Anyone live in/near Kanto Mura 1970-73?

I too lived on Kanto Mura Housing Annex, but earlier than you. 1963 to 1966. I attended Chofu High School and my father worked at Fuchu Air Station. I would enjoy chatting with you and, who knows, perhaps we can brainstorm a way to find out more about your Japanese hosts.

Martin

I'm responding to the post about Tony Reed. I was on Kanto Mura from 1968 to May of 1972. I, too, knew Tony Reed - he was on second string behind me on the "Bulldogs"! I was quite surprised one day while at work (DuPont) and they showed a United Way film and there on the screen was Reed. When he announced his name, I almost fell off my chair thinking I was first string, he was second, and I ended up HERE! Anyone know where he's at these days - or "Shorty" Wright? We were best friends. I'm REALLY looking for my 1st girlfriend - Teresa McAtee - half-japanese and black!

I too was in 3rd grade at Chofu. I remember my teacher as Mr. Sacco. My folks bussed me to Santa Maria in town for a little before sending me to Chofu in 1969...and yes, we all remember the hole in the fence! I remember covering myself in fear in the very back of the vw bug we had when my Mom drove to Fuchu on that skinny road with crazy taxi drives whizzing by you. I was on the Pirates with a green "P" and we played all our games on the Green Belt....my first baseball game was at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo and my first love was the Yomiuri Giants...Kuroi, Doi, Nagashima, the Takahashi brothers and of course Ichiban, Mr. Sadaharu Oh ladies & gentlemen.

Like Lew, I wish I had those days back.

I think I remember Tony Reed, but I do remember Shorty Wright, his bro. Paul Brown, Andre & Vincent Downey, Cherie Warring & her brothers, Darryl, TC Carter, Ungers, Jeff Clark, Stanley Jones, Terry Fultz, Jerome. Mrs Lau's Class, Sonya Magellanes, Carol Wright. Lived behind Patrick Branson, across from the Flowers. and the girl that played football. Remember Paul Brown in the high school play with chains on. Slipping into darkness was playing, it was TIGHT! gyosas at the snack bar, oh yeah! Teen Center learning to play Tonk, and Pool. remember lots more, n the hole in the fence, felix gum. bbq Ramen. football games, catching bus to games in Yokuska? I was on that exchange trip to, and stayed with a Japanese fam, remembered the bullet train ride, sandwiches after with mandering oranges, cucumber. Summerland.

I lived on KM 71-72 went to Chofu Elementary, Remember Stanley Jones, Terry Fultz, Andre Downey, Vincent Donwney, Paul Brown, Shorty Wright, Pat Bronson, Felisha Ford football player. Flowers, TC Carter, Darryl, Shorty's bro. The Warrings, Ungers, Jeff Clark, Hatchimongi, Mrs. Lau 6th grade
Carol Wright, Sonya Magallanes. Gyosas, Stayed with a Japanese fam, Cheryl and I. remember the bullet train.

I was there from 1968 till 1972. I all conference fullback on the varsity football team and remember Tony Reed very well. He went on to play in the NFL as well as a few others. I was also in the Choraliers and sang in several bands. One was called the Soul Searchers and then went on to sing in a band called The Brotherhood. We played at lots of military installations in Japan as well as FEN radio station. I do remember minkos and bubble gum and the hole in the gate. I also remember mama sans at the back gate. I loved going to the cafeteria for a hamburger and french fries with gravy. Those were the days!

I lived in Kanto Mura between 72-74, moving to Yakota afterwards. I was 7 & 8 at that time, and I remember walking by myself to school every day, and walking home for lunch too (who would let a kid do that nowadays?). I remember the hole in the fence - not just the candy but the cheap toys too that guy had! And the cub scouts! Not sure why we ''marched'' in so many parades, but it was fun nonetheless!

I lived at both Grant Heights and Kanto Mura from 70-73; I was five when we got there. I remember doing all the things that others have posted - cultural exchange, buying candy through the fence, etc. My brother and I also did some commercial work - he more so than me. I really need to go back as an adult. One of my favorite memories is the big Easter egg hunt. My friend back then was named Audrey . . . I think Audrey Smith but could be wrong! We left Japan and came to Oklahoma along with several other familites we knew.

hey i lived at kanto mura in 65-68 we lived behind the big warehouse and the play ground. anyone who lived there at 65-68 give me a line at ozzyden1960@yahoo.com. i remember my teacher was miss hamilton

We lived at Grant Heights too! From 1957-64. My folks sent me to Sancta Maria International School in Nerima for nursery-2nd grade, although we lived just down the street from Narimasu Elementary on base. We went stateside (Illinois) for four years and returned to Japan 1968-71, but lived at Sagamihara DHA near Camp Zama. The summer of 1971 (just before my freshman year in H.S. and our move to Hawaii), me and our former maid from the early years took the train and bus for one last visit to Grant Heights for old time's sake. I remember walking from the main gate clear across the base to my very first home on the opposite end of the base. I think it was 213-A (duplex quarters) right across the street from the Little League field and the big ramada that they used for the Haunted House every Halloween. OMG, lots of memories ^^

Prior to the closure and demolition of Washington Heights in 1963, it housed approx. 5,000 officers and dependents. A good chunk of the land was used for the Olympic Athletes Village and the rest became a part of Yoyogi Park in central Tokyo. I remember going to the Wash Heights "O" Club as a kid and the base chapel for mass if we happen to be in downtown Tokyo on Sundays. Apparently, not all of the housing was demolished. A few years ago, I stumbled across a Japanese website that featured photos of purported haunted places in Japan. It included several photos of a still standing but abandoned remnants of a single-story duplex that you could clearly recognize as dependent quarters. Except it was overgrown with weeds, bramble and thickets. I downloaded the photos. It's somewhere in the heavily wooded section of Yoyogi Park near the Olympic Village. It's supposedly haunted by yurei (ghostly spirits) and most visitors to the park don't venture into or near it. You know how the Japanese are about ghosts haha. Just about anything that's abandoned is haunted! I just can't imagine why the city left it standing all these years!?

