US, Japanese together mourn World War II lost lives at Sengen Hill

  • Published
  • By Airman John D. Partlow
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  On June 11, members from Yokota Air Base participated in a memorial ceremony in Shizuoka City, Japan. U.S. Airmen have been invited to take part in the event each year since 1972, bringing the U.S. and Japanese communities together to mourn a shared loss.

The tragedy occurred June 20, 1945, when two B-29 Superfortress planes collided in mid-air during a bombing run over Shizuoka City. Twenty-three aircrew members were killed there as well as approximately 2,000 Japanese civilians.

Mr. Fukumatsu Ito, along with other survivors of the bombing, rescued two aircrew members.  The crew members later died from their injuries, and Mr. Ito and other Japanese individuals then buried the two out of respect.

Among all the debris found the night of June 20, 1945, was a blackened canteen that still bore the handprint of a fallen U.S. crew member.

"It's the only memento from the B-29 crews," said Dr. Hiroya Sugano, the host of the memorial ceremony. "It's a treasure between the U.S. and Japan."

A few years after World War II ended, Mr. Ito erected two monuments at the top of Sengen Hill, the B-29 crash site, for Japanese civilians and American servicemembers who lost their lives on that tragic day.

Mr. Ito later founded and hosted the annual B-29 memorial ceremony along with Dr. Sugano.

During the ceremony, the scorched canteen is filled with American bourbon whiskey and honored guests then pour the whiskey on the B-29 monument in honor of the fallen crew members.

Capt. Phillip Chapman, 36th Airlift Squadron pilot, was one of Yokota's Airmen who had the opportunity to pour the bourbon on  the shrine.

"It's a privilege and an honor to be here to represent those fallen servicemembers and to remember the Japanese civilians who lost their lives that day," said Captain Chapman. "I'm proud to wear the uniform and represent them and their families."