Memorial held for 55th anniversary of U.S. military jet crash into Miyamori Elementary School

Memorial held for 55th anniversary of U.S. military jet crash into Miyamori Elementary School

In the morning on June 30, at Miyamori Elementary School in Ishikawa, Uruma, people offered floral tributes to Nakayoshi-Jizo.


June 30, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo

Fifty-five years have passed since June 30, 1959, when a U.S. F-100 fighter from Kadena Air Base crashed into Miyamori Elementary School in Ishikawa City, currently Uruma City. The 55th anniversary memorial ceremony was held on June 30 at the school. Participants paid their respects to the 18 victims.

About 90 bereaved family members, former pupils who attended the school at the time of the crash, and local residents attended.

Mitsuteru Toyohama, the head of the Ishikawa and Miyamori 630 Association, said, “The survivors of the Battle of Okinawa were killed in the accident. Their children were killed too.” He went on to say, “Okinawa has faced horrible histories since the war. We will never forget the accident.”

The participants offered a thousand paper cranes and floral tributes to the Nakayoshi-Jizo or Good Friend-Jizo (the protector of deceased children) statue. The statue has the names of the 18 victims, including locals and pupils inscribed on it. At 10:40 a.m., the time the military jet crashed, the participants offered silent prayers.

(English translation by T&CT)

Go to Japanese


　


Previous Article:
Next Article:

[Similar Articles]