Recalling bombing of Hiroshima

The first week in August, 1945, I was downtown in Seattle when it was announced that Japan had surrendered following the dropping of the atom bomb. Seattle’s streets were filled with people going wild with joy. People were jumping on police cars and fire trucks. Those in uniform were especially joyful.

One Seattle man was extremely sad as he reflected on the effects of the bomb. Children in classrooms looked out of the windows at the bright lights from the bomb and, in a few seconds, they were incinerated. People looked for water to deal with the burns and homes were destroyed. This man collected money from his friends and set out for Hiroshima, where he sent severely wounded victims to Seattle for medical attention and endeavored to build homes for the homeless. He spent three years building homes.

One day a group of school children came to watch. One of them asked him, “Why are you doing this? Why are you different?” He replied, “In World War I I refused military service but I volunteered to drive an ambulance to bring the wounded from the front lines We must find ways to respect life and end violence.”

Forty years after the bomb was dropped, the boy’s recollection of it was very real. The man returned to Hiroshima for a city commemoration ceremony. At a dinner, a gentleman said, “I was the editor of our school paper who questioned the American who made an effort to rebuild our city. I was impressed by your answer. Today I represent Hiroshima in the Japanese Diet (Parliament).” And I am the advisor to the prime minister for disarmament.”

At the end of two years the man, Floyd Shmoe, a Quaker who worked for peace, was given a financial gift which he brought back to Seattle and gave to the mayor to set aside for a peace park, which is located near the University Bridge on the corner of NE 40th Street and 9th Avenue. Unfortunately, very few people go there to see the beautiful sculpture, “Sadako and the Thousand Cranes,” depicting our opposition to nuclear war.

I hope some will go there to show that we reject nuclear war. The park contains many trees from countries all over the world.

Father Treacy came to Seattle in 1945 on a temporary assignment. Now 103, he lives in Skagit County.

The U.S. dropped its atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 77 years ago. Some 70,000 people died immediately. The five-year death total may have exceeded 200,000, as cancer and other long-term effects took hold.