Lots of great memories from Kanto Mura...I was 8 when I arrived, was on the Surfers swim team, did judo, on the Vikings extension football (our tackling dummy was a duffel bag with a a board and milk cartons in it)...was in cub scouts, the hole in the fence (I still have 2 large boxes of menkos)...At Yokota, I was on the Chiefs, then the Rams (Mr. Gremmels was the coach - and John just connected up with me on Facebook)...lots and lots of memories....Steve B..did you live next to me on Yokota?

Chofu Elementary alumni are difficult to locate, so I'm very happy that some of you are still finding my original post. I've gone back over some of the more recent comments and it's nice to know there are others who remember staying with Japanese families and Summerland! I had never seen anything like an indoor wave pool before, so Summerland really left a lasing impression on me. Did anyone else ever get to visit Dreamland in Tokyo or Fujiland at the base of Mt. Fuji? Those were some awesome theme parks too. I'm also quite jealous of those of you who still have your menko collections. I had a huge box as well (even though menko has always been considered a boys game in Japan, there were a few of us girls on Kanto Mura who loved to play), but unfortunately, due to military weight and space restrictions, I had to give away all of my menko when my father was transferred to Clark AB in the Philippines in 1974. It was tough being a Brat!

If any of you have visited my website lately you may have noticed that I haven't updated it lately. So sorry! I've just been really busy, but I'll get to it as soon as possible.

Are you familiar with the site devoted to Chofu High alumni? Even though I pnly attended Chofu Elementary and not CHS at any time, I still once in a while post on the forum at www.chofu.org. As a matter of fact, I recently posted some images of old "Fuji Flyer" newspaper articles pertaining to CHS, Kanto Mura and a scan of an actual KM Chiefs youth football uniform patch. My own website devoted to Chofu Elementary alumni is www.chofuelementary.org. It's been up for several months, but I need do some updating work on it, especially the message board. The board host is a good company, but I'm not really happy with the way the forum functions. I've had some major spam and image corruption issues with it, so perhaps I should find a better message board...one that is more user-friendly and attractive to CES Brats. Anyway, I'll let you all know when I've updated my site.

Great memories. We lived in 803D, right across from the Tennis Courts. Played football with the KM Chiefs 72. Use to turn the tennis court lights off while people were playing. I remember the Security Police station with the fish pond. How about the Green Belt for football practice. Good times. Al Stilley

Fun seeing all the posts. I lived there from 70-74 (5th-8th grade). My mom was the librarian at the elementary school (Mrs. Williams). She (and my dad) were good friends with the Saccos. She keeps in touch with several of the teachers from back then. I saw a name in one of the posts - David Popp - who was a friend of mine in Scouts. The last time I saw him was in 1977 in Tacoma, WA. I remember the hole in the fence - didn't see anyone mention those meat/vegi filled doughballs that they kept in the steamer. Can't remember the house number. Anyone remember camping at camp tama?

Thanks to my brother, we found this site. Maiden name was Williams. I was 3rd thru 5th. I remember the hole in the fence, my mom and dad having "casper the ghost" on their front lawn area for halloween. The Bunces ( an there were a lot of them) I remember the bus rides to Fuchu and the bullet train as well. Pichinco (spelling?) was great to play and New Years was cold but fun to go out in the city and be with all of the people. I remember I broke my arm in PE from playing dodge ball. The pork steamed buns were wonderful. Just not the same from Costco. Remember the roofs of the department stores that had small golf courses or parks. Boys day and the parades and all the fish flags.My mom is trying to sell a kimono that is over 50 yrs old and has every part plus the original box. Teen center was a blast and we got into some trouble. Cigs were 25Cents from a vending machine! Any one remember the librarians? Kathy Fagnan, Ron Sacoo, Jan Williams? I don't recall many names but would love it if someone recalled me that they contact me, Thanks for brining back some memories.

I landed on this site and thouoght I'd try to find Fuchu Air Station..........interesting reading some onf these posts...I was stationed at Fuchu Air Station from 8/66 to 8/68.had the time of my life........got to know some of the locals on a personal basis.........although Fuchu has been closed for some time now.I would love to go back and see the old area....

I attended Kanto Mura from 72 - 74, 2nd and 3rd grades, our family moved to Yakota for my 4th grade year. I do remember buying candy in the hole in the fence, being active in the cub scouts (my mother was a den mother for one of them), and watching Japanese TV kid shows and trying to figure out the plot, even though I didn't know the language! I remember 3rd grade - the attractive teacher we had replaced by the complete opposite, and ironically named "Ms. Fast" (she wasn't). Still though, somehow our class did some sort of charity work and our group photo in an issue of "Stars and Stripes", so that was cool. Good times, Good times...

My family lived on kanto from 70 to 73.My older brother butch played football with the bulldog's and Tony Reed. I have A sister Julie and A brother Rick. We lived by Tommy and Stevie Monas.
I made many purchases from poppa san through the hole in the fence.