U.S. veterans who firebombed Japan meet survivor

They are visiting Tokyo on a Japanese government reconciliation programme.

Fiske Hanley (left) of Fort Worth, TX, an American World War II veteran who took part in firebombing of Tokyo and was later held captive by the Japanese 70 years ago, shows some pages of his book 'Accused American War Criminal' to survivor Haruyo Nihei, (right), a museum storytelling volunteer, at the Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage in Tokyo on Wednesday. Mr. Hanley (95) was on a B-29 as engineering crew during the March 10, 1945 firebombing that nearly destroyed eastern Tokyo, with overnight death toll exceeding 1,00,000. Mr. Hanley was also a victim of brutality by Japan’s “kempeitai” military police during his captivity after his B-29 crashed.

Five American veterans, who took part in firebombing Japan during World War II, saw photos of stacks of charred bodies and levelled homes at a museum dedicated to the victims, and said the outcome on the ground of their missions was awful.

Fiske Hanley was an engineer on a B-29 bomber in the March 10, 1945, firebombing of Tokyo that killed about 1,00,000 people and destroyed much of the eastern part of the city. On the ground, Haruyo Nihei was running for her life as a schoolgirl.

Part of a reconciliation programme

The five veterans, who were on separate planes that firebombed different areas of Japan, are visiting Tokyo on a Japanese government reconciliation programme.