Photo By Paul Long | Chief Hospital Corpsman Stacey Stallings trims the hedge at Yokohama Foreigners...... read more read more
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YOKOHAMA, Japan - Sailors and family members representing various commands from Fleet Activities, Yokosuka volunteered their landscaping skills by trimming hedges, bushes, trees and raking leaves at the Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery, May 23.
FLEACT Yokosuka, Negishi Housing Detachment staff led the community service (COMSERV) project.
Chief Hospital Corpsman Stacey Stallings, assigned to the Naval Hospital, brought 16 of her fellow corpsman with her to assist in the cleanup efforts.
“I came out here to support our history and support our heritage,” said Stallings. “It’s important that we do not forget the people who have gone before us that laid the foundation of where we are today.”
Paul Shelander, an Air Force veteran, is vacationing in Japan and visiting his nephew Brandon and family also volunteered to help clean the cemetery.
“Well it’s for Memorial Day and I think it’s something we should definitely do” said Shelander “It’s a real great opportunity to be out in this country and seeing this great cemetery. I’m very impressed with the Navy.”
Some Sailors have chosen to volunteer for the COMSERV more than once.
“It’s a great opportunity to come out here and show support for the Japanese and show them that we can work together and develop a closer bond,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class JaKarri McFolley, assigned to port operations, who volunteered last year. “I recommend this to anyone, especially our younger sailors.”
The cemetery began in 1854 after the death of a 24-year old Marine on one of Commodore Perry’s ships. Perry had asked for a piece of land so that he could bury the Marine. Following negotiations, the Shogunate government offered Perry land with the Zotokuin temple in Yokohama village, with a view overlooking the sea.
Currently, the cemetery covers more than 4.5 acres and consists of 22 sections, approximately 5,000 names and about 3,000 tombstones. The original registry record and many of the tombstones were damaged in the Great Kanto Earthquake. The current record consists of the partially recovered original record and a list of burials after 1923.
| Date Taken: | 05.23.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2013 01:25 |
| Story ID: | 108379 |
| Location: | YOKOHAMA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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