Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

Hi Eric - it is very interesting for me to hear from you what Japan was like in the '50, which is when you were a kid there, but I had just left. Also, it happened that all the Americans I knew were the Military, meaning adult. I didn't know any Amer kids, so I didn't know what life was like for you there. In fact I probably wasn't aware that there were any US kids there, and maybe there weren't until the 50's, I don't know. Also, I do remember that the military was segregated in 1948, since the ARC had separate housing for Afric-American personnel - I guess they were integrated a few years later. As for TV, I saw my first tv in the US after 1948, but tv was not as big a part of our lives as it seems to be for present-day kids. So, as far as the Japanese language is concerned, you must have been pretty fluent in it and maybe still are. Can you read/write, or just speak? Have you made efforts to keep it in your brain, or is it gone? How old were you when you left Japan for the last time? I guess for us kids it was easy to learn new languages, but I, at least, forgot it just as easily - too bad. Best - Steffi

Good morning, Steffi;
The US Army and other services began the integration of African Americans in the period between WW II and the Korean War. This was largely the doing of President Harry Truman and like minded individuals in the military. My dad recalled that Truman considered any opposition to this change as a good reason to retire the old timers who could not adapt. The quickest service to undertake this was the Navy, followed by the new US Air Force, recently separated from the Army.
One of my best friends from the 50s was a Nisei (father was black, Army Master Sergeant career man, mother was Japanese.) His dad had plenty of stories from "before and after" the great change in the military services.
My command of Japanese seems to come and go. Some years back, wife and I were at Ixtapa, Mexico and I overheard a Japanese man and his wife at the next cabana. He had to have been the most surprised person on the beach when a gaijin struck up a conversation in Japanese. He mentioned that he was an executive with Toyota, which was building cars in Mexico.
Recently I had a phone call from a friend in Yokohama and I couldn't think of a much more than "moshe-moshe."

I was in Ixtapa in late 1987, and stayed at the Krystal hotel. Nice hotel and nice area, but I was not overly impressed. Flew down there from Little Rock to Dallas and from there on Mexicali Airlines on a 727 that stopped at every little podunk airport on the way. I traveled with friends, a couple from San Antonio who fixed me up with a blind date and she backed out at the last minute, so I ended up being a third wheel. Hope your trip there was better than mine.

Wally:
In 1987, Ixtapa wasn't much; hotels, surf and a few stores across the street from the hotel strip. Now, I'm told, it has a few more hotels and a lot more shopping. But to see some history, try a vacation at Cancun, then take a bus tour to Chechin Itza or one of the other ruins. Mexico City has pyramids and other neat stuff.
We also tried Huatulco, further south on the Pacific side. It was brand new with nothing to do but eat and sleep. We checked out and flew to Oaxaca via DC-3 "Air Liberdad" and this town was full of old Indian and Spanish culture.

The Navy Exchange in Yokohama was fairly small in 68-72...I was a corpsman at the Yokohama dispensary, living at Bayside Courts..the exchange was in the same area as movie theater..Kinnick High was close by. Remember the Seaside Club located in the housing area...one of the hot night spots was a Japanese club called IG's "Italian Gardens"

Hi Gary I was with the Veterinary Detachment 67-69. Do You remember Dr Coley ? They called me up to get my booster shots. They suggested that I spread them out and I asked them to give them to me all at once. Got Colera typhoid shots all at once. Big mistake, got pretty sick that night but still had to work at center pier the next day. You guys were great. Having to put up with all of the dependants. My wife was a regular customer, she was troubled with what they called Yokohama Asthma.. whatever that was. We figured it was the polution. I lived at Bayside Courts for only a short time then got a Japanese apartment. Went there every day to get transport, ate breakfast at the small lunch place there.
Hung out at the Zebra Club and Peanuts on Isezaki-cho. Our HQ was accross the street from the Navy Dispencery. You might read on earlier posts here. We've been having a good time at this. Welcome aboard.

Check out this site:
http://www.photoclip.net/travel/hotels/blog/2007/11/03/honmo...

Regards,

Oh Eric.. saw the photos, how did you find these ? Thank you for sharing them with us. The old "home town" looked pretty sad, especially the ones of the old Bill Chickering. In another shot shows area 1 housing with those very ugly raised pipes. When I had my old photos back there was one shot that showed these pipes. I guess they were for steam pipes. Do you know? In a way its sad but best for the land that its all changed, was looking pretty shabby. I'm sure the Japanese are happy to get it back too. Hope Kaoru is OK, and you too. Would love to hear from Steffi again. Get out your slicker, I think you are going to get a little visit from Old Ike.

