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My best appreciation to my teacher who saved my life
To overcome agony and live strongly.
The story of Taeko Teramae.
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I was exposed to the atomic-bombing when I was in the third grade of
high school at the age of 15. At the time of the bombing, I was working
as a mobilized student at the Hiroshima Central Telephone Bureau 500 m
or 1800 feet away from the hypocenter. A hypocenter is a point on the ground
lying directly below the center of a nuclear bomb blast. Students working
at the bureau were divided into three groups, each starting at 7, 8 and
9 o'clock in the morning. And I was in group A which started at 7 o'clock.
Because the atomic-bomb was dropped at 8:15 a.m.on August 6, I could barely
survive though I suffered some serious injuries.
When the atomic-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, students of group B
started working at 8 o'clock were outside on the roof attending a morning
gathering and most of them were burned to death.
And the students of group C whose work started at 9 o'clock were on
their way to the bureau and because the bureau was so close to the hypocenter,
many of them went missing and the rest were severely burned. And now let
me talk in details about group A which started at 7 o'clock. Group A was
subdivided into three teams. When the atomic-bomb was dropped, team 1 was
taking a break in the resting room. I heard that many of them are now in
good shape. And team 2 was already working as operators. Because they were
using headsets linked to the plugs, when the bomb was dropped all of them
were struck by electricity and burned to death. And I was in team 3. When
we were standing in the corridor to take turns with the operators, the
atomic-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
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 Words
of encouragement in the tragedy. |
It was a beautiful day on the morning of August 6, 1945. When I looked
up at the sky through the windows, I found something shining falling down.
It grew larger and larger as it fell and shining more brightly. And just
when I was thinking about what it was, it blasted with a flash. The flash
was so strong that I thought my body would be melted. Soon after the bombing,
it became light less and completely white around the place. I looked around
and heard such a big earth-quaking roaring sound. Then it suddenly became
dark and I was trapped by the debris in the collapsed buildings. And then
I fainted.
When I came round, I heard sounds of destruction and voices coming
from many places. "Mother, help me!" "Mother!" "I'm hurt, mother!" After
a whilećI heard my teacher, Miss Wakita's voice. She said, "Everyone,
hold out! You are all young students, so hold out!" We were so encouraged
by Miss Wakita and no one didn't yell "Mother" or "help" any more. We couldn't
do anything but listening to the sound of destruction.
Soon I found that there was something gritty and slimy in my mouth
and my clothes were so wet to the skin. I didn't know what was happening
because of the darkness, but later I found that I had been cut very deeply
on my face, that my mouth and clothes were wet with blood.
As I tried to get out of the debris many times, finally I could pull
myself out of it. In the darkness, I crawled to the staircase to escape
but there was so much tragedies. The staircase was covered with hundreds
of dead bodies of mobilized students, girls of volunteer groups and workers
at the bureau. I thought I wouldn't be able to go down. What should I do!
Then I looked outside and was frightened at the scene. I had thought that
the telephone bureau was the only building damaged by the bombing, but
actually there were many other buildings destroyed by the bomb. Moreover
it became dark outside and major buildings such as the bank of Japan, Chugoku
Electric Power Company and city hall -- all of them were caught in the
fire. And because of the flames of the fire it was mysteriously light outside.
Even the big trees were completely charred, leaving no leaves nor branches.
And electric poles fell down and wire was scattered everywhere. Moreover
piles of woods from the demolished wooden houses, caught fire and the entire
city was in a sea of flame.
There was no time to lose. I was desperate to escape, so I jumped down
from the second floor. However, all the directions were in flames and I
didn't know where to go. Finally I found that the Hijiyama Mountains in
the east were not in flames, so I tried to hurry to the mountains, stumbling
over fallen electric poles, wire and burning wood.
Though the sea of flames, I ran to the mountains. I ran for my life.
On the way, I came to the bank of a river. I felt relieved and looked back.
However, I saw fire spreading everywhere. It was about to catch up with
me. I was so frightened and began to run again, never looking back.
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| Finally
we reached the bank. |
Along the banks of the river, I saw thousands of injured people crying
for help. Because of the bombing, their hair was standing on end and burnt
skin was hanging in strips on their bodies. They were screaming to the
other side of the bank, holding up their hands. I didn't understand what
they were saying. Then I was shocked that the bridge that I was trying
to cross was already burning and more than that, the river was high tide.
And then I understood the injured people were crying for help to the people
on the other side of the bank. It was around that time that I began to
worry about my body because my face was swollen and I was losing my eye
sight.
Then, one of the workers at the bureau approached me and said, "You
are terribly injured." To my self, I thought I was not hurt. The man took
out his cigarette and put some of it on the scars which he said would be
effective to stop the bleeding. When he was taking care of me, my teacher,
Miss Wakita approached.
Miss Wakita said to me, "The bridge is burning so we have to cross
the river. Can you swim?" I answered, "Yes." It was fortunate that I used
to play in the river. And Miss Wakita said to me, "OK. We'll cross the
river. I will hold your arm." So we started to cross the river. However
in the middle of the river, I couldn't see anything and was about to faint.
Miss Wakita said, "Miss Nakamae, hold out! We are close to the bank. Hold
out!" She encouraged me so much and finally we reached the bank. If Miss
Wakita had not helped me out, I would have died floating just like hundreds
of other people. I think it must be very hard crossing a river, holding
an injured person. I cannot help but express my deepest thanks to Miss
Wakita who did her utmost to save my life.
