Heroes: the Marine Corps
"...In checking the objects, I was surprised to find they were all in new looking condition, and I began to sort through them. I found a raincoat, a velvet purse with bills and coins still inside, cigarettes, two small flags, one a meatball and one a rising sun, various writing tools, including what seemed like a personal stamp, and a photograph album with many pictures of what seemed like young men all about the same age in uniform..."
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Keith W. Johnson
U. S. Marine Corps, USMCR # 480706
the Pacific Theater: Guam and Iwo Jima
22 July 2003: We have just received new materials from Mr. Keith W. Johnson regarding his ongoing exchanges with his recently found friend, Mr. Izumi Sato of Japan.
Mr. Sato has recently been informed of this web site: World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words and has had some further exchanges of information with new details of his experiences during the American invasion of Guam.
The material that follows was contributed by Mr. Johnson as his ongoing tribute to two men who were in two opposing armies -- each with his own mission.Both men survived the war. Their finding each other after all of these years makes for a truely wonderful human interest story.
Enjoy...
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The images pictured
here are of Keith and Cynthia Johnson visiting with a young
lady, named Tomoko Morishima, (who is from Japan). Tomoko
was a student at Rockford College and she and Mr. and Mrs.
Johnson were brought together by a professor of the
college's Language Department. |
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Mr. Johnson was interested in returning a photo album to the owner, Mr. Izumi Sato, who lived in Japan. The photo album, along with other items was found on Guam by Mr. Johnson while he was serving in the U. S. Marine Corps, there during the invasion of the island.
You can read the entire story related to this cultural exchange between two former enemies by clicking on the link below and then once finished, you can return to this page and read the rest of the story on this page.
http://carol_fus.tripod.com/marines_hero_kjohnson.html
Letter of December 18, 2002 to Izumi Sato:
Izumi Sato, of Japan
Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Address Witheld
By Request
Dear Mr. Izumi Sato
I would like to renew our acquaintance from so many years ago. The reason is that there has been a renewed interest in World War Two, through many Films, Television Documentaries, Magazine and Newspaper aiticles because many of the participants who have first hand experiences are dying
I recently acquired a Computer and have found sites on the Internet where first hand accounts of war experiences have been recorded. I decided to tell the story of the Album Return to you and your miracalous survival on Guam. It has been entered where it can be found by using the following address:
http://carol_fus.tripod.com/marines_hero_kjohnson.html
Your story is worthy of a Movie Drama or Film If you do not have anyone who can access the Web site, I could print it and send it to you. It is rather long.
I do not know if you are still living at the same address. I no longer live in Wisconsin, but in Belvidere, Illinois. I would be very happy if this reaches you, and you are able to answer, or a relative or friend could do it. I would also like to get in touch with Rea Nagashima, as she was a very vital person to find you to return the album to.
I remain Yours Truly;
Keith W. Johnson
Letter of March 7, 2003 to Keith W. Johnson:
Friday, March 7, 2003
Mr. Keith W. Johnson
Address Withheld by Request
U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Keith W. Johnson
Hello ! I've not written to you quite a long time. And I'm glad to know that you are very fine. I recieved your letter on December 31 in 2002. I'm very sorry for not writing back to you soon. I wrote about my experiences during the war in my last letter. But I'd like to tell you about my experiences in detail.
After graduating from the local Business High school in December 1942, I was (together with two of my classmates) assigned to the water way section of the Japanese Navy, and had a practical training in Shizuoka prefecture. On May 3, we left Yokohama port, and arrived in Saipan on May 30. The soldiers were assigned to Truk, Tinian, Saipan Island. I assigned to the Fourth Weather Unit of Guam Head Office.
On June 11, at 4:30 AM, I heard an air-raid alarm, and went out in a hurry to big bombing noise in the direction of runways. The bombing lasted two days, and the next day, we had firing attack from American warships. Finally we retreated to Orita Valley. And then, we suffered the aircraft bombing, and Mishima Yasuo (my senior high school classmate) was finally killed. We fought bravely against the American soldiers, but we were overwhelmed by the fierce attack operated by the American Navy. At last enemy landed.
According to "The history of the Pacific War ", 13,500 out of 20,800 Japanese soldiers were killed in the battles lasted for a week. After that, we threw away all our personal belongings, and moved on to the north (from Orita to Hiratsuka and Takahara). On one morning, when we were on our way back to the base across papaya after carrying out our mission to carry food and bullets to front line. We were found by U.S. scouting plane. We hid ourselves in the jungle, ate dried bread, and had a short rest. In less than 20 minutes, we were attacked by the U.S. fighters, and 24 soldiers (out of 27) were killed. Our boss encouraged us, and we continued to run away, but one of us was killed.
At last we got back to our base (which was in a cave), exhausted, couldn't speak for a while. Arrand two hours passed, and we found ourselves surounded by a lot of the U.S. tanks. Many Japanese soldiers in a cave killed themselves. Our boss ordered the living soldiers to retreat to the north cape where a Japanese submarine was waiting fo us. Just when we were trying to get out of the cave, it began to rain heavily, which helped us to escape.
Fortunately, we came across other Japanese soldiers, and they took us to the north base. But we soon found that the north base wasn't safe. Again we were wandering in the jungle. We came to a diff (which was about 50 meters high), and climbed down to the coconut field.
There again we met other Japanese soldieres, and we're given some foods (palm and bread). I got well. I got sure imformation about the conditions of the war. We even ate bats in the cave. In December, almost every day the U.S. soldiers attacked the living Japanese soldiers. We smelled dead bodies everywhere in the jungle. Our uniforms and boots were worn out. I once used the uniform and boots of a dead soldier. In the night we went down to beach to get seawater. Out of which we got salt (we had to be careful enough to elase the footprints).
Sometimes we had to hide in the cave for three days without eating anything. One day when we were taking a nap in jungle, we were suddenly attacked by American soldiers. All of us, except me, were killed (my classmate Kuroki Takemasa was also killed.). I managed to escape. I wandered in the jungle again alone, and found luckly another Japanese soldier, and cooperated with each other. Every day the U.S. army was persuading us to surrender becouse the war was over.
On the 25 in September in 1945, we surrendered to the U.S. Army, and were imprisoned in the U.S. concentration camp. For a month, we were taken good care of, and worked for them every day. On the 23 in October in 1946, I left Guam and on October 29, I landed on Yokosuka near Tokyo.
That is my experiences during The Pacific War.
War is a cruel, inhuman act.
We should try our best to stop a war
I don't want to remember the war.Sincerely yours
Izumi Sato
Newspaper Article of 13 February 2003:
Now you can read updates and NEW information
regarding the continuing story of "The Returned Photo
Album".
