In this episode, we explore this extraordinary tale of warfare transformed into friendship, and how a small Oregon coastal town became the unlikely setting for both conflict and healing between former enemies.
During World War II, Oregon became the site of the only enemy bombing of the U.S. mainland. In 1942, a Japanese pilot flew a float plane launched from a submarine and dropped incendiary bombs on Mt. Emily near Brookings. The mission was to ignite massive forest fires that would compel the United States to divert resources from the war effort in the Pacific.
The attack failed to cause significant damage, but the story didn’t end there. Decades later, that same Japanese pilot made a remarkable return journey to Brookings. This time, he came not as an enemy but as a friend, presenting the town with his family’s 400-year-old samurai sword as a symbol of peace and reconciliation.
Transcript
Dirty Freehub: [00:00:06]This Is The Connection, a dirty free hub podcast connecting gravel cyclists to where they ride through short stories about culture, history, people, places and lands. On this episode of The Connection, we’ve created a deep dive on the fascinating story of a World War Two bombing on the Oregon coast and the story that unfolded between the people of Brookings and the Japanese bomber. The lowdown has been provided by Perry Gillespie’s, a retired teacher who has researched and taken groups to the bomb site and is a docent of the Chetco Valley Museum.
Sarah: [00:00:40]Okay, so picture this you’re an Oregon are not only it’s 1942 during the war and you’re you can smell the ocean. You know, the Pacific right there. You feel the breeze and all of a sudden you hear this roar and there’s a flash of light. A bomb drops, right? It sounds like a movie, but this actually happened. And the story of what came after is even more incredible. This is really a World War Two bombing that led to a journey of reconciliation.
Adam: [00:01:05]Yeah, it’s a fascinating study and forgiveness, you know, even in the middle of war. Yeah. To understand it, we have to know the context. So earlier that year, in April 1942, the US bombed Tokyo. It was the Doolittle Raid, a really daring bombing raid. Right. It was a huge morale boost for the US, but it was humiliating for Japan. The attack on Mount Emily just a few months later was revenge.
Sarah: [00:01:24]So the US hits Tokyo, and then Japan decides to bomb a forest in Oregon. That seems kind of random. Yeah.
Adam: [00:01:30]It might seem strange at first, but the Japanese military wanted to scare people and disrupt the US war effort. They thought they could start these huge forest fires and cause panic and divert resources. They launched the attack from a submarine, you know, off the coast, and they released a seaplane that was made just for this mission. It was a complicated operation, and it shows how far Japan would go to strike back.
Sarah: [00:01:53]I can imagine how shocked those lookouts on Mount Emily must have been, seeing this lone Japanese plane coming out of nowhere. It must felt like a nightmare. That was the first attack on the mainland US during World War two, right?
Adam: [00:02:06]Exactly. It was a huge psychological blow. Even though the damage wasn’t that bad, it was a wet fall. So the lookouts put the fire out quickly. But imagine if it had been a dry season. What if the wind had been blowing the other way? Could have been devastating.
Sarah: [00:02:17]It’s scary to think how much worse it could have been, and all because of revenge. But here’s where things get really interesting. Almost 20 years later, in 1961.
Adam: [00:02:26]Two people from Brookings, the town closest to Mount Emily, they found out something amazing. The pilot, Nobuo Fujita, was still alive and living in Japan. But instead of being angry, they invited him to Brookings.
Sarah: [00:02:41]Wow, that’s a bold move. I wonder how the town reacted that the guy who tried to burn their forest down, bring the war to their town?
Adam: [00:02:47]Were people mad? Well, they were definitely a lot of different feelings. Some people were angry, others were confused. But then Eddie Waldrop, a World War Two vet, spoke up in a town meeting. He reminded everyone that Fujita was just a soldier, following orders, just like he had been. He said he was doing a job and we were doing a job. And those words changed things. For a lot of people.
Sarah: [00:03:07]That’s powerful. It makes you think about both sides of the conflict.
Adam: [00:03:10]It does. And that change in thinking led to something really incredible. In 1962, Fujita went to Brookings, not as an enemy, but as a guest of the town, he bombed. It was a sign of reconciliation. You know, proof that people can forgive even after going through something awful.
Sarah: [00:03:25]So what happened during his visit? Did he apologize? And that was it.
Adam: [00:03:28]It was much more than just an apology. Fujita was really touched by the town’s generosity, and he wanted to show he was serious about peace. So he gave Brookings his family’s 400 year old samurai sword.
Sarah: [00:03:40]A 400 year old sword. That’s amazing. I have to say, I don’t know much about samurai swords. Can you tell me more about what that meant? What did it mean to Fujita, and what did it represent to the people of Brookings?
Adam: [00:03:52]Definitely. In Japanese culture, a samurai sword isn’t just a weapon. It stands for honor, family, legacy, the whole spirit of the warrior. For Fujita to give away his family’s sword, a sword that had been passed down for generations, it was a huge deal.
Sarah: [00:04:05]It’s like he was saying, I’m giving up my weapons. Not just literally, but symbolically. I’m leaving violence behind and I’m choosing peace.
Adam: [00:04:11]Exactly. And the people in Brookings understood that. They knew it wasn’t just a gift. It showed how sorry Fujita was and that he wanted to make things better.
Sarah: [00:04:19]So we have the bombing, the invitation, the sword. It’s like a Shakespeare play. But I’m guessing there’s more to the story.
Adam: [00:04:25]Oh, yeah. There’s more. There’s one act of reconciliation really created a bond between Fujita and the people of Brookings. He came back to the town a few times over the years. He even planted a redwood tree at the bombing site as a symbol of new life.
Sarah: [00:04:40]Wow. From a bomb to a tree. That’s quite a change. It really shows how forgiveness can heal even the deepest wounds.
Adam: [00:04:46]It reminds us that forgiveness isn’t weak. It’s powerful. It can really change things for the better.
Sarah: [00:04:51]Speaking of reminders, I heard there’s a whole exhibit about this story at the Chetco Community Public Library in Brookings.
Adam: [00:04:58]Yes there is. Just imagine walking into a library, a place of knowledge and learning. And there it is, a 400 year old samurai sword, once a symbol of war, now a symbol of peace.
Sarah: [00:05:10]It’s amazing how things can change. It really highlights how powerful this story is.
Adam: [00:05:15]The exhibit also has models of the Japanese submarine and the seaplane they used in the bombing, so visitors can understand the history better. And there’s this interactive kiosk with newspaper articles, photos and stories from people who were there. So people can really dive into what happened and what came after.
Sarah: [00:05:30]So it’s not just looking at things. It’s a chance to really connect with the story on different levels, to connect with the past and think about what it means for us today.
Adam: [00:05:37]Exactly. It reminds us that history isn’t just dates and battles. It’s about people, their choices, and how they can cause both terrible destruction and amazing healing. Okay, so to wrap up our deep dive into this incredible story, I want to leave you with this thought. Imagine yourself standing on Mount Emily today. You can feel the peace of the forest, smell the pine needles in the earth. It’s hard to believe that this peaceful place was once a target during the war.
Sarah: [00:06:03]Yeah, and that’s part of what makes this story so powerful. It shows that even when things are really bad, hope can still grow.
Adam: [00:06:10]It’s a challenge for all of us to look for those chances, to forgive and understand in our own lives, to be the ones who reach out, who choose empathy over anger.
Sarah: [00:06:17] Because, like we see with Nobuo Fujita, peace isn’t just an idea. It’s a choice we make every single day.
Dirty Freehub: [00:06:25] Dirty Free Hub is a non-profit organization fueled by your generous contributions. Find us at Dirty Freehub dot org.