We arrived at the bank and headed for the first aid station in the
Hijiyama Mountains. On our way there, many wounded people were pulling
my work pants, saying, "Please help me!", "Please take me to my mother,"
and "Give me some water." Because I lost my eye sight, I didn't know what
was happening. So I asked Miss Wakita what was happening. She told me that
mobilized girl students who had been burned in the bombing were lying on
the road, crying for help. She told me that they struggling from pain on
the heated road.
Finally we reached the first aid station in the Hijiyama Mountains.
However there were countless wounded people standing inline to get treatment.
Miss Wakita put me in the line and said, "I will assist other injured students.
Please wait for me here." Then she went back to the city of flames. Before
she returned, I was treated and taken to Kanawa Island where the military
was based for terminally wounded patients. For me, that was the last time
I saw Miss Wakita. She never came back.
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| Devastated
with my completely disfigured face. |
In the hospital in Kanawa Island, I was lying in bed with bandages
all over my body, except my nose and mouth. Since I was taken to the hospital,
I could not remember when it was day and night.
Though I couldn't see anything because of the bandage I could understand
what was happening around me. A number of mobilized student patients suffered
in the bombing died one after another, calling their parents.
I remember one parent looking all over for their child, and were saddened
to hear that their child had just passed away, calling their names to the
last moment. I felt so sorry for them, and at the same time I thought that
I would be the next to go.
As hospitalized people died one after another, I was so worried and
prayed in my heart that my parents would come to take me home. I was worried
when I would be able to return home. And finally my father came to the
hospital and I was taken back home. That was 5 days after the boming.
I was told by my father that Hiroshima was completely devastated by
a single bomb and thousands of people, including my sister, were seriously
burned. Their faces were so swollen that they could not be identified.
Because it was so hard for my father to find my sister, he said loudly,
"I'm looking for Emiko Nakamae at the First Prefectural Girl High School."
And a weak voice was heard at his feet and it said, "Dad, I'm here." My
sister was lying just at my father's feet. Her entire body was burnt and
her eye would not open. She could identity my father only by his distinctive
voice. Finally she could meet her father but soon she passed away. I always
think about how much my sister had wanted to see father's face. I feel
really sorry for her. Because of the atomic-bombing, all the students at
the First Prefectural Girl High School died, including my sister. 7 days
after the bombing, finally I was back home.
During the week I was in the hospital of Kanawa Island, I had always
encouraged myself saying, "I'm not going to die because I will return home."
However as soon as I returned home, I suffered from high fever. My health
began to deteriorate. The gums in my mouth began to bleed and I had many
purple spots all over my body. Also my hair gradually fell out, I vomited
many times, and due to high fever, scars on my face began to fester and
maggots were crawling on my face. My parents were so worried that even
though I returned home I would not live long. They had always taken a good
care of me.
I was worried how seriously my face was hurt. But no matter how many
times I asked my parents about my face, they said only, "Don't worry. For
you, the priority is to get well. You don't have to worry about anything."
They didn't tell me anything about my face.
Two months later I recovered substantially. One day my parents went
out, leaving me alone at home. Since I suffered in the atomic-bombing,
my parents had never allowed me to look in the mirror. However, that day
I took out the mirror and look myself. I was so shocked and couldn't believe
it.
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| "You
are fortunate to be dead..." |
I never thought that I would have a face like a ghost. From the left
check to the jaw, I was deeply cut and my left eye was gone. Because the
eyelids were so tender and they were not closed by medical treatment, my
left eye were left open -- like a hole just as big as a fist. Also from
the right eye to the nose, I was cut deeply. It was just like two big mountains
running over my face. I had been so disfigured. I couldn't believe this.
I kept crying for my misfortune. I had encouraged myself to get well, but
I was so shocked to see my face in the mirror. I didn't want to believe
that I would have to live with such an ugly disfigured face. I used to
talk to my sister in the photograph crying, "You are fortunate to be dead.
It's hard for me to live."
I could miraculously survive the atomic-bombing. However, after being
entirely disfigured I didn't know how many times I hoped I would have died
and how many times I hoped Miss Wakita would not have saved my life.
But now, I really owe a depth of gratitude to Miss Wakita that I am
alive today. Miss Wakita died on August 30, 1945. I felt deeply sorry that
she could not live a month after the bombing and died at a young age of
around 20. I regret most that I couldn't say thank you to Miss Wakita for
saving my life. Because I was exposed so close to the hypocenter of the
Atomic bomb, I have convinced myself that I would suffer from cancer in
the future. And actually, after the bombing I suffered two cancers in the
uterus and the breast. But I encouraged myself saying that I have to live
for Miss Wakita's life as well as mine. To pay my thanks to Miss Wakita,
I began telling my experience to students who visit Hiroshima on their
school excursions. I will continue to tell my story to convey the tragedy
of the atomic-bombing as well as to realize nuclear abolition and a peaceful
world.
I lost my left eye in the atomic-bombing. Since then, I have been worried
the other right eye might suffer cataract -- one of the eye sicknesses.
I have never thought that I would develop cancers, but 11 years ago I suffered
from a cancer in the uterus and moreover, it was found to be in the terminal
stage. I had an operation and it was successful. But again just 2 years
ago I suffered a cancer in the breast. To get treatment, I still go to
the doctors. For the last 41 years, I have continued to take care of the
memorial monument in the peace park which was dedicated to the victims
of mobilized students. Also I have published some magazines concerning
mobilized students in the war time.
Again I owe a depth of gratitude to Miss Wakita that I am alive today
and I feel thankful that students visiting Hiroshima listen to my story
and encourage me a lot. I have dedicated my life to the goal of nuclear
abolition hoping that younger generations will not have bitter experience
as I had.
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