Mad Scientist
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- Sep 15, 2008
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Mr. Seikitchi Uehara and Mrs. Matsu Uehara shown here with my wife at the nursing home in Okinawa where Grandma spent her last days as the effects of Dementia set in.
Grandpa was an Engineer who was, believe it or not, too small to serve in The Emperors Army so put his Engineer degree to work designing Aircraft for the Army. He said he helped design a few Kamikaze planes but wouldn't ever elaborate and even though I'm an Airplane Nut, I never pushed the subject. He did say, and I agreed, that it was the F6F Hellcat that turned the tide of the War in the Pacific.
He and his wife were in Hiroshima to attend a work related meeting of sorts. As fate would have it, on August 6th he wasn't feeling so good so he decided to take the day off and stay in their small apartment on the outskirts of Hiroshima.
That morning Grandma saw the B-29 fly over and witnessed the ensuing mushroom cloud. The next day Grandpa walked into the city and witnessed the devastation first hand. He said it was "Hell on Earth".
He never complained about anything that happened during the war or the nuclear bombs. He just said "It had to happen. Japan was never going to give up".
Both He and his Wife were designated Living National Treasures by the Gov't of Japan and were interviewed numerous times by various agencies and publications over the years. They both lived into their 90's in spite of the radiation effects of the bombing.
Here we are in the house that he built in Okinawa using Japanese Joinery Techniques where not as single nail was used!
Grandpa was an Engineer who was, believe it or not, too small to serve in The Emperors Army so put his Engineer degree to work designing Aircraft for the Army. He said he helped design a few Kamikaze planes but wouldn't ever elaborate and even though I'm an Airplane Nut, I never pushed the subject. He did say, and I agreed, that it was the F6F Hellcat that turned the tide of the War in the Pacific.
He and his wife were in Hiroshima to attend a work related meeting of sorts. As fate would have it, on August 6th he wasn't feeling so good so he decided to take the day off and stay in their small apartment on the outskirts of Hiroshima.
That morning Grandma saw the B-29 fly over and witnessed the ensuing mushroom cloud. The next day Grandpa walked into the city and witnessed the devastation first hand. He said it was "Hell on Earth".
He never complained about anything that happened during the war or the nuclear bombs. He just said "It had to happen. Japan was never going to give up".
Both He and his Wife were designated Living National Treasures by the Gov't of Japan and were interviewed numerous times by various agencies and publications over the years. They both lived into their 90's in spite of the radiation effects of the bombing.
Here we are in the house that he built in Okinawa using Japanese Joinery Techniques where not as single nail was used!