justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

Hiroshima

I’m writing this blog soon after the anniversary of the Hiroshima atom bomb blast. It’s now 70+ years since that event, which is often described as “…when the world changed forever…”

I visited the Peace Memorial Park near ground zero as a 20-year old Marine, soon after arriving at my duty station at Iwakuni Japanese Naval Air Base, about 30 miles from Hiroshima. At the site, I was amazed to see a remaining structure, The Genbaku Dome, a hall designed for arts and educational exhibitions that was miraculously still standing after the blast. The detonation was the same as up to 15,000 tons of TNT, capable of “…destroying five square miles of the city.”

The mood at the memorial park, where there’s a plaque stating something to the effect,  “May we not bring this upon ourselves again,” was somber. Conversations were hushed. As a member of the U.S. military, I was introspective… even humbled.  

After I’d been in Japan for about six months, the base chapel hosted a presentation by the Hiroshima Maidens; survivors of the blast, all of whom were coping with a variety of lasting injuries, including many scars that disfigured them for life. The purpose of the presentation was to help the world better understand the horrendous and lasting impact of such a weapon.

And, that’s what it did for me.

The years since that experience have been filled with conflicting thoughts concerning peace, war, and their accompanying contradictions.  As a “hero between wars”, being of the age when our country was never fully engaged in a major conflict, I was never put into a position where I would take the life of another. This era of military service has been referred to as “winning the lottery” – a service era based on when I was born, enlisted, and separated. Interesting too, even ironic, is that I’d chosen a branch of the service known for its ability to defend our country at the highest level.

I do believe I would take a life in the defense of another, especially a family member. But in all honesty I don’t really know - and I hope I’m never forced to find out.

Not sure if that makes me a pacifist, as I am strongly against the yearning for war too many of our leaders and citizens exhibit. But I realize that there comes a time when we need to defend ourselves. I imagine that only time will tell.