Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

I'm sorry. I must have mistaken you for another who lives in the U. S. today.

I'm sure that your father was a typically wonderful Japanese citizen.I'm sure that you are too.

Actually I am happy to hear from someone who lives in Japan. It has been a long time since I have had correspondence there.

Sir:

I'ver very much enjoyed readng your stories from Yokohama and elsewhere. For ten years, age 3 thru 13, Yokohama was more or less my hometown.
I'll tell you a brief story of an American photographer we knew in Kamakura.
His name was Robert Lang, who I guess was in his late 60s or early 70s when we knew him. Bob Lang was married to a Japanese lady named Tokuko, who ne referred to as "Peanut," because of her 5 foot stature.
Bob was a commercial film maker and had been in Japan in 1941 gathering silk making stories for an American film strip publisher, McGraw-Hill.
Bob was put into a POW camp for the duration of the war but treated reasonably well. One reason may have been his ability to repair shoes worn by the authorities.
He wrote to us a dozen times after we returned stateside, always concluding his letters with "May God bless you with both of His hands."
He rests in a cemetery in Izu. I don't know what happened to Peanut.
I think of him often...

When we first went to Yokosuka in 1975 we lived in a Japanese house in Mabori Kiagon with Japanese neighbors and other Americans for 8 or so months while we waited for housing on the base.

One of our neighbors was Takahashi, the head of Northwest Arlines at Haneda. Having been born and raised in the twin cities where Northwest had its headquarters, Takahashi and I had a lot in common and often talked. After we moved on base I never saw Takahashi.

Years later when we were leaving Japan, the Air Force wanted me to fly from Yakota to San Fransisco on a Saturday. I had to be to work at Vandenberg on Monday.

So I called Takahashi at Haneda and told him I needed 5 one way tickets and a dog and cat to go to San Fransisco. He told me it would cost $1,700.

I met him and paid him the money on a Monday morning. He didn�ft give me a receipt or tickets for the flite on Friday. I didn�ft worry at all. A Japanese who gave you his word gave you something far more valuable than a receipt.

Friday nite Takahashi was waiting with flowers for my wife. He took me to a separate hanger where the dog and cat were put in cages.

When the plane left Iwas sitting next to Jim. In 1975 when I was offered the job in Yokosuka I had the family vote on whether to take it or not. The vote was 4-1 to go. Jim was the no vote. He wanted to stay with his friends. But the 3 years in Japan had completely turned him around. He learned to speak Japanese and could write in Kongi or Kata Kana. As the plane was leaving Jim said, �g I wish this plane was landing instead of taking off.�h

I think that was the general feeling of all of us.

Yes I have read your mention of Bob Lang before. I have read all the post in this thread, back to page one.

One of the problems of having lived in Japan is when you have to leave and lose touch.

Kamakura was on the way to Atsugi. I spent a lot of time there. Went through the giant Buddha there. Years later Jerry Brown, the governor of California, lived there between his 2 terms as governor.

(Not that I'm a fan of his, but I wouldn't be surprised if he learned a lot there.)

Years before I went to Yokosuka the Communications Center was Totsuka. The Admiral who was COMNAV for Japan said Naval Directions required that it be inspected by the fire department regularly.

The Communications Admiral said it was too secret for that. The two Admirals disagreed for years.

The people in Totsuka took advantage of it. They welded all the doors permanently closed except the front door. And they shut the sprinkler system off, claiming that it was not compatible with water.

Then they had a bad fire. 4 sailors were trapped inside and killed.
after that the Comm Center was moved to the caves in Yokuska.

Remember when Gary Powers was shot down over Russia? The U2 used to take off from Atsugi and fly over Russia, spying on them electronically. It would land at an air base in England and refuel. Then it would fly back to Atsugi spying on Russia again.

When it landed the CIA would pick up the electronics and process them at the Comm Center in Yokosuka.

Dick
You get the grand prize for reading this entire thread.
How long did it
take you ?

Dick-san

There was a Navy communication base in Kamiseya in Yokohama city. It was returned at present. Yes, Totsuka communication base in Fukaya was also closed. Dad and I've been to several times there.

This is commander speech on spring festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd4MBUoqhd0

Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Support_Facility_Kamiseya

We were acquainted with a U-2 pilot during our time in Japan. Harvey Leslie was an American Indian, raised on a reservation in the Dakotas, I think.

Back in those days, many AF folks carried a Zippo lighter with their name engraved on one side and their unit badge on the other side. Harvey gave me his lighter which I prized for many years.

Peter
It took quite a while to read all the pages. But then I have a lot of time on my computer as I presently live in a veteran home. Even then I skipped through a lot of the entries if they didn't pertain to Japan,

Kaoru

I read the investigation report you furnished. I didn't know it was actually 12 sailors who were killed in that fire. It had happened even before I went to Iwakuni in 1968.

Eric

Ah the old zippo lighter. I smoked heavily until 1989 and had a zippo lighter. It was very popular then.

Right across from the base at Yokosuka there was a huge lot filled with Datsun cars from the Yokohama area.

A ship would pull in and start taking on cars. They would drive onto the ship at 30 or 40 mph. When the ship was full it would pull out and takeoff to wherever it was delivering the cars. It took less than a day.

As soon as it left another ship would pull in and start loading cars.

That went on for the 3 years I was there.

Japanese Emperor and Empress are visiting Vietnam today. That was Emperor's big request. They are aged. Before, Emperor said that he'd like to retire the near future. I guess most of Japanese understand abdication. They would pray for the soldiers and citizens who died in VN. And peace.

Kamiseya was a small navy base about 10 miles from Yokohama. It was not an air base. Most of us that was stationed there were CT's. We had top secret cryptographic security clearances. I still can't say what we did. The base no longer exist.

the navy exchange was the last thing you saw just before entering chinatown. I was a good eating place, live band and drinks. It was very large. We used it as a launching point to chinatown and the girls.

Dick, it was 12 sailors that got killed in the tunnel fire that night of sept. 24, 1965. They were on the mid watch. Because our work was top secret , the door were all locked so no one could get out. By the time they unlocked the doors it was too late.

No Eric, they were two different bases. Kamiseya was a small naval base about 10 miles away from Yokohama. Those of us stationed there were CT's. Top secret security clearances. I was there when the tunnel caught fire. Very sad night. Lost 12 buddies that night.

Hi Gritz
The navy Exchange was about 3-4 miles from chinatown. Through the Yamato tunnel . Shopping and a movie theater.

I believe you are thinking of the Zebra club, it was just as you describe, anda short walk to Chinatown. To confirm, do you recall a waterfront park accross the street ?

Hello everyone,

This is Eric's wooden box. Chinese character is written with "Kotobuki". This is called "Kamakura-bori" and Kotobuki is meaning of the the lucky or long life.

http://photozou.jp/photo/show/3125106/246034121

Kamakura-bori
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamakura-bori

Thank you,

You are so right, Peter. I had the two mixed up. Hard to figure, I was stationed at Kamiseya for2 plus years in the mid sixties. Thank you.

you are so righty, Peter. I was stationed there in the mid 60's. Been a long time.

Hey Gritz

Not hard to understand the mix up..it was oer 40 years ago after all.

I figured out or heard why it was called the Zebra Club..right there all the time.
Zebra has stripes...enlisted men have stripes. bingo...