YAKUSHIMA, Japan —
Near 100 navy and civilian personnel from america and Japan gathered on the Yakushima City Corridor Nov. 29, 2024 to attend a ceremony dedicating a cenotaph to the eight heroes who died when their CV-22B Osprey went down simply off the coast of the island final yr and the joint effort expended to seek for and get better them.
The Gundam 22 U.S. – Japan Friendship Memorial, stands greater than six ft tall and holds vigil over the Toshiro seashore shoreline, pointing guests in the direction of the spot the plane impacted the water. One of many solely U.S monuments ever erected on Japanese soil, it represents a months-long, bilateral, volunteer effort that underscored the significance of the cenotaph to the American and Japanese personnel whose actions are actually memorialized in stone, alongside portraits of all eight misplaced crew members.
The gathering on the city corridor, which included members of the family of the deceased, was a becoming illustration of the power assembled within the direct aftermath of the mishap. One yr earlier, as locals witnessed the plane fall from the sky, it was native fishermen who have been first on the scene, retrieving the primary crew member from the waves close to Anbo port and respectfully standing watch over his stays. The island’s fishermen would proceed to contribute to the preliminary search and rescue operation, serving to groups find the location of the wreckage, and facilitating using the port for dive and restoration groups.
Among the many first Japanese personnel on the bottom in Yakushima to help the search and rescue effort was Haruo Morita, Deputy Director Common, Bureau of Insurance policies for Regional Society within the Japan Ministry of Protection. Mr. Morita would go on to remain on the island longer than any of his compatriots executing the search mission. As he delivered remarks on the dedication ceremony, he recalled the help obtained from the group in Yakushima.
“I wish to categorical our honest appreciation to the individuals of the Kagoshima Prefecture and Yakushima City, together with the Yakushima City Council and Yakushima Fishery Cooperative, for his or her nice help and cooperation for 45 days, together with the year-end and new yr days, till January 12, 2024, when the search and restoration operations concluded.”
A ROBUST FRIENDSHIP CREATED
Yakushima Island is historically identified for its lovely peaks, historic cedar woods and surreal vistas, however because the mammoth enterprise of discovering and recovering the crew of Gundam 22 gained momentum and extra personnel and tools converged on the five hundred square-kilometer island, this quiet group was about to be thrust into the worldwide highlight for a a lot totally different motive.
“It’s an indisputable fact that though within the midst of tragedy of the Osprey mishap, a strong friendship was created between the U.S. Forces and the Yakushima Neighborhood. I’m sure that persevering with to determine such a trusting relationship between our two international locations will additional strengthen our alliance.”
Morita’s phrases discovered reality within the make-up of the dedication gathering, which included U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission in Japan, Chargé d’affaires Katherine Monahan alongside Yakushima City’s Mayor Koji Araki, Kagoshima Prefecture assemblymen, Yasuhiro Matsuzato and Shigeru Hidaka, and senior leaders from the Japan Self Protection Forces and a number of branches of the U.S. navy.
Of these gathered, few have been as intimately acquainted with the mission to restoration the misplaced Airmen and the wreckage of their craft as Rear Adm. Jeromy Williams. Williams, commander of Particular Operations Command Pacific, obtained twice every day briefings on the progress of the search, restoration, and salvage efforts for over 45 days whereas operations persevered on the island. He witnessed the scope and affect of our Japanese companions’ contributions to the search.
“Total, 21 Japanese Coast Guard and Navy ships got here to our aide. Japan Coast Guard employed unmanned underwater automobiles, ROVs, and divers. Japan Floor Self Protection Forces employed helicopters, activated reservists, and searched the cliffs, seashores, and shorelines. Japan Air Self Protection Drive despatched plane, whereas police, enterprise house owners, native volunteers, the Fisherman’s Affiliation, and Yakushima Girl’s affiliation all remained decided within the search.”
MARKER OF A FINAL RESTING PLACE
Altogether, U.S. and Japanese forces searched 60,000 sq kilometers of water, 89 kilometers of Yakushima shoreline and one other 30 kilometers of shoreline on neighboring Tanegashima, and 39 sq. kilometers of ocean flooring. In simply shy of two months, their search turned up 321 objects, and the stays of seven crew members. The eighth, Maj. Eric Spendlove, has but to be recovered, in accordance with Mr. Morita a supply of “deep remorse” for the Japanese companions concerned within the search. The cenotaph on the island now serving as a marker of his closing resting place.
Instrumental to creating the cenotaph a actuality was Maj. Jake McCauley of the 353rd Particular Operations Wing. One of many first Individuals on the bottom final November, he served as mission commander for the search, rescue, and restoration.
“It was an enormous enterprise from the time we received right here to once we lastly closed the [Joint Operations Center]. As soon as it was coming to an in depth, we knew we wished to do one thing right here to thank the group for the assistance they gave us, and to honor the heroes we misplaced. Having a everlasting place right here for his or her households and the SOW to return and keep in mind them and pay respects is superior.”
For McCauley, the journey from search and rescue to the dedication of the cenotaph has represented a full circle expertise, offering closure for him and most of the women and men concerned within the operation. Within the days main as much as ceremony, McCauley and greater than a dozen volunteers from Kadena Air Base and Yokota Air Base engaged in seashore clean-ups and beautification of the world across the cenotaph web site.
