80 Years of Stars and Stripes Pacific

Black-and-white, 1940s-era photographs lie on a table depicting an aviator in a leather jacket and helmet and a man in a military dress uniform posing with his arm around a smiling woman in white.

Great-grandson of fallen B-29 pilot makes pilgrimage to WWII crash site in Japan

Tyler Smith, a recreation planner from San Francisco, recently climbed a forested mountainside in western Tokyo to honor the memory of his great-grandfather, one of five American airmen killed when their B-29 Superfortress crashed during a World War II bombing raid over Japan.

Atlanta Falcons defensive end Morgan Fox is helped to his feet during a youth football camp.

Military kids huddle up with NFL star Morgan Fox during pro camp in Japan

Young athletes from as far away as South Korea gathered recently at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo for an NFL Pro Camp hosted by Morgan Fox, a defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons.

DODEA elementary students learn soroban, a Japanese math skill, in Okinawa, Japan.

DODEA students learn ancient math skills with Japanese abacus on Okinawa

A soroban “allows students to see and manipulate a physical representation of abstract numbers,” according to The Japan Society website. Japanese third- and fourth-graders are required to practice soroban in math class, according to the education ministry’s website.

A Japanese man and boy, seen from behind, look out over a memorial park with a mountain scene in the background.

Tsunami memorial serves as a tribute to those lost and a call to never forget

For those traveling through Japan’s Iwate prefecture, a visit to Takata Matsubara Memorial Park for Tsunami Disaster and the Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum serves as more than a history lesson. It is an encounter with resilience, a tribute to those lost and a call to never forget.

A sign displays Japanese writing and a photo of a multi-story hotel.

Tsunami-struck Japanese hotel stands as a testament to resilience after tragedy

Perched along the scenic coastline of Japan’s Iwate prefecture, the Taro Kanko Hotel once stood as a symbol of hospitality, offering guests views of the Pacific Ocean and the nearby Sannoiwa Rocks. But since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, it has been transformed into a poignant memorial.

Five men holding snowboards pose for a picture in front of some mountains.

US airmen credited with snowboarder rescue in Japan

Two American airmen used a rope to rescue a snowboarder trapped in a hole at a Japanese snow resort last month, according to the 35th Fighter Wing.

An American man poses with a signed Japanese flag held by a Japanese pair.

Army veteran returns WWII ‘good luck’ flag to Japanese soldier’s family

A U.S. Army colonel’s great-grandson returned a “good luck” flag Wednesday to the nephew of a Japanese soldier who carried it into battle during World War II.