By YM/Pvt Patrick Lebioda Pulaski (MO) I went to Hawaii with my fellow Young Ma- rines at 9 years of age.At first I was scared about traveling without my family, but then I got bet- ter. For some, this was our first airplane ride, or chance to visit a different town. My favorite thing in Hawaii was the Pearl Har- bor Memorial,because of all the history.We also had the chance to sleep on the Battleship USS Missouri {BB-63}. I’m from Missouri, which made it even cooler. I liked meeting the Young Marine of the Year, Angel Luiz Orozco, because he was very inspiring, nice, I really enjoyed talking to him. I asked him, “How do you get ranked up so fast?” and he responded,“You just have to work hard and do your part and you’ll be good”. He was impressive. We also did a beach clean up day. I learned that if you do good deeds, people will see that, and maybe do a good deed back. It’s important to keep wildlife safe from trash that is on the beach. Seeing so many Young Marines from different states,and cites was really cool. I joined my unit when I was eight years old. I didn’t realize there were so many units. Now I know I am part of something big- ger, and I’m even prouder to be a Young Marine. After Remembrance: “ Even Prouder to be a Young Marine” By YM/MSgt Luke Smith North San Diego In June of 1945, during a bombing raid over Shizuoka, Japan, two U.S. B-29 bombers collided, killing all 23 of the American crew. The next morning, Fukumatso Itoh was at the wreckage site and recovered a beat up metal canteen with the imprint of a hand embedded into its side. Every year on the anniversary of the accident, he would visit the crash site and pour whiskey from the canteen onto the ground to honor those who lost their lives. The ceremony was for the Japanese residents and the Americans who perished. Dr. Hiroya Sugano was a child at the time of the raid. He also had lasting memories of that evening.He eventually took over for Itoh and in 1991, brought the ceremony to Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S. Ari- zona Memorial in particular. He continued the tradition by pouring whiskey from the same canteen into the waters of Pearl Harbor. In the darkness before the dawn, aboard the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Division 6 YMOY YM/SgtMaj Anna Saucedo, myself and Mrs. Smith, our unit Adjutant (and my mom), gathered with a small group to witness this moving ceremony.We were honored to be asked to greet the guests and hand out pro- grams. Chaplain Robert Lawrence gave the benediction and said,“This ceremony and the very literal outpouring of respect proves that goodwill truly has no boundaries. The blackened canteen, with all of its scars, survived because a memory was needed in order for us to remember, and to understand the need for the ongoing friendship and reconciliation between our two countries.” Dr. Sugano, a former Japanese fighter pilot, and two former U.S.Army Air Force pilots poured the ceremo- nial whiskey into the waters below. We all tossed plumeria petals in and watched them drift silently away. I am so humbled to have been a witness to this peaceful tradition. The Blackened Canteen: A Ceremony to Honor a Peaceful Tradition 28 YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT ONLINE