Photo By Yoshie Makiyama | A monument to Col. Kermit H. Shelly and his efforts stands on Hamahiga...... read more read more
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Life goes on and history left behind. However, there are still some people who remember and express reverence for those who made great contributions before us. Taking time to clean their monuments is one example of paying tribute to and reflecting on their efforts.
人の営みは続き、歴史は忘れ去られる。しかし、多大な貢献をした先人を思い、畏敬の念を表す人もいるのだ。毎年記念碑を掃除することもその一つであろう。
June 20, 2020, a few days before Okinawa Memorial day this year, eight Marines gathered at the site of the monument for Col. Kermit H. Shelly on Hamahiga Island for cleanup.
沖縄慰霊の日に先立つ６月20日、浜比嘉島のカーミット・Ｈ・シェリー大佐の記念碑の前に８人の海兵隊員が清掃のため集まった。
Shelly was stationed in Okinawa as a commanding officer of 3rd Force Service Support Regiment, today's 3rd Marine Logistics Group, in 1967 to 1968 when the involvement of the United States military in the Vietnam War was at its peak.
シェリー大佐は、ベトナムでの戦闘がピークに達した１９６７年から１９６８年に、今日の第３海兵兵站群である第３役務支援群の指揮官として沖縄に駐留した。
During his tour, Shelly initiated and worked to improve the infrastructure of the island a little off the coast of Katsuren peninsula with his Marines. The island didn't have a bridge yet to connect to the mainland Okinawa. Life lines such as running water and electricity were behind on this island compared to mainland Okinawa.
滞在中、シェリー大佐は海兵隊と共に勝連半島沖のこの島のインフラの改善に着手した。島には沖縄本島に続く橋はまだなかった。浜比嘉島は沖縄本島よりも水道や電気などのライフラインの普及が遅れていたのだ。
According to a few residents, the major change Shelly and his Marines brought to the island was the electricity. Generators were carried by boat. As young children at the time, they witnessed the electric light took over the lamps in their homes for the first time.
数人の住民によると、シェリー大佐と海兵隊が島に持ち込んだ一番の変化は電気だったそうだ。発電機が船で運ばれ、当時子供だった彼らは、電灯がランプに取って代わるのを目の当たりにした。
Cpl. Brandon Arevalo, Headquarter Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, expressed his excitement, "it was amazing to hear that Marines swam through the ocean to bring the cables for the telephone to this island," while recalling introduction of some of the historical backgrounds given before the cleanup.
「海兵隊員が海を泳ぎ、電話用のケーブルをこの島に持ってきたと聞いて驚きました」と清掃前に伝えられた歴史の一部を思い出しながら、第３海兵師団本部大隊所属のブランドン・アレバロ伍長は興奮した面持ちで話した。
After Shelly was gone, residents of Hamahiga Island built a monument to honor his contributions to their island. One resident voluntarily polished the monument and continued cleaning the surroundings until his passing in 2018. By then, the cleanup of the site became a tradition to the locals and Marines. They normally gather once again on June 23, Okinawa Memorial Day for a memorial service.
シェリー大佐が亡くなった後、浜比嘉島の住民は彼の功績を称えて記念碑を建てた。島民の一人は自発的に記念碑を磨いたり、周りの掃除を２０１８年に亡くなるまで続けた。その頃までには、記念碑の清掃は地元の人々と海兵隊にとっては伝統となっていた。彼らは通常、６月23日沖縄慰霊の日に追悼式を行うために再び集まる。
"I hope this tradition will continue," said Ichiro Umehara, community relations specialist for Camp Courtney. "It’s sad that his achievements fell into obscurity as time went by,” Umehara added while pointing the fact that the water reservoirs system which Shelly and his Marines built are still in use by Hamahiga Island.
「この伝統が続くことを望んでいます」とキャンプ・コートニー渉外官の梅原一郎氏は述べた。「時間が経つにつれ、彼の功績が曖昧になっているのは悲しいことです」と現在もシェリー大佐と彼の部下が建設した貯水池が島の畑に使用されている事実について語った。
The monument was relocated to the current site from its original place in 1978 and now stands next to the war memorial of Hamahiga residents and another honorable monument for Ryoji Morine, the Hamahiga native who cared for Shelly’s monument for 50 years until his death in 2018.
記念碑は１９７８年に元の場所から現在の場所に移され、現在は浜比嘉島民の戦没者記念碑と、２０１８年に死去するまで50年間シェリー大佐の記念碑を世話し続けた浜比嘉出身の盛根良二さんの名誉ある記念碑の隣にある。
"It is peaceful how the monuments are covered by trees," Cpl. Caryl Faye Richards from 3rd Marine Division, remarked. "Cleaning up a little every year hopefully lessens the erosion on the monuments."
「記念碑がたくさんの木々に覆われていて、とても穏やかです」と第３海兵師団のキャロル・フェイ・リチャーズ伍長は言った。「毎年清掃することで、記念碑の侵食を防げると良いと思います。」
Hodaka Inafuku, a recreation specialist and coordinator of Courtney Single Marine Program, hoped that they can continue this tradition and next year they will have more participants.
コートニーシングルマリンプログラムのレクリエーションスペシャリストでコーディネーターを務めた稲福穂高さんは、この伝統を継続できることを望み、来年はより多くの人が参加することを期待すると語った。
| Date Taken: | 10.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2022 01:40 |
| Story ID: | 423673 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Respect the Predecessors: Marines clean memorials in Hamahiga Island 先人に敬意を払って ー 海兵隊員が浜比嘉島の記念碑を清掃, by Yoshie Makiyama, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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