The night temperature was 15 degrees Fahrenheit. The dark was broken only by the glow of the headlights from the next truck in the convoy.  The headlight beams were seeping through the countless holes and cracks in the canvas that served as the only barrier between the Marines and night.

Tadehara, a heavy equipment mechanic with Task Force Fuji, was returning to Sendai, Japan, after dropping off kerosene to areas hardest hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

“Kerosene is how they heat their homes; it’s how they stay warm at night,” said 1st Lt. Eric Harley, a platoon commander with Task Force Fuji. “It is very cold. It’s 33 degrees (Fahrenheit) right now, and it’s in the day, so it gets very cold at night.”

Tadehara said the cold weather was nothing new to him, but mainland Japan’s humidity was a reminder for him of how far away from home he was. 

“I grew up in Salt Lake City, so I’m used to the cold,” said Tadehara. “There is more moisture in the air here though; it chills the air a lot more than the dry cold.”

The convoy was passing through villages completely destroyed March 11. Recipients of the kerosene supplies the convoy carried had lost everything and were living in shelters set up by the Japanese government.

“Some of the villages had nothing left but the foundations of houses,” said Harley.  “When we got into those villages, we’d be driving along, and there’d be a 40-foot yacht in the middle of the road. It was startling.”

The work and the chilling cold were worth it when the convoy stopped and delivered its supplies of fuel, said Tadehara.

“When I got to go out and see the end result and contribute to the Japanese civilians – see the little kids smile – it was all worth it,” said Tadehara.

With the eyes of the world on Japan right now, Tadehara feels lucky to be one of the few who can go out and help the victims.

“A lot of people really want to go and help. I’ve talked to one of my Japanese friends, a firefighter on Camp Fuji, and he was really passionate about trying to come with us,” said Tadehara. “So, I feel very fortunate to be out here.”

Even half a world away, back in the U.S., Tadehara’s friends have expressed their desire to come here and pitch in, he said.

“I’ve talked to my judo sensei who is back in the states, and he really wanted to come here and help,” said Tadehara.  “He wants everyone to know that the Japanese will pull through; that they are strong.”

Serving in the Marine Corps, Tadehara said he had the training and the opportunity to go into the heart of the disaster area and help those who needed it most.

“When I joined, I had the intent of serving my country honorably. I never knew I was going to be in Japan helping out the Japanese people and being an ambassador, but I’m very proud that I am,” said Tadehara. 

“We are always ready,” said Tadehara.  “Responding to these types of situations is an especially important role … considering where we are located in the Pacific on the ring of fire.”

The role, while challenging, was also rewarding for the Marines with Task Force Fuji, Tadehara said.  He said his most rewarding moment was finding new teammates in the fight to help out those affected.

“I was on a Japanese base, and a soldier from the (Japan Self-Defense Force and I) started talking. We shared (Meals, Ready-to-Eat), and our friends started coming over. Pretty soon, everyone was sitting there eating and talking together,” said Tadehara. “We found more brothers in arms, and we all had the same goal.”

As the convoy winds down for the night and draws back to the Japanese military base providing temporary lodging for the Marines, Tadehara is grateful for the warmth and the opportunity to get a few hours of sleep, but he is also looking forward to getting back on the road delivering supplies the next day.

“I just want to get my feet warm and my body rested, so I can hit it full speed tomorrow,” said Tadehara.