USAF Band of the Pacific-Asia performs at Sendai, Japan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen
  • Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs
SENDAI, Japan --  The U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia from Yokota Air Base, Japan, completed a 3-day tour here, April 20 through 22, in remembrance of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the area approximately two years ago.

The earthquake and tsunami triggered Operation Tomodachi, a U.S. military humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation where Pacific Air Forces deployed more than 900 Airmen to assist with relief efforts and to support our Japanese allies during a time of need. The two-month operation, at the Japanese government's request, highlighted U.S. commitment to regional stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the humanitarian interests of U.S. partners and allies.

The band's first performance took place in Monou Town, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi, Japan in a small hall that Capt. Haley Armstrong, U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific commander, said was still in great disrepair. During the show, the band played American jazz music and a rendition of a traditional Japanese song which, according to Armstrong, garnered several emotional responses from spectators.

"You gave us a precious opportunity to listen to real live American Jazz music and helped heal the hearts of disaster victims and encouraged them a lot," said Tokio Sasakki, concert committee president.

"I heard comments from another listener who described the closeness she felt to the U.S. military and requested for the military to be her country's Tomodachi for years," Armstrong said. Tomodachi means friend in Japanese.

The second performance took place at the Nagamachi Big Band Festival, Sendai, Japan. Along with the performance, the band played a slideshow presentation to the approximately 800-member audience with pictures of U.S. servicemembers assisting in Operation Tomodachi relief efforts.

"Your deep understanding and dedicated appearance to the concert, as a part of the events to pray for the recovery from the Eastern Japan Great Earthquake, greatly impressed citizens in the devastated area," Sasakki said.

"The sponsors were so happy that we were there that they let us use the Operation Tomodachi slideshow for this performance...," said Armstrong. "This is powerful because the audience was there to be part of the festival, not specifically for (U.S. servicemembers), and still they were able to experience our message. Many of the audience members were students and almost all were from the Sendai region so it was very powerful."

The late addition of a third concert at Kabonamachi kindergarten, Armstrong said, was "the right thing to do." The school, recently rebuilt, had many of its students and their families displaced during the disaster. The concert rallied the students together as they, along with their families and friends, were all able to hear the band perform together.

"The audience was very grateful," said Armstrong. "One audience member said that they really appreciated the U.S. military's support after the earthquake and that was the reason they came to see the concert today."