VillagesFlorida
06-07-2012, 02:35 PM
Do any of you realize that the Japanese attacked American soil in WW II? I never knew this until 4 or 5 years ago when I watched a PBS documentary, "Red, White, Black and Blue". I was shocked to learn this and I was more shocked when the footage showed a huge memorial that the Japanese placed on the very site, on Attu Island, Alaska, where they massacred our wounded servicemen as they lay in medical tents, awaiting attention. The movie "starred" two of the men who fought so many years ago in this horrific battle, one being Bill Jones who, until his death a year or so ago, lived in Tavares, just down the road from us here in The Villages. Bill, himself, suffered several wounds during the Battle of Attu and would have been killed had he not faked death that day as he lay wounded, too. I never met Bill but he DID call me one day. The old warrior was ill and nearing the end of his life. All he wanted, after visiting Attu, was to have our government move the Japanese memorial to some other place on Attu having no battlefield significance. Enter Jack Jonas, a veteran himself and a true patriot, who also saw the movie and wept for Bill and all of the others who died on Engineer Hill. Jack lives in New Mexico and I have not yet had the honor of meeting this man who, singlehandedly, has continued to fight Bill's last big battle, to see the the Japanese memorial moved. Bill Jones asked that a suitable memorial be placed on Engineer Hill that will PROPERLY honor our brave servicemen who fought to keep the enemy off American soil. Please go to the link I have provided. Here you can watch a Youtube video that is the actual movie. It is about an hour long. We owe these men one hour of our time. After you watch the movie you can decide for yourself whether you would like to scroll down that page and sign the petition that Jack and new supporter, Jim Sabean have placed on the internet. Recent e-mail updates from Jack indicate that our government IS going to place a proper memorial for our dead and wounded on Engineer Hill. All the petition is asking is that the Japanese move theirs to another site, away from this hallowed ground. In no way do we NOT want to allow the Japanese to honor THEIR war dead. The location of their memorial should never have been approved by our government. I can not even begin to relate here what Jack Jonas has gone through, trying to get our government officials to right this wrong. After years of emails and phone calls he has finally succeeded in getting this government to properly honor our servicemen who died there. We are hoping that native Attuans, who also suffered terribly, will also get the recognition they deserved a long time ago. Bill Jones is gone. His dying wish was to see the Japanese memorial moved, something that our government has resisted doing. Jim Sabean put this link on Facebook but we realize that not everyone has an account there . EVERY American should know about this injustice to our veterans.
http://www.thatjimguy.com/
Here is the post I placed on the Red, White, Black and Blue website shortly after I watched the movie several years ago. The petition on the above website is new and not the same one mentioned in my comments:
I am one of “THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA” that John (Jack) Jonas refers to in his post below (February 19, 2008). Up until now Jack and Bill have relied on support mainly from veterans. Many of the veterans from this war have passed on and aren’t here to help Bill achieve his goal of having the Japanese memorial removed, or moved to another part of Attu Island. Jack is working night and day to make other veterans and ALL Americans aware of the pain that this memorial has caused Bill since it was erected in 1987.
Yes, the Japanese suffered casualties, too. They didn’t have to. THEY invaded OUR soil. Let us not forget that one little fact. There would have been no need for a memorial to immortalize THEIR losses if they had stayed home in Japan. We didn’t ask them to come to our country. They did that at their own risk. All we want is for them to move their memorial to an area of the island that has no battle significance.
I was a 4-year old girl when Bill was fighting the harsh elements and savage invaders on Attu Island. I slept every night then, and every night since then, in a warm, and comfortable bed, knowing that I was safe from harm from any enemies of the United States of America. I have vague memories of uncles who served our country during this war. They were the lucky ones who returned home with no visible physical scars. They didn’t talk much about the war. They went on with their lives as if on auto-pilot, numb and scarred emotionally for life. It wasn’t until a few years ago that an aging relative began to finally talk about the horrors of his experiences during The Battle of The Bulge. His memories and stories made me shiver. In my “cushy” life I had not even thought about HIS suffering. I SHOULD have and I am ashamed that I didn’t until that night.
