The Bilingual Memorial Monument is located on the island of Ishigaki, Japan. The memorial was dedicated on August 15, 2001 to honor three United States Navy airmen from Air Squadron VC-97.
Robert Tuggle Jr., Vernon L.Tebo and Warren H.Loyd of Air Squadron VC-97 were shot down over the island on April 15, 1945 and killed in action.
The following photographs, documents and map provide a full accounting of how this Memorial Monument came to be.
What follows is an exact transcription of the English text which is displayed on the monument:
"On the morning of April 15, 1945, in the closing days of World War II, a Grumman TBF Avenger, assigned to the carrier USS Makassar Strait, was shot down off the costs of Ishigaki Island by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The three aviators parachuted in to the water near Ohama and swam to a coral reef where they were captured by Japanese sailors. After being interrogated and tortured they were executed during the night at the foot of Mount Banna, at the Imperial Navy Headquarters. The torture of prisoners of war was a violation of the Geneva Convention, the rules of war signed by the international community in 1929. Vernon L.Tebo and Robert Tuggle Jr. were beheaded. Warren H.Loyd was beaten and stabbed with bayonets by numerous numbers of sailors and soldiers. This incident was a tragedy which took place during war.
Lt.Vernon L.Tebo, 28, a Navy pilot of Illinois
Aviation Radioman 1st Class Warren H. Loyd, 24, of Kansas
Aviation Ordnance 1st Class Robert Tuggle.Jr.,20, of Texas
To console the spirits of the three fallen American service members and to honor their deaths, we jointly dedicate this monument in the hope that this memorial stone will contribute to the everlasting peace and friendship between Japan and the United States, and that this monument will serve as a cornerstone to convey to future generations our keen desire for eternal peace in the world and our determination to renounce war".
Contributor: MAJ Jimmy Cotton (48803557) added 9/30/2022 by dj.
Robert Tuggle Jr., Vernon L.Tebo and Warren H.Loyd of Air Squadron VC-97 were shot down over the island on April 15, 1945 and killed in action.
The following photographs, documents and map provide a full accounting of how this Memorial Monument came to be.
What follows is an exact transcription of the English text which is displayed on the monument:
"On the morning of April 15, 1945, in the closing days of World War II, a Grumman TBF Avenger, assigned to the carrier USS Makassar Strait, was shot down off the costs of Ishigaki Island by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The three aviators parachuted in to the water near Ohama and swam to a coral reef where they were captured by Japanese sailors. After being interrogated and tortured they were executed during the night at the foot of Mount Banna, at the Imperial Navy Headquarters. The torture of prisoners of war was a violation of the Geneva Convention, the rules of war signed by the international community in 1929. Vernon L.Tebo and Robert Tuggle Jr. were beheaded. Warren H.Loyd was beaten and stabbed with bayonets by numerous numbers of sailors and soldiers. This incident was a tragedy which took place during war.
Lt.Vernon L.Tebo, 28, a Navy pilot of Illinois
Aviation Radioman 1st Class Warren H. Loyd, 24, of Kansas
Aviation Ordnance 1st Class Robert Tuggle.Jr.,20, of Texas
To console the spirits of the three fallen American service members and to honor their deaths, we jointly dedicate this monument in the hope that this memorial stone will contribute to the everlasting peace and friendship between Japan and the United States, and that this monument will serve as a cornerstone to convey to future generations our keen desire for eternal peace in the world and our determination to renounce war".
Contributor: MAJ Jimmy Cotton (48803557) added 9/30/2022 by dj.
The Bilingual Memorial Monument is located on the island of Ishigaki, Japan. The memorial was dedicated on August 15, 2001 to honor three United States Navy airmen from Air Squadron VC-97.
Robert Tuggle Jr., Vernon L.Tebo and Warren H.Loyd of Air Squadron VC-97 were shot down over the island on April 15, 1945 and killed in action.
The following photographs, documents and map provide a full accounting of how this Memorial Monument came to be.
What follows is an exact transcription of the English text which is displayed on the monument:
"On the morning of April 15, 1945, in the closing days of World War II, a Grumman TBF Avenger, assigned to the carrier USS Makassar Strait, was shot down off the costs of Ishigaki Island by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The three aviators parachuted in to the water near Ohama and swam to a coral reef where they were captured by Japanese sailors. After being interrogated and tortured they were executed during the night at the foot of Mount Banna, at the Imperial Navy Headquarters. The torture of prisoners of war was a violation of the Geneva Convention, the rules of war signed by the international community in 1929. Vernon L.Tebo and Robert Tuggle Jr. were beheaded. Warren H.Loyd was beaten and stabbed with bayonets by numerous numbers of sailors and soldiers. This incident was a tragedy which took place during war.
Lt.Vernon L.Tebo, 28, a Navy pilot of Illinois
Aviation Radioman 1st Class Warren H. Loyd, 24, of Kansas
Aviation Ordnance 1st Class Robert Tuggle.Jr.,20, of Texas
To console the spirits of the three fallen American service members and to honor their deaths, we jointly dedicate this monument in the hope that this memorial stone will contribute to the everlasting peace and friendship between Japan and the United States, and that this monument will serve as a cornerstone to convey to future generations our keen desire for eternal peace in the world and our determination to renounce war".
Contributor: MAJ Jimmy Cotton (48803557) added 9/30/2022 by dj.
Robert Tuggle Jr., Vernon L.Tebo and Warren H.Loyd of Air Squadron VC-97 were shot down over the island on April 15, 1945 and killed in action.
The following photographs, documents and map provide a full accounting of how this Memorial Monument came to be.
What follows is an exact transcription of the English text which is displayed on the monument:
"On the morning of April 15, 1945, in the closing days of World War II, a Grumman TBF Avenger, assigned to the carrier USS Makassar Strait, was shot down off the costs of Ishigaki Island by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The three aviators parachuted in to the water near Ohama and swam to a coral reef where they were captured by Japanese sailors. After being interrogated and tortured they were executed during the night at the foot of Mount Banna, at the Imperial Navy Headquarters. The torture of prisoners of war was a violation of the Geneva Convention, the rules of war signed by the international community in 1929. Vernon L.Tebo and Robert Tuggle Jr. were beheaded. Warren H.Loyd was beaten and stabbed with bayonets by numerous numbers of sailors and soldiers. This incident was a tragedy which took place during war.
Lt.Vernon L.Tebo, 28, a Navy pilot of Illinois
Aviation Radioman 1st Class Warren H. Loyd, 24, of Kansas
Aviation Ordnance 1st Class Robert Tuggle.Jr.,20, of Texas
To console the spirits of the three fallen American service members and to honor their deaths, we jointly dedicate this monument in the hope that this memorial stone will contribute to the everlasting peace and friendship between Japan and the United States, and that this monument will serve as a cornerstone to convey to future generations our keen desire for eternal peace in the world and our determination to renounce war".
Contributor: MAJ Jimmy Cotton (48803557) added 9/30/2022 by dj.
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