Henry Ohye, a US-born Japanese American citizen, fell in love with flight at nine. By saving his pennies, he could take flight lessons and earn his private pilot’s license by 1931. in 1933 he became the first Nisei (a person born in the U.S. whose parents were immigrants from Japan) to receive a commercial transport pilot’s license. Orville Wright signed his pilot certificate. In 1941, Ohye attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The army declined him due to his race, placing him in an American relocation camp in Arizona; despite this, he remained a loyal U.S. citizen.
In the 1960s, economic and trade tensions arose between the U.S. and Japan. Ohye planned and executed a Goodwill mission to Japan to reconcile the countries and maintain peace. In July 1964, The ’63 Comanche Christened, the Toku-Hana, in honor of Ohye’s parents, took off from Los Angeles; Along the route, it stopped in Oakland, Honolulu, Midway, Wake, Guam, Okinawa, and the flight ended successfully in Tokyo. Ohye delivered his letters of goodwill from sister cities in the U.S., helping to maintain peace and friendship between the two countries.
Henry Ohye left, Japanese Princess, Middle.
Henry Ohye right, Japanese Princess, middle
When Ohye planned his goodwill mission, he was not looking for self-gratification, man’s applause, or even monetary gain; his motivation was to bring about reconciliation and friendship between two countries that had been ripped apart by war and distrust. He made this perilous journey out of love for his fellow men. Ohye donated his time, energy, and resources to help make the world a better place.
The Tuko-Hana today is still in service
Today Ohye’s legacy lives on at Wings 4 Humanity. The Toku-Hana continues to serve on goodwill missions around the USA. The Toku-Hana is used for Mercy Flights, flying cancer patients and displaced children, and transporting rescue personnel to their destinations free of charge. The Toku-Hana was a gift to Wings 4 Humanity so that we would always use this plane to serve, which is what we do! Would you consider donating to our efforts?
