Dignitaries and the families of fallen Japanese and US soldiers have attended a ceremony in the Pacific island nation of Palau to mark the 80th anniversary of one of the bloodiest battles of World War Two.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. and Japanese and US government officials were among the attendees at Sunday’s ceremony.
US troops landed on Peleliu Island on September 15, 1944. The fighting continued for more than two months. Over 10,000 Japanese soldiers were deployed on the island. Most of them were killed. The US death toll topped 1,500.
The US Ambassador to Palau, Joel Ehrendreich, said the gathering demonstrates that fierce adversaries can overcome hatred and discover shared values to become friends, working together in pursuit of peace.
The attendees offered flowers at a monument dedicated to the victims and observed a moment of silence.
Kido Toshiko, whose grandfather died on Peleliu, said that coming together to mourn the dead on the 80th anniversary is important to keep their memory alive.
She also said she never had a chance to meet her grandfather, but she wants to imagine how he felt by looking at the sea that he saw.
A museum has opened on Peleliu to preserve the heritage of war. Featured artefacts include weapons from that time, a Japanese soldier’s water bottle that was pierced by a bullet and letters Japanese soldiers sent to their families.