HEBER CITY — A memorial in Wasatch County to a Japanese aviator who planned to fly around the world but crashed and died in Utah on one of the first legs of his trip has been upgraded and rededicated.
Masashi Goto crashed in the Uinta Mountains on July 4, 1929, during a thunderstorm shortly after departing Salt Lake City as part of his journey, which started in Los Angeles, California.
A memorial was first placed near the crash site off Wolf Creek Road in Wasatch County, and it has been rededicated over the years. More recently, it was fired on by apparent target shooters and the focus of an upgrade effort spearheaded by the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, according to Metra Barton with the Salt Lake City chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League.
"Although tragically cut short, Goto's mission is a unique part of our local history and presents an opportunity to preserve his story and educate passersby," reads a press release.
Reps from the Utah State Historical Preservation Office, Gov. Spencer Cox's office and three Utah chapters of the Japanese American Citizens League took part in a rededication ceremony on Saturday at the location.
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Multicultural Utah
Looking for more news about the different cultures that call Utah home? Visit our Multicultural Utah section for more stories, events and features.Goto, the first Japanese citizen to have a pilot's license in the United States, had planned to fly across America and Europe en route to Tokyo. He was going to transport his plane across the Atlantic Ocean on a ship.
Over the years, the memorial to Goto has been the target of vandalism and theft. The new monument, installed last year with the help of U.S. Forest Service officials, features three educational panels with information about Goto's mission.
Around 30 people attended Saturday's ceremony, according to Barton. The ceremony was hosted in part by Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest officials.
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Tim Vandenack
