thedrifter
10-24-03, 07:10 PM
October 24, 2003
Former Marine wants to return flag to Japanese family
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Morris Futrell, a former Marine sergeant, has a personal mission. The 82-year-old veteran of World War II is determined to travel to Japan to return a Japanese flag to the family of an enemy soldier.
“It’s a very personal thing, something I just have to do, “ said Futrell, of Jefferson County.
The flag was given to Futrell, then an artilleryman, by a grateful infantryman following the bloody battle of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands on Nov. 1, 1943. The flag is signed with the name of the Japanese soldier who carried it to the battle and with those of the man’s family and friends. Futrell believes it’s time to give it back.
“Some Marines don’t like what I am doing, don’t think I should return it,” he said. “But this is personal, and I am going to do it.”
Futrell left Louisville on Oct. 23 for Tokyo, where he’ll be welcomed by Susumu Kikumoto, who was a 16-year-old Japanese sailor when the Americans landed on the southern tip of Bougainville in 1943.
“It will put a seal on the final episode of the World War II experiences,” Futrell said.
That Futrell chose to make the trip and revisit memories of the war at this time in his life surprised his family. Futrell said that when he returned from the war in 1945, he never talked much about it.
“We got on with our lives,” he said. “I just never brought it up and didn’t ever talk about the war except maybe to very close friends.”
Though many veterans joined the American Legion or the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Futrell said he never did. Futrell spent five years at Murray State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in teaching. He said that in 1983, when he retired from a career in sales and public relations, he got involved with a few Marine Corps veterans groups.
About two years ago, Futrell began wondering more and more what the Japanese writing on the flag meant. He took it to a Japanese restaurant to find out what was written on it. A waitress, Tomoko Kinnard, who immigrated to America from Osaka, Japan, told him the inscriptions were signed notes from friends and family of the Japanese soldier.
Kinnard helped put Futrell in contact with Kikumoto, who heads the Solomon Islands Japanese veterans association. Futrell speaks no Japanese and Kikumoto speaks no English, but Futrell said they’ve already begun building a friendship. Kikumoto has offered to let him stay in his home for part of the trip.
Futrell will be in Japan until Oct. 31, one day shy of the 60th anniversary of the Bougainville battle. He said he had hoped to return the flag to its owner’s family on the anniversary but instead will present it to the veterans’ association at a ceremony at a Shinto shrine in Tokyo dedicated to more than 2.5 million soldiers thought to have died in wars fighting for Japan. He said he hopes Kikumoto can find the soldier’s family. If not, Kikumoto will keep the flag himself.
“If the tables had been turned, I would appreciate it if the flag were returned to my family,” Futrell said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292260-2335399.php
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Former Marine wants to return flag to Japanese family
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Morris Futrell, a former Marine sergeant, has a personal mission. The 82-year-old veteran of World War II is determined to travel to Japan to return a Japanese flag to the family of an enemy soldier.
“It’s a very personal thing, something I just have to do, “ said Futrell, of Jefferson County.
The flag was given to Futrell, then an artilleryman, by a grateful infantryman following the bloody battle of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands on Nov. 1, 1943. The flag is signed with the name of the Japanese soldier who carried it to the battle and with those of the man’s family and friends. Futrell believes it’s time to give it back.
“Some Marines don’t like what I am doing, don’t think I should return it,” he said. “But this is personal, and I am going to do it.”
Futrell left Louisville on Oct. 23 for Tokyo, where he’ll be welcomed by Susumu Kikumoto, who was a 16-year-old Japanese sailor when the Americans landed on the southern tip of Bougainville in 1943.
“It will put a seal on the final episode of the World War II experiences,” Futrell said.
That Futrell chose to make the trip and revisit memories of the war at this time in his life surprised his family. Futrell said that when he returned from the war in 1945, he never talked much about it.
“We got on with our lives,” he said. “I just never brought it up and didn’t ever talk about the war except maybe to very close friends.”
Though many veterans joined the American Legion or the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Futrell said he never did. Futrell spent five years at Murray State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in teaching. He said that in 1983, when he retired from a career in sales and public relations, he got involved with a few Marine Corps veterans groups.
About two years ago, Futrell began wondering more and more what the Japanese writing on the flag meant. He took it to a Japanese restaurant to find out what was written on it. A waitress, Tomoko Kinnard, who immigrated to America from Osaka, Japan, told him the inscriptions were signed notes from friends and family of the Japanese soldier.
Kinnard helped put Futrell in contact with Kikumoto, who heads the Solomon Islands Japanese veterans association. Futrell speaks no Japanese and Kikumoto speaks no English, but Futrell said they’ve already begun building a friendship. Kikumoto has offered to let him stay in his home for part of the trip.
Futrell will be in Japan until Oct. 31, one day shy of the 60th anniversary of the Bougainville battle. He said he had hoped to return the flag to its owner’s family on the anniversary but instead will present it to the veterans’ association at a ceremony at a Shinto shrine in Tokyo dedicated to more than 2.5 million soldiers thought to have died in wars fighting for Japan. He said he hopes Kikumoto can find the soldier’s family. If not, Kikumoto will keep the flag himself.
“If the tables had been turned, I would appreciate it if the flag were returned to my family,” Futrell said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292260-2335399.php
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: