My mother-in-law is visiting from Japan. A neighbor gave her a flag taken from Okinawa in 1945 [View All]

My wife, her mother and I were out raking in the front yard earlier today when my neighbor came walking over. He asked to speak to my mother-in-law. He then walked over to her and, with my wife and I helping with the translating, told her that his grandfather had served in the invasion of Okinawa in 1945. He claimed a "Rising Sun" flag as a memento, and it has been in his family ever since.

My neighbor said he wanted to make sure the flag got home and hoped that my mother-in-law would be able to help. Needless to say, she accepted and was touched at his gesture. When she gets back to Japan, she will contact the local Japanese veterans association and start the process of either returning it to the government, a museum or to a veterans' hall.

An unexpected start to the day, but one I felt needed to be shared.