Photo By Sgt. Nicholas Ranum | Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force greet Marines and sailors with 3rd...... read more read more
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HIDUJAI MANEUVER AREA, Japan - Japanese citizens and soldiers hosted an appreciation dinner at Camp Yufuin in Yufuin City, Japan, Feb. 26 to thank U.S. service members for their contributions during Operation Tomodachi.
The Local Supporters Association from Oita Prefecture and the Western Army Artillery unit of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force began planning for the appreciation dinner last year and have been waiting for a III Marine Expeditionary Force unit to arrive in the Hijudai training area to demonstrate their gratitude.
As it turned out, the Marines and sailors of 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, represented III MEF as recipients of the Japanese hospitality.
“I was impressed by the dedication of American service members in the recovery operations,” said Col. Yoshinobu Tahara, commanding officer of Camp Yufuin and the Western Army Artillery unit. “Through adverse weather, Marines saved the lives of many victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake.”
Many Japanese organizations came to the dinner to show their support and appreciation for Operation Tomodachi. Among these were the Veteran’s Association of the Western Army Artillery unit, the Veteran’s Association of Oita Prefecture, the Supporter’s Association of Camp Yufuin and the Kyushu Defense Bureau.
“It was next to impossible to fire American artillery at the Hijudai Maneuver Area 16 years ago,” said Kotaru Yoshida, director of the local headquarters of the Kyushu Defense Bureau. “With the help of the Supporter’s Association (of Camp Yufuin), firing is possible. The change is due in part to the Marine Corps’ action during Operation Tomodachi.”
Marines and sailors from III MEF supported government of Japan-led humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief operations in mainland Japan following the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that struck northern Honshu March 11.
“The earthquake took many lives and (destroyed) a lot of property,” said Yoshida. “I cannot forget the tsunami and the terrible destruction that affected areas. The actions of the JGSDF and U.S. armed forces encouraged the Tohoku residents,” he added.
The United States was the first to respond with over 140 aircraft, 20 ships and more than 19,000 U.S. Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen.
“Almost 100,000 Japan Self-Defense Force members deployed to the Tohoku area to conduct relief operations,” said Tahara. “The JSDF and U.S. forces continued to work, despite the snow and wind in the Tohoku area, to (help) the victims of the earthquake. The Marines stayed true to ‘Semper Fidelis’.”
“U.S. forces have not only brought peace to Japan, but they have brought peace to Asia, Europe and other parts of the world,” said Seishiro Eto, deputy chairman of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Diet.
Operation Tomodachi provided an opportunity for the JGSDF and the U.S. military to work together on an unbelievable scale and showed that the Japan-U.S. alliance is not only for security but also for humanitarian assistance, said Tahara.
| Date Taken: | 03.02.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2012 19:01 |
| Story ID: | 84951 |
| Location: | HIJUDAI MANEUVER AREA, OITA, JP |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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