平成１５年３月１９日、石塚勲・日米エアフォース友好協会会長は今回のイラク問題へのブッシュ米国大統領の決断に対し、全面的に支持する旨の書簡を在日米軍司令官ワスコー中将に、その写しを在米の名誉会員等に送りましたました。ワスコー中将等から丁重な返書を受領しました。送りました書簡は下記のとおりです。また、前第５空軍副司令官でサウジアラビアで従軍中の３６３航空団司令ウォーターズ准将から会長、ＪＡＡＧＡ会員に対しお礼の返書を下記の通り受領しました。
19 March, 2003
Lieutenant General Thomas C. Waskow
Commander, United States Forces Japan / Fifth Air Force
Dear General Waskow,
On behalf of all the members of the JAAGA, I would like to express my
sincere support to the ultimate decision of President Bush to resolutely
disarm Iraq.
Your country is holding the justice of seeking real peace and stability
for the international community, and we are proud of supporting this justice
as a responsible member of the community. I believe that you, the key military
leader, take it as the highest honor to be allocated the noble missions
of realizing this justice. From the bottom of our heart, we appreciate
the dedicated contributions carried out by men and women of the units under
your command, some in the gulf area and some in this region.
Also, I am convinced that the cooperation between USAF and JASDF will
be further promoted through the related operations sharing this strained
situation.
I hope you and all your subordinate members will have a great result
very soon, and they will come back home successfully and safely.
With heartfelt regards to you all,
General
Isao Ishizuka, JASDF (Ret)
President, Japan America Air Force
Goodwill Association
25 March 2003
Sir,
Thank you for the kind note and for the
JAAGA letter. I appreciate the support of General Ishizuka and all JAAGA
members, and from all our friends in Japan. We are involved in a tough fight,
but our troops morale is high and our confidence is unshaken. I am very proud
of all members of our air wing who are performing so well now in this war. I
flew two missions in the F-15C over Baghdad in the last three days -- 8.8 hours
and 6.1 hours. So far, the enemy aircraft have not been flying so our air-to-air
mission has not been difficult. The ground war however, is very difficult.
Please pass my fond regards to all my friends in the JASDF and
JAAGA.
Dale Waters
363AEW/CC
米国のイラク対応を支持