“A PHYSICAL ARTIFACT OF A ROCK-SOLID BOND”
The monument itself is an extension of Yakushima, constructed by native craftsmen from monolithic stones taken from the identical jagged shorelines the place the crew of Gundam 22 met their destiny. Throughout the highest of the construction, eight portraits, chosen by the heroes’ households, are etched into the stone alongside their ranks and names. They’re held up on both sides by two huge stone pillars every with inscriptions, one in English, the opposite in Japanese. They element the crash, the scope of the search and rescue operations, and the contributions of the Yakushima City group.
The inscription reads:
On the twenty ninth of November 2023, one CV-22B Osprey, callsign GUNDAM 22, assigned to the 353d Particular Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, crashed off the coast of Yakushima Island, about 1KM northwest of this cenotaph, killing all eight U.S. service members aboard.
Within the weeks following the mishap, an intensive interval of 24/7 search and rescue efforts –and later restoration and salvage operations –have been performed by skilled groups from the U.S. Air Drive, U.S. Military Particular Operations Command, U.S. Navy, Particular Operations Command –Pacific, U.S. Forces Japan, the Japanese Ministry of Protection, Japan Self Protection Forces, Japan Coast Guard, native police, and lots of others from Yakushima and elsewhere in Japan and the U.S. In over 40 days of those mixed efforts, the stays of seven out of eight Airmen have been recovered and returned to their family members.
All through these operations, native public authorities, notably these from Yakushima city and Kagoshima prefecture, in addition to civilian volunteers such because the Fishery Affiliation and Girls’s Affiliation, prolonged beneficiant and devoted help to the search, rescue, restoration, and salvage efforts.
This cenotaph commemorates the souls of eight Heroes and enshrines the everlasting dedication of all these concerned to by no means once more endure the identical type of mishap. Could this monument additionally without end rejoice the steadfast friendship solid between U.S. Servicemembers and the individuals of Kagoshima who so warmly provided their unwavering help and partnership in our darkest days of shared tragedy.
Looking to the ocean, the pillars and crossbeam body a small space of the water, simply shy of a kilometer away from the island’s lone airport, the place the fateful flight ended.
Rear Adm. Williams, in his remarks on the city corridor, summarized the symbolism of the cenotaph:
“In the present day’s dedication supplies a bodily artifact of the rock-solid bond between Japan and america. It memorializes the faces of our fallen heroes, and data for posterity the benevolence of our Japanese allies. The memorial stands watch over the waters which might be the ultimate resting place of our final lacking teammate. It’s going to function inspiration for generations to return that in our darkest hours, Japan and America will stand robust collectively.”
Because the solar rose over the monument the day after the ceremony, it was evident that the Yakushima group had already embraced it, simply as that they had embraced the U.S. service members who got here to their island a yr in the past. Teams of faculty youngsters, aged {couples}, and particular person guests got here steadily all through the morning, leaving conventional Japanese choices, taking photos, and praying. A day earlier, commander of the 353rd SOW, Col. Shawn Younger stated to the viewers gathered on the dedication, “My hope is that this could now be a spot of therapeutic for 2 communities – American and Japanese collectively – who skilled this loss not simply as allies, however as household.”
In memoriam: the crew of Gundam 22:
U.S. Air Drive Maj. Jeffrey T. Hoernemann, 32, of Andover, Minnesota, was a CV-22 teacher pilot and officer answerable for coaching, assigned to the twenty first Particular Operations Squadron, 353rd Particular Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
U.S. Air Drive Maj. Eric V. Spendlove, 36, of St. George, Utah, was a residency educated flight surgeon and medical operations flight commander assigned to the first Particular Operations Squadron, 353rd Particular Operations Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
U.S. Air Drive Maj. Luke A. Unrath, 34, of Riverside, California, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander assigned to the twenty first Particular Operations Squadron, 353rd Particular Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
U.S. Air Drive Maj. Terrell Ok. Brayman, 32, of Pittsford, New York, was a CV-22 pilot and flight commander assigned to the twenty first Particular Operations Squadron, 353rd Particular Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
U.S. Air Drive Tech. Sgt. Zachary E. Lavoy, 33, of Oviedo, Florida, was a medical operations flight chief assigned to the first Particular Operations Squadron, 353rd Particular Operations Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
U.S. Air Drive Employees Sgt. Jake M. Turnage, 25, of Kennesaw, Georgia, was a flight engineer assigned to the twenty first Particular Operations Squadron, 353rd Particular Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
U.S. Air Drive Senior Airman Brian Ok. Johnson, 32, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was a flight engineer assigned to the twenty first Particular Operations Squadron, 353rd Particular Operations Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
U.S. Air Drive Employees Sgt. Jacob “Jake” M. Galliher, 24, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was a Direct Help Operator assigned to the forty third Intelligence Squadron, Detachment 1, Working Location – Alpha, 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan. 43 IS Det 1 OL-A is a tenant unit in help of the 353rd Particular Operations Wing.
By Capt Richard Caesar, 353rd Particular Operations Wing
You may skip to the tip and go away a response. Pinging is at the moment not allowed.
