Seeking an old friend

Kevin Roop, writing to us from the U.S., is trying to find an old friend of his 85-year-old father, Vernon Roop, a veteran of World War II who after the war was based with his unit, the 5th AAF, at Tachikawa Air Base in Tokyo.

Vernon was in the 375th Troop Carrier Group, 55th Squadron, 5th Army Air Force. After the surrender, his unit was moved into Tachikawa, where he was issued six former Japanese soldiers to work for him.

That same day, a tech-sergeant was trying to get an electric hoist working but there was a problem.