HIGASHISHIRAKAWA, Japan (AP) — 6: 00 p.m.
HIGASHISHIRAKAWA, Japan (AP) — 6: 00 p.m.
The younger brother of a fallen Japanese soldier has thanked a 93-year-old U. S. World War II veteran for returning his brother’s flag and keeping it in good condition.
Marvin Strombo traveled all the way from Montana to Sadao Yasue’s small mountainous village in central Japan on Tuesday to return the Japanese flag signed by Yasue’s family and friends. He took the flag from Yasue’s body 73 years ago on the Pacific Island of Saipan in the summer of 1944.
Yasue’s body was never returned to his siblings and the flag is now the only trace of their brother back from the battlefield.
Tatsuya Yasue, the 89-year-old younger brother of the soldier, thanked Strombo for thinking about returning the flag for more than 70 years while keeping it in good shape, with all writings still clear and readable.
