By Danny Minton

Mention the name Nobuo Fujita to any group of people, and it’s likely that no one will know who you’re talking about. If they do, they are likely either a WWII history buff or from the Brookings, Oregon, area. Although few outside of Oregon and those who study World War II history know who he was, he holds a significant place in the history of the war.

On September 9, 1942, Nobuo Fujita became the only Japanese pilot to bomb the contiguous United States. Taking off from a long-range I-25 submarine aircraft carrier, Fujita’s mission was to divert the American resources from the Pacific theater to the mainland. Loaded with incendiary bombs, Fujita and his crew of a floatplane dropped the load in the forest area near Brookings, Oregon. There was minor damage done, and Fujita and his crew would become only a small part of World War II history. However, there is more to the story that unfolded over fifteen years after the end of the Second World War.

Nobuo Fujita

In 1962, while working in a hardware store, Fujita received an invitation to visit Brookings from the local Jaycees. It was assured that he would not be tried as a war criminal. Fujita accepted the invitation, carrying with him a 400-year-old katana sword to give in friendship or commit suicide if suspected of war crimes. There was still some animosity regarding the Japanese; however, the town treated him respectfully and received the sword as a gift of friendship. As a gesture of the town’s graciousness, he promised to help sponsor some high school students for a visit to Japan and made good on the promise by sponsoring three high school girls in 1985. Fujita would make other visits, and shortly before his death in 1997, Brookings honored him with an honorary citizenship of the town. In prior years, the city and Fujita were commended for their acts of kindness by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Regan.

Fujita with his E14y Glen plane

I’m reminded of the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in Matthew’s account, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Showing love and kindness toward those who want to harm us is difficult. In many cases, instead of love and forgiveness, we want to retaliate. Forgiveness is often the furthest thing from our minds. To forgive, we must win the battle against hate and the desire to seek revenge. It is only then that we can begin to mend the events that divide us and allow for the acceptance of one another.

Forgiveness is something that each of us should strive to possess when we feel that we have been wronged. It doesn’t mean we have to agree with the act that was done, but rather to set those aside and allow a relationship to grow in a more positive manner. Jesus taught us to seek peace with one another, even with those who have tried to harm us. Jesus gives us a warning about how we should approach those whom we feel have wronged us. In the same Sermon, Jesus tells his followers, “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” 

Setting aside differences and seeking common goals, learning to trust, and working together to mend relationships can lead to lasting friendships, even among those whom we once saw as our enemies. In a world where so many people are mad at each other over all sorts of differences, we as Christians can do our part by mending fences and refraining from joining in the war of hateful words and feelings toward those with whom we disagree. Jesus loves us all. We should do the same.

Nobuo Fujita’s sword is on display in the public library in Brookings, Oregon. Five thousand miles away, near Tsuchiura, Japan, at the Nobuo Fujita Corner of the Camp Kasumigaura Public Relations Center, on display are an American flag and a letter from President Ronald Reagan given to Fujita. They are symbols of two enemies who, through forgiveness, developed a friendship, now divided only by water.

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