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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017 WWII vet hopes Japanese flag can be given back assistants on both sides of the Pacific are scrambling to fulfill. Their most recent success was capped last weekend in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, when Cynthia Kester, grand- daughter of a U.S. Marine in World War II, presented a good-luck flag to the grand- nephew of a Japanese soldier killed in 1945. “We were enemies then. We are friends now,” Kester, 60, told Eisuke Oniike, 58, who traveled from his home in Japan to receive the flag. The exchanges are good for the souls of both giver and receivers. “Our first thought was it’s purely for the benefit of Jap- anese families, but we over- looked the fact that this is so enormously important for the Americans,” Rex Ziak said. With the help of his daughter, Sandy Williamson, Strombo composed a short letter that will accompany his flag to Japan if Yasue Sadao’s family is found. Flag delivered to Obon Society By KIM BRIGGEMAN Missoulian MISSOULA, Mont. — With a little luck, Marvin Strombo’s good luck flag is on the first leg of its journey home to Japan. It’s been in Strombo’s possession for more than 70 years, since the day the Marine private from Dixon claimed the distinctive flag and a saber off a Japanese officer killed in the Battle of Saipan in 1944. The saber was stolen in the 1970s from Strombo’s home on Fairview Avenue, where Marvin still lives at age 93. One of his biggest fans, Joe Tachovsky of Wiscon- sin, came through town on Tuesday to take Strombo to lunch and pick up the flag. On Thursday, Tachovsky delivered it to representa- tives of the Obon Society at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria. Rex and Keiko Ziak founded the Obon Society in 2009 to help repatriate such war keepsakes with relatives in Japan. “I hope the family gets it,” Strombo told the Missou- lian. “I think it would be some comfort to them.” The hinomaru yose- gaki flags were traditionally signed with well-wising mes- sages by family and friends and presented to a Japanese man before he went to war. University of Montana assistant professor Rob Tuck identified the probable bearer of Strombo’s flag as Yasue Sadao when Strombo visited Tuck’s class in November. As Strombo sees it, that informa- tion and the fact that Yasue carried a saber and was there- fore an officer should help locate descendants. Tachovsky, an author and restaurateur based in Min- Some comfort Kira Veracruyssen/Missoulian Marvin Strombo of Dixon, Mont., holds a flag that he took from a Japanese officer who died during the Battle of Saipan in 1944. He hopes it will be returned to the family of the soldier. A University of Montana assistant professor identified the soldier as Yasue Sadao. neapolis, is the son of Lt. Frank Tachovsky, the com- mander of Strombo’s scout- sniper platoon in the 6th U.S. Marine Regiment that oper- ated behind enemy lines on Saipan. He’s seeking an agent and publisher for his book “40 Thieves: Saipan,” which he researched, wrote and reworked after his father’s death. Strombo is the oldest of three surviving “thieves” left from his father’s platoon, so nicknamed because they were masters of covert opera- tions and because, as Strombo explained, “every time we needed a bottle of something we somehow got it.” ‘Our first thought was it’s purely for the benefit of Japanese families, but we overlooked the fact that this is so enormously important for the Americans.’ Rex Ziak founder the Obon Society Roscoe Mullins of Culloden, West Virginia, and Bob Smotts of Dahlonega, Georgia, are the others. Tachovsky has befriended all three and tapped their memories for his book. He’s Former lawmaker can’t lobby for Gov. Brown, legislative counsel says By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — Former state Rep. Peter Buckley will be barred from lobbying his for- mer colleagues in the Legisla- ture in his new role advising the governor on state pension and revenue reform, accord- ing to an opinion by legislative counsel. The Thursday opinion, first reported by The Regis- ter-Guard, states that a 2007 ethics law prohibits a for- mer legislator from trying to influence lawmakers on pol- icy during the regular legisla- tive session after his term ends. The law would apply to Buck- ley, a longtime Ashland repre- sentative who retired last year, wrote lead legislative attorney Dexter Johnson. Gov. Kate Brown’s office said Friday that it would fol- low the legislative attorney’s opinion that Buckley may not lobby legislators, The Regis- ter-Guard reported. Buckley, who helped write the state’s budget for several years, accepted the part-time position as Brown’s senior adviser on transformation and budget stability Tuesday. The job comes with an annual sal- ary of about $65,000. extremely fond of Strombo, and made this stop as part of a cross-country road trip that’ll take him down the West Coast and to Las Vegas, visiting grave sites and families of the men from his father’s platoon. He too will be gratified if the flag can be returned to its rightful family. “Anything I can do for Marvin,” Tachovsky said. ‘Flags of Their Fathers’ The Ziaks and the Obon Society got a boost last Memorial Day when CBS News highlighted their efforts in a feature called “The Flags of Their Fathers.” The pro- gram focused on a successful repatriation of a hinamaru ini- tiated by Terry Stockdale, son of the late Glenn Stockdale of Billings. It generated an over- whelming number of requests that the Ziaks and their net- work of researchers and legal In it, Strombo introduces himself and says he was born, raised and continues to live in Montana. “I have wanted to return this flag for a very long time, but we did not know how to do it,” Strombo’s letter says. “I hope the return of this flag brings your family some comfort.” He writes that he’s always had respect for the Japanese soldiers because they fought so hard. “We were all just trying to survive and fight for what we believed in,” Strombo says. “Your loved one was already passed when I found him on the outskirts of Gara- pan, Saipan. After I brought the flag home, I felt bad. “I have always believed that it did not belong to me, it belonged to you. I pray this flag finds its way home and, if you are reading this, it has.” IT’S ST. CATRICK’S DAY AT THE CLATSOP COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER! Join us for some Meow tastic fun! th Alcohol industry jobs outpace software Sat., March 18 Associated Press PORTLAND — Oregon’s software industry has been growing fast, but the state’s economic development agency says it has been outpaced by another sector — the alcohol industry — since the Great Recession. The state Office of Eco- nomic Analysis says software employment was up by 6,900 jobs between January 2008 and September 2016. But the alcohol industry was up by 7,400 jobs during the same time span. Senior state economist Josh Lehner says people who brew beer, distill alcohol and make wine may have lower wages on average than those in the software industry, but the booze business brings other economic benefits. Noon to 4 pm butters Native Plant Sale 2017!!! Come meet our our amazing senior cats (10 years & older) S ATURDAY , A PRIL 1 ST 10 AM - 2 PM Bob Chisholm Community Center 1225 Avenue A | Seaside, OR Large variety of native plants for landscaping, conservation, or pollinator habitat projects! Pre-order sales available through March 20th. Find pre-order info at ClatsopSWCD.org Questions? Call Clatsop SWCD 503-325-4571 P LACE Y OUR joanne Butters, Joanne, Jimmy ... Adopt your new senior forever friend for and more ! 20 $ Punch, cookies, and furry friends provided. Jimmy A DS N OW ! Our Packages Include: • Daily Astorian • Chinook Observer • Coast Weekend • TMC Marketplace • Seaside Signal • CB Gazette • and online! Jamie Call Today (503) 325-3211 ext 231 Visitors will be arriving soon - Make sure your staff is ready! W E G ET R ESULTS ! 503-861-7387 503-861-0737 www.dogsncats.org Open 12-4 pm, Tues-Sat 1315 SE 19th St., Warrenton Follow us on