USS Missouri Memorial Association and OBON SOCIETY Commemorate Peace with Historic Flag Transfer Ceremony

Honoring the Ongoing Unity Between the United States and Japan

Pearl Harbor, HI – Today, the USS Missouri Memorial Association, in partnership with the OBON SOCIETY, celebrated a pivotal moment in peace and reconciliation with the formal transfer of custody of three Yosegaki Hinomaru—unique heirlooms created for Japanese servicemen by their parents, family, and friends. This event honored the ongoing unity between the United States and Japan, seventy-nine years after World War II officially ended aboard the USS Missouri.

The ceremony featured the viewing of the three Yosegaki Hinomaru flags, originally presented to Japanese servicemen during World War II. Each flag, inscribed with signatures, messages of hope and love from family and friends, is a deeply personal artifact that speaks to the human side of war. These flags represent the servicemen’s spirits and their unbreakable ties to their families and country.

These historic flags have been part of the USS Missouri’s collection for many years, with one arriving shortly after the ship’s opening as a museum in 1999. Since then, the awareness of the importance of these artifacts has grown, with ongoing research shedding new light on the deep cultural connections they represent.

As the USS Missouri Memorial Association approaches the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, this flag transfer carries profound significance. It symbolizes a renewed commitment to peace and the importance of educating future generations about the power of understanding and healing. Returning these heirlooms, once taken as wartime souvenirs by Allied servicemen, marks a crucial step in closing old wounds and restoring these cherished items to the families they rightfully belong to.

"This ceremony is a powerful reminder of the importance of honoring the past while looking toward a peaceful future," said Michael Carr, President and Chief Executive Officer of the USS Missouri Memorial Association. "By transferring these historic flags to OBON SOCIETY, we not only recognize their cultural and emotional significance but also reaffirm our role in fostering reconciliation between nations that were once at war."

Following the viewing, a formal presentation was held in which the flags were folded and transferred to the OBON SOCIETY, who will conduct further research on them in Astoria, Oregon, as part of their ongoing mission to heal the lingering grief among World War II families and strengthen peace between nations.

"The return of these flags is a profound act of reconciliation and healing," said Rex Ziak, co-founder and president of OBON SOCIETY. "The government of Japan lists more than one million MIA servicemen from WWII. These unique, personalized flags, each one as unique as a fingerprint, are the only existing trace of these men and they can be traced back to family with 100% accuracy. By returning these heirlooms, we offer these families the closure they have long sought, and in doing so, we strengthen the bridge of peace between our nations."

This flag transfer represents more than a simple handover; it stands as a testament to the power of reconciliation and a shared commitment to healing the wounds of war. As both the USS Missouri Memorial Association and OBON SOCIETY continue their missions, today’s ceremony served as a reminder that peace is not only about ending conflict but also about remembering the past and working together to create a more unified future.

Battleship Missouri Memorial

Since opening in January 1999, the Battleship Missouri Memorial has attracted more than 10-million visitors from around the world with a fascinating tour experience showcasing the USS Missouri’s unique place in history. Located a mere ship’s length from the USS Arizona Memorial, the Mighty Mo completes a historical visitor experience that begins with the “day of infamy” and sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and ends with Japan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

The USS Missouri had an astounding career over five decades and three wars – World War II, the Korean War, and Desert Storm – after which it was decommissioned and donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Association operates the Battleship Missouri Memorial as a historic attraction and oversees her care and preservation with the support of visitors, memberships, grants, and donations.

Safety is our top priority. The Battleship Missouri Memorial is taking additional steps to assure guests will have a safe and healthy experience touring the Mighty Mo. We respectfully ask all visitors to abide by state of Hawaii safety guidelines while on site.

The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Military, kama‘āina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For information or reservations, call (808) 455-1600 or visit USSMissouri.org.

OBON SOCIETY

OBON SOCIETY is a humanitarian organization whose purpose is to heal the lingering grief that exists among WWII families and to strengthen the peace and friendship between nations. Their work revolves around the return of personal family heirlooms that had been taken as souvenirs.

The most common object is a small Japanese flag, known as a Yosegaki Hinomaru, inscribed with the signatures of family and friends, then given to the departing serviceman. Its purpose was to provide comfort as well as a physical and spiritual link to each soldier’s family. On the battlefield, these flags became highly sought after souvenirs by the Allied forces who called them "Good Luck Flags." Tens of thousands were captured and brought home.

OBON SOCIETY recognized that each Yosegaki Hinomaru flag, because of its unrepeatable style, was as unique as a fingerprint, and could be traced back to existing family with greater accuracy than DNA. They organized and created a network to receive, research and return these Yosegaki Hinomaru to the bereaved brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of MIA servicemen in Japan. The return of these flags provides them with same comfort and closure that American MIA families feel when they receive the remains of their missing family.

It has been estimated that more than 50,000 such flags are currently residing in America. OBON SOCIETY is a 501(C)(3) non-profit; more information at obonsociety.org

The Japanese government awarded OBON SOCIETY their highest honor and declared that these “activities create a bridge not only between the surviving families of Japanese soldiers of the Yosegaki Hinomaru and the Americans owners who returned them but also between Japanese and American citizens who wish for understanding and reconciliation of our past history of conflict and who pray for continued peace and friendship in the future."

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