When was the last time you visited a War Memorial? How did you feel about it?

Hitomi (my wife from the "other side") translated it for us. "This is the grave for souls of the loyal and faithful." She says that each Prefecture (we have 50 States, they have 47 Prefectures) has a memorial similiar to this to honor the ultimate sacrifices made by the residents from each area. Remember the scene from "Letters from Iwo Jima" when they showed up to present the family with the draft notice? It was that way for every male 15 and older. If you didn't accept, you were executed on the spot. Our civilians who didn't wear a uniform, worked in the factories. The children picked up scrap metal and took it in their wagons to the processing plants. The same thing went on for Japanese civilians. Everyone was used to support the war effort. The elderly and the very young drilled with sharpened bamboo sticks and dug defenses. They supported their country as we did. Please remember that Japan is now one of the best allies that this nation has. They have never flaked out on us like so many other "allies" have. Hitomi's grandfather served and died for his country. My grandfather served for his. Both our grandparents hated the other countries, which makes total sense. Hitomi's father and my father served in the post war era nation building. Hitomi and I are the next generation and only know the sacrifices made on both sides and have love for each other. We owe it to our past ancestors to remember the sacrifices, but we honor no one by remembering the hatred.

SFC Mark Merino Here's one for ya. This is pretty close to my apartment at Ikuta Ryokuchi Park. This statue was made to remember the kids during the Tokyo firebombing raid. Their parents told them to get away from the cities and run for the hills. Rough times.
Down in Kobe, my wife's grandparents were there during the firebombing of March 16-17, 1945.

Powerful.

Mark thanks for the powerful remembrance of the Japan Culture and the sacrifice they made as well. Very touching in words and heartfelt.

In May of 2010 a article about Iwo Jima:

Sixty-five years ago today, American Admiral Chester Nimitz reflected on the incredible sacrifice of the Marines who fought at Iwo Jima by saying, “Uncommon valor was a common virtue.”

The Battle of Iwo Jima has become etched in the historical memory of Americans largely because of the iconic photograph taken soon after its conclusion by photographer Joe Rosenthal. The photo derives power from more than its stunning visual image. It conveys the struggle and ultimate victory of U.S. Marines who played a critical role in bringing the catastrophic destruction of World War II to an end less than six months later.

This battle came at an extraordinary cost to the United States; nearly seven thousand dead, almost six thousand of which were Marines. Iwo Jima remains the costliest battle in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps and represented approximately one third of the entire Marine death toll during World War II.

http://www.iancfriedman.com/?p=546

I went back there just to see it.

I heard it's at Hood now...

Did they move the MIG-21 they shipped home in the connex?...and the operational BMP-2 and T-72? Good times.

Used to study these for visual aircraft recognition and armored. I tell you it was 90% or bust.

Brother we think alike, we need to plan a trip over there together and reminisce on the noble history of Mankind-The Soldier.

AMC for free!

MAJ Ken Landgren thank you for sharing this heartfelt experience.

Awesome!

This is exactly what it looks like when you are standing over it.

SFC Mark Merino SFC you can still see bubbles coming up from the water. And when you look into the water, you can see objects floating or swimming. But they are not really there, just spirits. Its a very unsettling experience. I highly recommend anyone to go and visit it.

Thanks for the post; very touching!