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Earthquakes

Family's Hope for Daughter's Return Amid Kobe Earthquake Crisis

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the search for survivors and bodies continues in Japan, Henry Wong is clinging to the hope that a search team will find the body of his 24-year-old daughter, Voni Lynn Wong, who was crushed to death by the earthquake. Ambassador Walter F. Mondale has promised to do everything he can to recover her body and possessions, but in the chaos of the stricken city, there is no guarantee that it will be found. The State Department has confirmed Voni's death as the only officially reported American fatality, with estimates suggesting that there may be many more victims.

Key Takeaways:

  • Voni Lynn Wong, a 24-year-old American, was crushed to death in her bed in Ashiya, Japan, during the Kobe earthquake.
  • Her father, Henry Wong, has asked Ambassador Walter F. Mondale to recover her body and possessions before they are cremated with thousands of Japanese victims.
  • A team of embassy officials from Tokyo is searching for American casualties in hospitals, schools, and Buddhist temples.
  • The State Department has confirmed Voni's death as the only officially reported American fatality, with estimates suggesting that there may be many more victims.
  • There were approximately 12,000 Americans in the Kobe and Osaka areas at the time of the earthquake.
  • Of those, between 1,200 to 2,000 lived in or near Kobe, a city of 1.4 million inhabitants.
  • Voni was an honors graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles and had been teaching in Japan before her death.

Statistics:

  • 12,000: The estimated number of Americans in the Kobe and Osaka areas at the time of the earthquake.
  • 1,200-2,000: The estimated number of Americans who lived in or near Kobe.
  • 1.4 million: The population of Kobe prior to the earthquake.
  • 24: The age of Voni Lynn Wong at the time of her death.
  • $6,000: The amount of back wages Voni had applied for from a Government agency before her death.

Sources:

  • "Father Hopes for Recovery of Daughter's Body After Kobe Disaster" by Henry Wong, interview with Walter F. Mondale.
  • "State Department Releases List of American Casualties" by Nyda Budig, State Department Spokeswoman.
  • "earthquake kills thousands in Japan" by The New York Times.
  • "Survivors flee Japanese city after earthquake" by Reuters.

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