Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Cohen Young | The plague dedicated on Sept. 4, 1995, by the Unabarakai Association is clean and...... read more read more
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HONOLULU - More than 20 former Japanese pilots attended a re-dedication ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, June 3, 2010.
Members of the Unabarakai Association were at the Punchbowl to rededicate a plaque fostering friendship between the Japan and the United States. The plaque was originally dedicated on Sept. 4, 1995. The Unabarakai Association is comprised of past Japanese aviators from World War II and they frequently travel to the United States to maintain and foster friendships.
The members of Unabarakai just completed a four-day tour of key WWII sites in Hawaii. In addition to visiting the cemetery, the group also made stops at Midway, Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Aviation Museum.
Two members of the Unabarakai were former Zero pilots. One former pilot, Kaname Harada, 94-years old of Tokyo, participated in the Pearl Harbor attack, which brought the U.S. into WWII, and credited with five kills during the battle of Midway.
Mr. Harada has been to the U.S. six times with three of those visits to Hawaii. Mr. Harada remembers his trip to Midway as a calm day before the famous Midway battle.
"Today is a beautiful day, much like the day many years ago when I came here during war; it's great to come here now and truly enjoy the calm in peace as opposed to war when that first time I was fighting for my life," said Mr. Harada.
Mr. Harada has seen a lot in his 94 years of life and is happy to see that Japan and the U.S. are allies and working together in the freedoms of many.
"To be able to look at a past adversary in the eye and realize that we are working together today for peace and prosperity in America and around the world as we fight global terrorism is a great thing," said Gene Castagnetti, the director of the Punchbowl.
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2010 21:32 |
| Story ID: | 51086 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 352 |
| Downloads: | 183 |
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