In World War II, Japanese soldiers carried good luck flags into battle, which American soldiers collected. Now, they are returning home. The Columbia River Maritime Museum opens a new exhibit about this peaceful return.

ASTORIA — Japanese soldiers in World War II carried with them a very personal memento into battle: yosegaki hinomaru. These flags, covered with signatures and well-wishes for a safe return, were given by family and friends to the soldiers as they were sent off to war.

American soldiers in World War II collected flags from the bodies of Japanese combatants to take home as souvenirs. Now decades later, many veterans and their families are realizing that these flags might be the only tangible evidence of a beloved family member lost in a war fought long ago.

Although these Japanese soldiers never saw their families again, their flags are now returning home.

Join the Columbia River Maritime Museum, in partnership with Astoria-based nonprofit OBON 2015, to witness this story in a new exhibit, “A Peaceful Return: The Story of the Yosegaki Hinomaru.” The exhibit opens from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. The museum is located at 1792 Marine Drive.