Name Shigeaki Mori | Role Author | |
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Pc with documentary paper lanterns barry frechette peter grilli chad cannon shigeaki mori
Shigeaki Mori (森 重昭, Mori Shigeaki, born 29 March 1937) is a Japanese historian living in Hiroshima, Japan. He is known for his research into Allied prisoners of war who died during the air raids on Japan. His hug with US President Barack Obama during the president's visit to Hiroshima gained world-wide attention.
Contents
- Pc with documentary paper lanterns barry frechette peter grilli chad cannon shigeaki mori
- World War II
- Postwar research
- References
World War II
Mori was a young boy in Hiroshima during World War II. When the city was destroyed with an atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, he was walking on a bridge and was thrown into a river. He saw a large number of badly wounded people that he was unable to help.
Postwar research
An atomic bomb survivor, Mori has spent over 30 years researching and obtaining official recognition for United States aviators who were killed while being held as POWs in the Chugoku Military Police Headquarters, approximately 400m from the explosion's hypocenter in Hiroshima. He authored a book on the subject: A Secret History of U.S. Servicemembers Who Died in Atomic Bomb.
Since 2008, Mori has been trying to locate relatives of airmen from one of the aircraft shot down during an air raid on Kure, from the B-24J bomber "Taloa." Wreckage from the downed aircraft that had been hidden by local farmers was handed over to Mori with the hope of being returned to surviving family members for closure.
Mori met and was embraced by US President Barack Obama during Obama's May 2016 visit to Hiroshima.