US Iraq war veteran in Japan confronts family history tied to WWII Kobe air raids

Kobe, Japan witnessed a poignant memorial service in June to honor the victims of air raids during World War II. Ryohei Yoshimoto-Manglona, a 40-year-old former U.S. serviceman and Iraq War veteran, attended the event. He expressed deep guilt, saying, "I supported killing people in Iraq. Now I feel very guilty."

During his quest to uncover his family's history, Yoshimoto-Manglona discovered a horrifying truth. Born in Tokushima Prefecture and raised in Tinian, U.S. Northern Mariana Islands, he learned that his grandfather, Harumi, lost his wife and son in the Kobe air raid on June 5, 1945. Harumi, who died in 2000 at 77, was reportedly deployed to Myanmar when the tragedy occurred.

Yoshimoto-Manglona had no knowledge of this family history. With the help of his girlfriend, he began researching his roots, uncovering the names of his grandfather's victims on a cenotaph in Kobe. The Kobe air raids, which lasted for over 120 attacks in 1945, resulted in the deaths of more than 8,000 people.

The veteran, who joined the U.S. Air Force after the 9/11 attacks, was deployed to Iraq six times between 2005 and 2006. He witnessed the aftermath of airstrikes, with many casualties being innocent civilians. His PTSD diagnosis in 2012 led to insomnia and alcohol abuse. After returning home, he sought to heal by confronting his family's history.

At the Kobe memorial, Yoshimoto-Manglona spoke about the horrors of war, emphasizing that the actions of soldiers are often driven by orders, making them victims too. He hopes to share his experiences to promote peace and the value of life, a lesson learned both as a perpetrator and a victim of war.