Okinawa Marines gather to pay respects to a Marine memorial

U.S. Marines pose for a photo during an annual memorial service June 23 at Hama Park, Okinawa, Japan. Hama Park has two shrines, one dedicated for those lost during the Battle of Okinawa and one for Col. Kermit H. Shelly. While Shelly was the commanding officer of 3rd Force Service Support Regiment, which today is called 3rd Marine Logistics Group, he helped build schools, houses, a church, and constructed the island’s water reservoir system, which are still in use today. The memorial site was preserved for 50 years by Ryoji Morine, who passed away April 2018 at the age of 61.