This is an original 1942 wartime booklet Sea War Gods: Special Attack Unit, published by the Imperial Japanese Navy Press Bureau.

It features the so-called “Nine War Gods” (Kyūgunshin), nine officers and men who carried out midget submarine attacks during the opening strike on Pearl Harbor. While their tactical results were limited and most did not return, their sacrifice was glorified in Japan as heroic examples of selfless devotion.

The Navy collected their last letters, photographs, and testimonials, publishing them in this volume as propaganda to inspire the public. This booklet illustrates how the Japanese government transformed these men into national icons, laying the groundwork for later “tokkō” (special attack) ideology.

Includes portraits, farewell notes, and official commendations. Though the paper shows age toning and foxing, the booklet remains a rare and important primary source on Pearl Harbor and Japanese wartime propaganda.