Allies Supreme Commander General Douglas MacArthur watches Air Vice Marshal L M Isitt as he signs the instrument of surrender document on behalf of New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
Allies Supreme Commander General Douglas MacArthur watches Air Vice Marshal L M Isitt as he signs the instrument of surrender document on behalf of New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
On August 15 this year it was 75 years since Japan's Emperor Hirohito broadcast to his people that Japan was surrendering to the Allies and that all hostilities should cease forthwith.
Subsequently this date has become known as VJ Day (Victory Over Japan) and ushered in not only Japan'ssurrender but also became the final act that ended World War II against the Axis powers.
The Allies required that Japan sign an instrument of surrender as a formal pact to record the cessation of all hostilities.
It would also be signed by Allies Supreme Commander General Douglas MacArthur on behalf of USA, and by representatives from China, United Kingdom, Russia, Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands, and New Zealand.
Air Vice Marshal Leonard M (later Sir Leonard) Isitt, Chief of Staff of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was appointed to sign the instrument of surrender on New Zealand's behalf.
This presented a challenging logistical exercise about how to get him from New Zealand to Tokyo in time for the signing.
Some credit for delivering Leonard Isitt for the signing can go to Napier airman Flight Lieutenant Raymond (known as Pete) Steele.
Pete Steel was one of three brothers from Napier who became pilots in the wartime Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).
Elder brother Squadron Leader F J Steele had a distinguished war service record and post-war become Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation.
Pete Steel flew Grumman TBF Avengers on operations in the Pacific theatre of war. On completion of his operational tour he was posted to a RNZAF squadron flying transport aircraft.
A RNZAF Lockheed Lodestar, NZ 3509, was chosen to transport Leonard Isitt to Japan and Pete's flying record resulted in him being selected as the captain on its flight on August 14 from New Zealand. In today's terms the Lodestar was not a fast or long-range aircraft, and took 40 hours flying time to get to their destination.
The Lodestar arrived in Guam on August 15, and from there Leonard Isitt was taken to Iwo Jima (Japanese volcano Island), where he joined the US destroyer, Barton. There were around 100 other vessels in the fleet at Iwo Jima
Leonard Isitt was transferred to the USS Missouri, where he was a guest for a week.
"There was an air of tense expectancy about the whole ship as the historic hour approached. At 8.45am General MacArthur came aboard from his headquarters; in Yokohama, and shortly after the Japanese envoys arrived, headed by Admiral Shigemitsu and General Umizo and a retinue of staff officials, all without the usual swords.
"There were 14 in the Japanese party. General MacArthur came on deck accompanied by Admirals Nimitz and Halsey, and the signing of the documents began. The actual ceremony took only 15 minutes, and proceedings were conducted with great efficiency by General MacArthur. Immediately he had signed the general left the deck and was followed by the other signatories."
After the ceremony Air Vice Marshal Isitt obtained permission from Admiral Halsey to use the naval airstrip on the Japanese mainland, and Pete Steele brought up the Lodestar from Iwo Jima, where it had been quartered. It was the first British plane to land in Japan after the surrender. The Lodestar then started its journey back to New Zealand.
Pete Steele would continue flying after the war, and around 1979 was involved in an incident when he was flying a princess out of Jordan when he came under fire.
Upon flying out of the Damascus airport he stated he was fired upon by anti-aircraft batteries from the Syrians, and used great skill to fly away and not get hit. It turned out to be confusion between civilian and military aircraft, and an apology was received from the Syrian authorities.
The princess later thanked Pete for saving her life.
• With thanks to Graham Duley and the Hawke's Bay Aviation Heritage Association.
• Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a contract researcher, and writer of Hawke's Bay history.
