Photo By Lance Cpl. Joseph Cabrera | Takeshi Kinjo, a local Eagle Scout with Troop 101 of the Greater Okinawa District,...... read more read more
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By Joseph Cabrera
III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs
CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan — Takeshi Kinjo, a local Eagle Scout with Troop 101 of the Greater Okinawa District and one of the few Japanese on Okinawa who is a member of the Boy Scouts of America, organized a volunteer force of about 50 Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and civilians to clean up and perform grounds maintenance at Army Lt. Gen. Simon B. Buckner's memorial in Naha May 24.
For almost a year, Kinjo and his family have maintained the memorial each month, he said.
Kinjo said he first visited the memorial after reading a letter written by Buckner to Japanese Gen. Mitsuru Ushijima, the commander of Japanese forces during the Battle of Okinawa. He was impressed by the letter and inspired by the story, he said.
During the final stages of the Battle of Okinawa, Buckner sent the letter to Ushijima commending the spirit and tactics of his soldiers and personally pleading for them to surrender. Ushijima rejected Buckner's plea and ultimately took his own life, as did many of his men, to avoid capture.
Kinjo said on his first visit to the memorial, he was surprised to see how poorly the site was maintained. In Eagle Scout spirit, he solicited and obtained approval to begin maintaining the grounds once a month, he said.
His monthly ritual included washing the monument, removing trash, cutting the grass and trimming trees.
In addition to the usual clean up procedures, the recent effort included planting three cherry trees and several flowers.
As a result of Kinjo's efforts, the Single Marine Program was among those contacted about a week before the clean up. The group had no problem rustling up nearly 20 volunteers, according to Randy Mitchell, SMP manager.
"On a long weekend, this is the amount of volunteers we get," said Mitchell during the event.
"That says a lot about what goes on here." Lance Cpl. Francisco Rodriguez, a MALS-6 communication technician, said volunteering for the project provided the opportunity to do something more positive than sitting around the barracks or going out over the four-day Memorial Day weekend.
Lance Cpl. Scott St. Cere, a disbursing clerk for Combat Logistics Regiment 37, said that paying tribute to those who died in service to their country motivated him to participate.
"I like volunteering and this is a way to honor their service during Memorial Day," he said.
A Sailor who volunteered for the cleanup said it was Kinjo who inspired him.
"I heard the story about this high school kid and was real impressed by that," said Petty Officer 1st Class Lael Palmer, an information systems technologist with Expeditionary Group 7. "And I figured it was a good opportunity to work with the community."
Kinjo expressed his appreciation to the volunteers for their help and support once the cleanup was over.
Kinjo said he will continue his maintenance effort until 2010 when he plans to attend a university in mainland Japan. While away at college, he intends to entrust his family with the maintenance of the memorial.
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2008 02:02 |
| Story ID: | 19893 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 423 |
| Downloads: | 286 |
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