy Aerial Map No. 102 of 本州以東 (Eastern Mainland) 海軍航空図102号東京海湾至北海道 From the Tokyo Bay to Hokkaido with stamp: "Secret"

os_folder 3

Imperial Japanese Navy Aerial Map of 本州以東 (Eastern Mainland) Japan (水路部秘5191号）

os_folder 3

Imperial Japanese Navy Aerial Map of 本州以西 (Western Mainland) Japan(水路部秘5192号）

os_folder 3

Imperial Japanese Navy Aerial Map of 本州以西 (Western Mainland) Japan(水路部秘5192号）東京湾至対馬海峡　from the Tokyo Bay to the Tsushima Strait with stamp: "Secret"

os_folder 3

Imperial Japanese Navy Aerial Map of 朝鮮 Korea (水路部秘5193号朝鮮）

Artwork and calligraphy by Mitsuo Fuchida

os_folder 2, online digital

Roosevelt drawing "I succeeded in the surprise attack and I'm honored to command the attack unit" by M. Fuchida, addressed to his children 1942 May 8

view online item

os_folder 2

4 original scrolls from Mitsuo Fuchida to son

Post-war documents about Mitsuo Fuchida's military career

"Tora! Tora! Tora!"

box 1, folder 1, online digital

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" promotional photograph of actor Tamura Takahiro as Fuchida Mitsuo, signed by Fuchida 1970

view online item

Twentieth Century Fox promotional materials 1970

box 1, folder 2-3

15 color prints of "Tora! Tora! Tora!" scene shots and promotional images 1970

box 1, folder 4

Leaflet and biographies of Fuchida and Genda 1970

box 1, folder 5

Portraits of Fuchida and Genda 1970

box 1, folder 6

Original envelope of Twentieth Century Fox promotional materials for the movie "Tora! Tora! Tora!" 1970

os_folder 3

1 poster promoting the movie "Tora! Tora! Tora!" 1970

box 17, folder 10

Tora! Tora! Tora! book promotion material 1966-1969

Scope and Contents

Includes "I led the air attack on Pearl Harbor" 1952 United States Naval Institute Proceedings.

box 20, folder 9

Tora! Tora! Tora! brochure and related materials, printed materials on the Pacific War

box 20, folder 10

Tora! Tora! Tora! brochure and related materials

box 20, folder 11

Tora! Tora! Tora! Reader's Digest Book Section, newspaper clippings 1976

box 94

Tora! Tora! Tora! premiere (欧米旅行) U.S. and Europe Tour Scrapbook

Conditions Governing Access

Box 94 may not be used without permission of the Archivist.

Manuscripts and related material

自叙伝夏は近い Autobiography "The Summer is Near"

box 10, folder 1-14

自叙伝夏は近いその一日のために Autobiography "The Summer is Near" (For that One Day)

box 10, folder 15-23

自叙伝夏は近い真珠湾 (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Pearl Harbor I

box 11, folder 1-4

自叙伝夏は近い真珠湾 (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Pearl Harbor I continued

box 11, folder 5-14

自叙伝夏は近い真珠湾 (II) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Pearl Harbor II

box 11, folder 15-20

自叙伝夏は近い真珠湾から広島へ (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima I

box 12, folder 1-6

自叙伝夏は近い真珠湾から広島へ (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima I continued

box 12, folder 7-14

自叙伝夏は近い真珠湾から広島へ (II) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima II

box 12, folder 15-25

自叙伝夏は近いヒロシマ Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Hiroshima

box 12, folder 26-30

自叙伝夏は近い終戦 (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": The End of the War I

box 13, folder 1-6

自叙伝夏は近い終戦 (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": The End of the War I continued

box 13, folder 7-13

自叙伝夏は近い終戦 (II) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": The End of the War II

box 13, folder 14-22

自叙伝夏は近い回心 (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Conversion I

box 14, folder 1-18

自叙伝夏は近い回心 (II) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Conversion II

box 14, folder 19-25

自叙伝夏は近い回心 (III) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Conversion III

box 14, folder 26

自叙伝夏は近い待晨 (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Waiting for the Dawn I

box 15, folder 1-2

自叙伝夏は近い待晨 (I) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Waiting for the Dawn I continued

box 15, folder 3-6

自叙伝夏は近い待晨 (II) Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Waiting for the Dawn II

box 15, folder 7-9

自叙伝夏は近い (Part 1) その一日のために Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Part 1, For that One Day

Scope and Contents

Box label is "第三部真珠湾から広島へ (Part 3)" but contents include a complete manuscript of 第一部 (part 1) through 第三部 (part 3)

box 15, folder 10

自叙伝夏は近い (Part 2) 真珠湾 Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Part 2, Pearl Harbor

Scope and Contents

Box label is "第三部真珠湾から広島へ (Part 3)" but contents include a complete manuscript of 第一部 (part 1) through 第三部 (part 3)

box 15, folder 11

自叙伝夏は近い (Part 3) 真珠湾から広島へ Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Part 3, From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima

Scope and Contents

Box label is "第三部真珠湾から広島へ (Part 3)" but contents include manuscripts of 第一部 (part 1) through 第三部 (part 3)

box 15, folder 12

自叙伝夏は近い挿入写真 Autobiography "The Summer is Near": Inserted pictures

box 15, folder 13

自叙伝夏は近いヒロシマ　"われ弱生時に強し John 8:1-11" Autobiography "The Summer is Near" : Hiroshima, "We are strong at the time of adversities John 8:1-11"

Scope and Contents