There were the former runway and the former control tower, which used to be one of the targets of the Japanese military action on Pearl Harbor along with the military vessels. It was really hot, but I walked on the runway for about 300 meters. I looked up at the bright sky. The Japanese pilots attacked the site on which I was standing 77 years ago. I looked back to the sky where lots of Zero fighters were flying. The war cost Japanese and U.S. people their lives and now I'm living in peace. I hated the war again and was grateful to them.
I chatted with a few groups of Americans who made their first visit to Hawaii. Some of them were out of the hangar and walking on the runway with me. After a while, we dashed toward the shuttle bus and got on it just in time. The first picture shows our tired faces. I was standing on the entrance step of the bus. I was happy and surprised at the same time for the driver to take us to the destination in this condition. If in Japan, we would have been told to wait about 30 minutes for the next bus.
Ford Island was strictly restricted. The persons who were permitted to enter the area were only military personnel and tourists who didn't carry their bags and accessed by public shuttle bus. The Ford Island Bridge connecting the island and the shore was the only access way. When my bus approached the bridge, a beautiful rainbow unexpectedly showed up. Did it rain? While my bus was on the bridge, the rainbow was softly covering the bridge just like protecting my way. I felt that the departed at Pearl Harbor were smiling at me. Though the rainbow isn't so vivid in the last picture, if you take a close look, you'll find it.
(Apr. 11th)
フォード島から退出
フォード島には日本軍が攻撃した、そして数々の映画にも出てきた滑走路と管制塔があった。暑い日だったが、立ち入り規制がなかったので２～３００メートル歩いてみた。空を見上げた。この場所を７７年前に日本の若者たちが攻撃した。日米双方に死傷者を出し、今はこんな平和がある。改めて戦争を憎み、今の幸せをもたらしてくれた彼らに感謝した。
航空博物館で飛行機マニアのグループと雑談、そして軽くレクチャーも(^_^;)。その後、彼らも滑走路に出てきていた。ハワイに初めて来たというアメリカ人。帰りのシャトルバスに４人でダッシュして乗り込んだ直後の疲れ果てた様子が最初の写真。僕はステップにもう一人のアメリカ人と立っていた。こんな状況でバスを出してくれるのがおおらかというか、小さなことにこだわらないアメリカ人の明るさか？日本なら考えられない。（笑）
フォード島は一般車は立ち入り出来ない。荷物を預けて手ぶらの観光客がシャトルバスでアクセスするか、軍関係者でないと入れない。陸とフォード島を繋ぐフォードアイランドブリッジという橋が唯一のアクセス道路なのだが、バスが橋へのアクセス道路に近づくと不意に虹が現れた。雨が降ったのか？橋を渡るときには橋を包むように架かっていた。島を離れる僕に英霊が微笑んでくれているような気がした。写真では不明瞭だが、最後の写真にある虹のアーチが見えますか？
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