Ahoy Shipmates

Pit-Road have called by the news desk and given us the details on their latest release.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!


Sean

Just by way of update I understand taht the correct translation of the movies name is "Last Operations Under the Orion"

The URL to the appropriate website is set out below:

http://www.manatsu-orion.com/index.html

Cheers

Sean

Here's the storyline in English.

Last Operations Under the Orion

Hiroshi Tamaki’s following cinema “Last Operations Under the Orion” will be released on 13th June in 2009. Hiroshi Tamaki's following cinema "Last Operations Under the Orion" will be released on 13th June in 2009.
Hiroshi plays the leading hero Takayuki Kuramoto the captain of I-77 submarine. Hiroshi plays the leading hero Takayuki Kuramoto the captain of I-77 submarine.

Story:
At the end of World WarⅡ. Japanese navy placed I-77 submarine and others off the coast of Okinawa to obstruct the US navy’s fuel supply route. The military situation got worse and worse in Japan. There was no other way left to defend but the tactics. Before the risky navigation, Shizuko Arisawa handed a musical score her devoted man, Takayuki Kuramoto (Hiroshi T.) the captain of I-77. She wrote down the piece titled “Midsummer Orion” meaning superlative luck. At the end of World War Ⅱ. Japanese navy placed I-77 submarine and others off the coast of Okinawa to obstruct the US navy's fuel supply route. The military situation got worse and worse in Japan. There was no other way left to defend but the tactics. Before the risky navigation, Shizuko Arisawa handed a musical score her devoted man, Takayuki Kuramoto (Hiroshi T.) the captain of I-77. She wrote down the piece titled "Midsummer Orion" meaning superlative luck.
Kuramoto and his men submerged to engage the US destroyer. Kuramoto and his men submerged to engage the US destroyer.

Time has passed. Izum Kuramoto, grandchild of Takayuki and Shizuko, is visiting a man. She carries the letter from the US navy’s captain Mike’s grandchild. It contains the old score Shizuko gave Takayuki in the past. She decides to see Suzuki who is an only survivor of I-77 to trace the score so far. Time has passed. Izum Kuramoto, grandchild of Takayuki and Shizuko, is visiting a man. She carries the letter from the US navy's captain Mike's grandchild. It contains the old score Shizuko gave Takayuki in the past. She decides to see Suzuki who is an only survivor of I-77 to trace the score so far.

Concerning the “fictitious” USS Perceval, in actuality the Japanese producers went to some very accurate realism. The Perceval is actually the USS Slater DE766 which is the only remaining DE afloat. One other ship exists in dry dock in Galveston, condition unkown after the hurricane.

My father was the supply officer on the USS SLATER which is now a museum ship in the Port of Albany NY.

The Slater was used for 2 weeks last August for the film. My family (my father is deceased) continues to go to the reunions and we just got back from Albany yesterday after the 24th annual reunion. 10 remaining crew of the original 216 attended along with approx. 40 family members.

The “World Premiere” so to speak was held at the Palace Theatre in Albany on Friday night, May 29. It was ASWESOME, and the producers, director and the 2 lead Americans were there. A procalamation was read by the mayor from the Governor of NY.

The story is basically “Enemy Below” (Robert Mitchum, Curt Jurgrns) except instead of Germans vs. Americans in the Atlantic, it was Japanesse vs. American in the Pacific.

To see the USS Slater (which was also featured in the movie “The Guns of Navarone” ) was very emotional and prideful.

In fact, my father’s ashes were cast of the bow of the USS SLATER in October 2001, 4 months after his death in a military memorial complete with ? gun salute.

You can read more about the SLATER at
http://www.ussslater.org/

John B. Agnew,
Son of supply officer Lt (jg) John P. Agnew, USS SLATER

Thanks for the update John its truly appreciated.

Your personal insights and knowledge certainly have helped to bring the USS Slater to life for me personally.

Cheers

Sean