Park Superintendent Eric Brunnemann attended the 59th Iwo Jima Anniversary Veterans banquet. Veterans were recently on island to tour former battlefields on the islands of Guam, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. Park Chief of Interpretation presented a talk on the significance of the War in the Pacific National Historical Park and information about the closure of the museum due to Supertyphoon Pongsona.
Veteran Cyril J. O’Brien visited with Chief of Interpretation Rose Manibusan, and shared his remberances of the campaign. During the Pacific war, O’Brien served with the Third Marine Division on Bougainville and as a Combat Correspondent in the Battles of Guam and Iwo Jima. O’Brien was one of many U.S. Veterans who stories were recorded during the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of Guam (July 1994).
On the same evening, Chief Interpreter Rose Manibusan presents a talk to Japanese Veterans at a dinner hosted by Honorable Consul General of Japan, Mr. Kenji Tamai. Manibusan spoke of peace that exists between the United States and Japan today and recognized that just like the U.S. Veterans, Japanese veterans also fought for their beliefs and for their country during the Pacific War. Manibusan sought Veterans participation in documenting their personal accounts of the war.
Shown in the above photograph are family members of Veterans, Honorable Consul General Mr. Kenji Tamai and Chief of Interpretation Rose Manibusan along with Veterans Tanaka, Eitaro; Iwasaki, Takeo; Ikai, Isamu; Kawashima, Kokichi; Ishikawa, Ryucho; and Ito, Kuichi.