People of America, these men and women who are our veterans fought and died for you and me. There are many more “Bills” in this country, some too old and ill to take up this fight. Those of us who are able should be willing to stand up for them, and for Bill. Sign Jack and Bill's petition. I did. Spread the word to everyone you know and ask THEM to contact anyone else who can help.
This wrong needs to be righted and it needs to be done NOW. When you lay your head on your pillow tonight think of Bill. Imagine the suffering and the pain that he endured. Imagine watching your wounded fellow servicemen brutally killed as they lay waiting for medical attention. Imagine suffering multiple physical wounds during his duty to his country. Imagine going back to the scene of this brutal massacre and seeing a big, tall memorial honoring the invaders. Imagine trying to wage this last battle all alone. It’s enough to give us all nightmares for the rest of our lives. Sleep? How can we rest until Bill’s last battle is won? He is a true “soldier”. He could be YOUR brother, YOUR father, YOUR uncle, YOUR grandfather, YOUR son. THIS war is for Bill and all of the men and women like him who fought to keep us free. Thank you, Bill, from an American who is proud to spend the rest of her life helping you, as you helped me to be free.
http://www.thatjimguy.com/
Here is the post I placed on the Red, White, Black and Blue website shortly after I watched the movie several years ago. The petition on the above website is new and not the same one mentioned in my comments:
I am one of “THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA” that John (Jack) Jonas refers to in his post below (February 19, 2008). Up until now Jack and Bill have relied on support mainly from veterans. Many of the veterans from this war have passed on and aren’t here to help Bill achieve his goal of having the Japanese memorial removed, or moved to another part of Attu Island. Jack is working night and day to make other veterans and ALL Americans aware of the pain that this memorial has caused Bill since it was erected in 1987.
Yes, the Japanese suffered casualties, too. They didn’t have to. THEY invaded OUR soil. Let us not forget that one little fact. There would have been no need for a memorial to immortalize THEIR losses if they had stayed home in Japan. We didn’t ask them to come to our country. They did that at their own risk. All we want is for them to move their memorial to an area of the island that has no battle significance.
I was a 4-year old girl when Bill was fighting the harsh elements and savage invaders on Attu Island. I slept every night then, and every night since then, in a warm, and comfortable bed, knowing that I was safe from harm from any enemies of the United States of America. I have vague memories of uncles who served our country during this war. They were the lucky ones who returned home with no visible physical scars. They didn’t talk much about the war. They went on with their lives as if on auto-pilot, numb and scarred emotionally for life. It wasn’t until a few years ago that an aging relative began to finally talk about the horrors of his experiences during The Battle of The Bulge. His memories and stories made me shiver. In my “cushy” life I had not even thought about HIS suffering. I SHOULD have and I am ashamed that I didn’t until that night.
People of America, these men and women who are our veterans fought and died for you and me. There are many more “Bills” in this country, some too old and ill to take up this fight. Those of us who are able should be willing to stand up for them, and for Bill. Sign Jack and Bill's petition. I did. Spread the word to everyone you know and ask THEM to contact anyone else who can help.
This wrong needs to be righted and it needs to be done NOW. When you lay your head on your pillow tonight think of Bill. Imagine the suffering and the pain that he endured. Imagine watching your wounded fellow servicemen brutally killed as they lay waiting for medical attention. Imagine suffering multiple physical wounds during his duty to his country. Imagine going back to the scene of this brutal massacre and seeing a big, tall memorial honoring the invaders. Imagine trying to wage this last battle all alone. It’s enough to give us all nightmares for the rest of our lives. Sleep? How can we rest until Bill’s last battle is won? He is a true “soldier”. He could be YOUR brother, YOUR father, YOUR uncle, YOUR grandfather, YOUR son. THIS war is for Bill and all of the men and women like him who fought to keep us free. Thank you, Bill, from an American who is proud to spend the rest of her life helping you, as you helped me to be free.