Paying Respects: 374 AW, 515 AMOW, JASDF honor the fallen in B-29 Memorial Ceremony
Members of the U.S. Air Force 374th Airlift Wing salute during the American national anthem at the B-29 Memorial Ceremony at Mt. Shizuhata, Japan, June 29, 2024. On June 20, 1945, two U.S. Army Air Force B-29 Superfortress aircraft collided in mid-air during a bombing run over Shizuoka City. Approximately 2,000 Japanese civilians were killed as well as 23 members of the aircrew. One of the residents who survived the raid, Fukumatsu Itoh, rescued two American aircrew members who later died from their wounds. Itoh, despite wartime relations, buried the two members out of respect. Since 1972, Americans and Japanese alike have gathered in memorial for the victims as well as in remembrance for the selfless actions of Itoh. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Taylor Slater)