Location - USMC bases on Mt Fuji in 1958

Found this site by accident but was amazed as to how many Marines responded about climbing My Fuji with the 9th Reg. back on 21 June 1957. This was printed in the Stars & Stripes Pacific Edition. I lost my climbing stick and "Top of Mt Fuji" flan banner but still have the little bell that was attached to the stick. Also still have a few photos going up and on of me on the top. Glad I made the trip and hope my son make it in 2017. (He is a retired USAF working in Japan). Loved reading to stories from you guys that were there with me. Semper Fi.
Ed Nichols
Long Island, NY

I was stationed at Middle Camp Fuji from March 1956 to January 1957 Climbing Mt. Fuji was a real challenge but very satisfying
when it was over. I was attached to H&S Company 3rd Regiment
Operations S3. After 3rd Division Landing Exercises in Luzon,
Philipine Islands , the 3rd Marines were transferred to Camp
Sukiran, Okinawa while 9th Marines went to Camp Fuji.Japan.
While on Okinawa , I played on on the the Camp Sukiran Streaks
baseball team until I rotated back to the states.
Very, very fond memories.

Semper Fi !
Ed Harp, Former Corporal, USMC

I was stationed at Middle Camp Fuji with E-2-9 from April 1957 until August 1957. I found it to be very boring with cinderella liberty with no place to go, and the brig across the street which was noisy day and night. I did make the Mt. Fuji climb.
Prior to this I had been in Okinawa for nine months. Good weather, interesting sights and friendly locals. We were on an Army base with an Air Force base nearby. We were fortunate to have probably the best company commander any one could wish for. Lt Stanley Wawrzyniak (Lt. Ski) had been awarded three purple hearts. one silver star and two navy crosses for action in Korea. He was tough but fair. Chaplain Little was there to calm him down at times. We did have our tragedies. September 1956 we had eleven of F-2-9 Marines swept out to sea.

I was with 2nd Bn. 3rd Marines at north camp in 1955-56. We made landings on Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Hope someone remembers. Semper Fi.

I arrived at Weapons Company North Camp in early February 1956, lots of snow and no heat in the barracks. North Camp was the highest camp on Fuji, we had a Marine Sgt. that was a POW at North Camp, we knew what direction the POW Camp was because he would never face in that direction. We could see the lights of the Leper Colony to the right and down hill.
In November we left North Camp for Middle Camp, I went to India Company, just across the road from the Brig, and don't let any body tell you that bad things never happened at that place. In a few days after arriving in Middle Camp we were off on a GOOD WILL TOUR for three months On the USS Telfair APA 220, when we came back we were all sent to Okinawa, and then I was sent back to Pendelton.

South Camp, Fujioka, I arrived at WPNS Co, Anti-Tank Plt, 1st Bn, 3rd Mar Regt, 3rd Mar Div. The three camps (North, Middle and South) on Fuji were American POW camps during WWII. Nov 9, 1956 all 3 camps went on alert, Ist Bn and 2nd Bn personel were selected and transfered to 3rd Bn to fill it out. The 3rd then moved by truck to Yokohama on Nov 10th, embarked ship joined task force to head for the Red Sea and the south end of the Suez Canal. This was to be an American takeover of the Suez. We were at the entrance to the Red Sea. The British and French beat us out with a combined parachute attack. The 3rd Bn then began (an adventure) a goodwill cruise, we visited Karachi (1st camel ride) Pakistan, Trincomale, Bombay (1st elephant ride) India, Rangoon (2nd elephant ride) Burma, Singapore Malaya, Hong Kong, Keelung Taiwan. Back to Japan and 1st Bn, Feb 57

I was in h&s, 1-9, my memory we went from Okinawa to north camp, early 57. 2-9 to middle camp, 3-9 south camp. 9th traded locations with 3rd reg after first meeting on western beach of Iwo Jima.
Arrived north camp after driving up from Youkuska. Cold, overcast, didn't see top Mt. Fuji for a month. Whole reg climbed in June 57. We were told the reg. would circle the crater and Life magazine were take a photo from plane. Arrived at top in clouds, cold and stayed about an hour before going down. No picture. Remember standing next to a small concrete block house at top.
That's my faded memory from an 80 year old corporal.

I was stationed at N Camp Fuji in 1956 and 1957. I was in f co in a rifle squad. Upon making corp I was switched to rockets and mortars. We left Japan for Okinawa in 1957. I spent part of 1957 at camp Sukeran. N camp Fuji was a much better duty station than Okinawa. Mosquito nets were issued and needed in Okinawa. You learned to not touch the nets while sleeping.While stationed at North Camp, which was actually an Army base, there was always places to go. We spent a great amount of time in Gotimba. Tomato was outside the base.Where could you go now days and have a shirt tailored made, the way you wanted, a suit, sport coat, anything, and inexpensive. I had a gold ring customed made. It was rather large.I was hoping to return to the states with it, but left the ring in my trousers while in Okinawa. Of course the laundry said they never saw it? Back in Japan George our laundry boy would have returned it. Loved Everything in Japan. The people cried when we left! Nice people? Finished @ Yorktown NWS, VA. SF