What a horrible tragedy for so many thousands of Japan's citizens! We have been watching the incredible devastation caused by the (March 11) tsunami and quake. I wanted to help, so I made a donation to The Japan Times Readers' Fund.
I was among the 3,300 fliers that devastated Tokyo on March 10, 1945. It was a time when B-29 aircraft were obliterating so many cities at great cost in lives and materiel.
As president emeritus of the 9th Bomb Group, I was contacted several years ago first by a Tokyo newspaper and later by a national TV network for an interview about that night. Both organizations asked me: "Mr. Hobler, how did it feel to kill so many thousands of Japanese?"
My response to both was: "If you had asked me that question on March 11, 1945, my answer would be different from now, when I know how horrible it was for so many."
I do hope that support from the U.S. government is coming fast and can help in positive ways. With sympathy for all.