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Connecting Families….. Healing Hearts

Marvin Strombo becomes acquainted with Endo,
OBON SOCIETY’s representative in JapanThe Marvin Strombo Story

Part IIThe holiday season is a good time for us to pause,take a look back at a very busy year for OBON SOCIETY
and one remarkable story whose message traveled around the world.

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August 11th

Japanese television journalists were awaiting Marvin’s arrival at the Tokyo airport. On the bus ride fromthe airport to the hotel Keiko explains to Marvin the upcoming itinerary. We had made a gentle scheduleso he would not become exhausted, but this later proved to have been unnecessary. We were overcautious. Marvin had a lot of energy, and he was prepared for any adventure.

We expected Marvin to immediately go to bed and have a long sleep, but he wasn’t tired. Despite the fact hehad been awake for more than 22 hours straight, Marvin joined the family for a large dinner and happily
became familiar with Sake, for the second time.
Sake is a mildly alcoholic drink made primarily from rice and water which Marvin first discovered back in
1945. Now, seated with his family and OBON SOCIETY staﬀ over a plate of asian food Marvin quickly
became reacquainted. "I liked it then and I like it now" he declared. "I haven’t had Sake since I was in
Nagasaki…..hey…this sort of sounds good," Marvin exclaimed. "Sake in Nagasaki!"August 12th

Bright and early the next morning Marvin was up for a hearty breakfast with his family, followed byanother television interview.

We thought Marvin would want an afternoon nap but instead he went out exploring the city andlooked forward to another dinner and dessert with his family, and another glass of Sake.

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August 13th

Marvin’s knowledge of WWII did not come from something he had read in a book; he had fought theJapanese hand to hand. Marvin expressed respect for the Japanese soldier’s valor; he called them "warriors."
Marvin learned that Japan did not have a national cemetery for their veterans, but instead there was a shrine
where the spirits of soldiers reside. He said he would like to visit the famous Yasukuni Shrine.

From there it was a short distance to Japan’s military museum, which includes a display fromthe war for the Pacific. He paused with Brenda, Emily and Sandra in front of a Japanese Zeroand rolled through the exhibits, examining the portraits to the soldiers Japan has sent to fightagainst the America, and other displays.

Marvin’s stamina was incredible. After the visit to the shrine and museum he entered directly into a press
conference. Despite being a Sunday afternoon a large number of journalist were waiting to hear Marvin’s story.

The idea of a WWII veteran traveling
5,000 miles to return a battlefieldsouvenir directly to the family wasbeginning to enthrall the media.

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August 14th

The following day we packed up and departed Tokyo. Our group had to reposition ourselves closer to thevillage in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture. Marvin eagerly faced the five hour journey with enthusiasm. The
first leg was aboard the ultra-modern, high-speed Shinkansen (bullet train).

That afternoon we arrived in Takayama City and checked into a hotel. But there was no time torelax; Marvin had people waiting for him.

Marvin had been invited to meet the city
mayor of Takayama. In the main conference
room his daughters looked on with pride fromthe side of the massive conference table.
OBON SOCIETY provided Marvin with asimultaneous translator from the first day hearrived so he would understand everythingsaid, and be able to easily reply. Kieko was at
his side from morning until night and helped
him get the fullest out of this experience.

Mr. Tanaka, the Shinto
Priest who assisted OBON
SOCIETY in their searchfor the family, greeted
Marvin at the train station.
Later that afternoon wevisited Hida Gokoku
Shrine, where Mr. Tanakaoﬀered a prayer over theflag Marvin would returnthe following day.

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August 15th

Early the next morning we began the final leg of
our journey. After a couple hours of train ride anda half hour of bus, Marvin finally reached the ruralvillage where the family lives. A gentle, warm rain
was falling.
Marvin had captured this flag in late June of 1944,
and for more than 73 years it had been in hispossession. On this day he would return it to thefamily.
All that was known was that Marvin would bemeeting the soldier’s 93 year old sister, an 89 year
old brother and an 82 year old younger sister.
Upon arriving Marvin was greeted by Tatsuya Yasue. The two men connected immediately, held hands and had
their arms around each other as if they themselves were long-lost brothers.

The local government informed us they were expecting five journalists. Little did anyone realize that this story
had gone global and the cameramen followed Marvin and Tatsuya like swarm of bees.

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Later at the ceremony, after several speeches had been delivered, it was time for Marvin to return the flag.
He handed it to Tatsuya who unfurled it and immediately pressed the heirloom to his face, later explaining
he was trying to smell the scent of his brother, which he claims he can still remember after all these years.
Then it was given to the 93 year old sister for her to hold.

Marvin stood at thepodium and told
the story about thatday on Saipan when
he encountered thisdeceased soldier.
Sentence bysentence Marvin’sstory was translatedin Japanese. You
could have heard apin drop; the family
and everyone there
hung onto every
word of Marvin’sstory.

Then Tatsuya
stood andexpressed his
gratitude forMarvin’s eﬀorts.
The family wasvery grateful to
finally to know
where and when
their brotherdied, and alsothat he had
perished bravely
on the frontlineof battle.

Marvin was busy being interviewed by journalists representing AP, the Washington Post, Stars andStripes, The Military Times, NHK and a host of other news agencies. This was followed byanother press conference and more photographs.

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Tatsuya invited Marvin and his family to visit his family home which had been constructed in the early
1600’s. This was the family home where the Yosegaki Hinomaru had originated more than seven decades
earlier. The media was already there awaiting Marvin’s arrival.

The Yosegaki Hinomaru was respectfully placed at the family shrine where the brother’s portrait rested.

Then Marvin’s family sat down with Tatsuya’s family and enjoyed a conversation and cup of tea
that had been harvested from the tea plants grown locally.

Marvin’s mission was complete. This family heirloom had finally returned home, they hadlearned about the fate of their missing brother and a powerful, healing message ofreconciliation had been carried throughout Japan, across America and around the world.

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Before returning back to the United States Marvin Strombo, along with daughters Sandra Williamson,
Brenda Strombo, Emily Williamson and Joseph Tachovsky, paused for a portrait with some of the OBON
SOCIETY staﬀ and volunteers who helped plan, organize and document this journey to Japan.

OBON SOCIETY’s mission is to connects families who’ve suffered from war,and provide closure, healing and reconciliation
through returning Yosegaki Hinomaru (Good Luck Flags).
We receive requests for assistance many times every day
and work hard to keep up with the sincere demand.
If you would like to be a part of this peaceful eﬀort…
to help us serve more families,
we certainly welcome your support and contributions.
ChecksPayPalOBON SOCIETY
P.O. Box 282
Astoria, Oregon 97103

http://obonsociety.org/donate/

Thank you very much for your generous heart.
OBON SOCIETY is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Your tax accountant will explain how to deduct contributions from your taxes.