A Korean Conflict Navy veteran who had been making an attempt to trace down the lady he fell in love with almost 70 years in the past has lastly reunited along with his misplaced love.
Duane Mann first met Peggy Yamaguchi in 1953, whereas his unit was based mostly in Yokosuka, Japan, from 1953 to 1954. The 22-year-old would work as a slot machine repairman at an Air Power NCO Membership, the place Peggy labored as a hat-check woman.
Sparks flew, and the couple went on to take pleasure in 14 months of courtship.
“I actually cherished to bounce and she or he and I came upon we may actually dance collectively, I imply, to the place individuals would watch us. And progressively we fell in love, we couldn’t cease it,” Mann recalled.
Nonetheless, Mann was immediately ordered to return to the U.S. two months early. Yamaguchi was pregnant along with his little one then, and he promised to ship for her so they might marry and lift their household collectively.
However when he returned house, he found his father had spent all of his financial savings, which he had deliberate to make use of to convey Yamaguchi to the U.S.
Mann and Yamaguchi wrote to one another repeatedly till he stopped receiving them after a month. Later, he would be taught that his mom had burned Yamaguchi’s letters as a result of she didn’t need him to marry a Japanese lady.
Mann finally acquired one letter from Yamaguchi, revealing the unlucky information that she had misplaced their child and had married one other man.
“It was over. That set in the concept I deserted her. [It] simply wore me out. That’s not an honorable factor to do,” he mentioned.
The veteran carried round his grief and guilt for the remainder of his life, fearing that Yamaguchi believed he had uncared for her whereas she was carrying their little one.
Final month, Mann’s native information station, KETV NewsWatch 7, broadcast his story, which was shared globally. The Japanese media additionally ran tales about Mann’s lifelong seek for his long-lost love.
Theresa Wong, a 23-year-old Canadian researcher for the Historical past Channel, was so moved by Mann’s story that she determined to conduct her personal investigation. She stumbled upon a 1956 article known as “Tokyo bride likes life in Escanaba,” which supplied a final title and an deal with to go on.
That piece of knowledge lastly supplied a lead.
Yamaguchi, additionally now 91, had moved to the U.S. along with her Navy husband and lived just a few states away from Mann in Iowa at her house in Escanaba, Michigan, the place she raised three sons.
Her husband continues to be alive, and her grownup sons mentioned they had been moved by the story about their mother’s previous.
After the tip-off from Wong, reporter Michelle Bandur contacted Yamaguchi’s son, Wealthy Sedenquist, who confirmed his mom a video clip of the information story about Mann’s seek for her.
“She straight away [said], ‘I keep in mind him! He actually cherished me, you understand.’” he mentioned.
His brother, Mike Sedenquist, is deeply touched by Mann’s dedication to discovering their mom.
“He’s capable of fulfill his dream, his lifelong dream to seek out the lady that he met and fell in love with and, 70 years later, what a beautiful story!” he mentioned.
Mike additionally revealed that his center title is Duane, realizing he was truly named after his mother’s past love.
The pair lastly reunited in a convention room on the Island Resort and On line casino in Escanaba. Mann cried “Peggy!” upon seeing his former companion. They shared an embrace, and inside minutes, they had been reminiscing concerning the great time they shared in Japan.
Mann defined what occurred previously and confirmed Yamaguchi his previous photographs of her, which he had saved in his pockets for almost seven a long time.
“And I’ve thought of that each one my life, I nervous that you just thought that I deserted you,” he instructed her. “And I’m right here to let you know that I didn’t abandon you in any respect. I simply couldn’t discover you.”
“Thanks for remembering and [saving] all the photographs, it’s essential to have cherished me,” Yamaguchi responded, hugging and kissing Mann.
Yamaguchi emphasised she hadn’t felt deserted, and Mann instructed her their reunion had “actually been a liberating expertise for me.”
Watch their long-awaited reunion occur within the video beneath.
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