IN MEMORIAM: Ceremony marks anniversary of Battle of Okinawa’s conclusion

Lance Cpl. Aaron D. Hostutler
OKINAWA MARINE STAFF

More than 5,000 people attended a ceremony at Okinawa Prefecture Peace Memorial Park June 23 to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa.

The annual ceremony attracted civilians and U.S. service members who came to remember and pay respects to those who were killed during the battle.

“It is a great honor to be here,” said III Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general Lt. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer, “It’s important to remember not only those fighting on either side, but also the non-combatants who lost their lives.”

During the ceremony, Heiwa Kohshin-dan, peace marchers from mainland Japan, marched to the sound of drums around the park while thousands of attendees toured sections of the park such as Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial Hall and the Cornerstone of Peace.

The Cornerstone of Peace is made of hundreds of upright marble slabs displaying the names of those who died during the battle. Some visitors placed flowers and gifts on the ground under the names of deceased relatives or friends.

“We gather this day...to respectfully and fervently mourn for all of the souls who died in the second World War,” said Toshinobu Nakazato, a speaker from the Okinawan Prefectural Assembly.

During the ceremony, Hirokazu Nakaima, governor of the Okinawa Prefecture stepped in front of thousands of listeners, both Japanese and American, and talked about peace between the nations.

“In the second World War, the people of Okinawa endured absurdity and utter brutality in extreme conditions that can hardly be described in words,” he said. “Through this miserable experience, we have learned a lesson, one that is universal to all humanity we realized just how precious peace really is.”

After the speeches, officials placed flowers on the ground as a sign of respect to the fallen.

“There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the battle of Okinawa,” said Kevin Maher, the U.S. Consulate General in Okinawa. “The importance of today is that this is not the time to debate the war, but it’s the time to remember those who died and those who suffered on both sides.”