3/11 disaster relief mission proved U.S.-Japan bond: ex-Navy officer

The U.S. military's disaster relief mission following the massive earthquake-tsunami in Japan 10 years ago proved the value of the bilateral alliance and left a legacy of deep friendship, a then Navy commander involved in the operation said in a recent interview."Operation Tomodachi," named with the Japanese word for friend, was about "relearning" the strength of the alliance, former U.S. Navy 7th Fleet Commander Scott Van Buskirk recalled, referring to what became known as the largest-ever joint operation between the U.S. military and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.The retired vice admir…READ FULL ARTICLE