I lived in Yokohama from 76-82, dad wasn't in the Navy but all my pals dads were! I lived at 150 Yamate Cho, then we moved down the hill a bit. I went to St. Maur, but most of my pals went to YIS. We ended up moving to Negishi and lived right across the street from the base (I could walk to my friends houses). I remember going to movies on post, and going to visit friends who moved to Yokosuka (GREAT Halloween parties). I also LIVED at YCAC. Does anyone know how to make YCAC dressing? It was so good, and they don't make it anymore - I asked!

Hi Karen, sorry don't know but would like to ask what is YCAC dressing? Like salad dressing ? You should visit YOHI Devels.net is a great site.

Someone sent these to me a few years ago and I'd forgotten about them. Then, this morning, Kaoru sent them and asked if I'd seen them. Really stirred up memories.
Funny; the PX complex picture looks so small compared to my memories. I spent every Saturday morning at the Bill Chickering (named for a Time-Life reporter killed in the war) watching old serials and westerns. I remember when the price for admission was $.15.
When the Navy took over, the name came off the building and movies were free, but no Saturday matenee. Then, for some unknown reason, as the Army returned to Yokohama in support of the Viet Nam war, the Chickering name went back up.

the proportions seem right to my memory. Remember you were pretty young then. I think the admission was 25 cents, but not sure. Glad to know that Kaoru is OK. I still have a letter to have him translate. Time flys. As I recall it was about a 1/2 hr walk from my apartment to the exchange area and grabbed a taxi when I could. Once at Bon odori we went there all dressed up in yukata and geta. Lots of fun.

In my mind's eye, I see row after row of American and Japanese cars parked out in front of the shopping area. (Of course I realize there were only three rows of cars.)

A big lane by the sidewalk in front was for big green busses. A Japanese man worked the public address system in a little building, calling out, "Negishi Heights, Bluff Route, Yokosuka in 20 minutes..."
The bus rides were free.

The complex was a horse shoe, and from left to right were the 12 chair barber shop, liquor store, the commessary, the two story PX, the Bill Chickering, the Snack Shop, then finally the bowling alley and gas station.

There was a fire station grouped in here on the right side. I have written previously about my fire station debacle in previous posts...

Behind the shopping center was the Neet Nac Club.

All are welcome to add to thie above if I've forgotten.

Eric: you have a great recollection of the layout. I recall that on the left side [ from the street] was a small store I think it was called the "Stop and Shop". Thats where we purchased what we needed ,food wise. As I had posted, It was just my wife and I and we found out that we could eat out cheaper than we could eat in. So I don't remember a large supermarket. Also we never went bowling or had a car so I really don't recall the bowling alley or the gas station. There was a wonderful service called the "pack and ship". It was located near the bowling alley. Again this was 67-69. At this service you could take items purchased from the exchange and for a fee [ which was perhaps a little more expensive than I would have liked] they would wrap your things and ship them for you. What a great service!! One early December we went from our little apartment down to Honmuku-dori and walked to the exchange area, picking up gifts as we went, simple stuff like japanese tea sets, saki sets and chawan. By the time we got to the Pack N' Ship we had out christmas shopping done. We picked out the wrapping paper, gave them the addresses and boom we were done. Our relatives marveled at the professional straping that held it together and drooled when they saw the green paper in there mailboxes. Behind the bowling alley they had a travel service. We took advantage of that. We made good friends with the travel agent and he walked us through some pretty complicated trips. The itinerary was all typed up and a breeze to follow. I consider this the most valueable part of where we were at. Without this we would have been very retared in out attempts in getting aroung the country. They also scheduled bus tours and we took one to Nikko. Previsly we didn't think much about the tour stuff but the ease and afordability really changed our minds. They would have a guide aboard which would tell us of the details of the history which we otherwise would not have gotten. I do not remember the liquior store at the exchange area, when I was there it was accross the street at area 1 perhaps next to and on the left hand side of the Seaside club. As I recall it was just a hole in the wall and the atmosphere was like you were sneaking something illegal. Dont remember the barber shop, I used the one at Bayside courts. I remember the barbers would give you a little Karate chop neck massage after the haircut. Also there was little or no discussion about how to have your hair cut. You sat down and they cut everyone the same. Once I let it grow and was repremanded for it. Now I wonder what the ladies did for a beauty shop. My wife had long hair and I think she just let it grow. We made friends with americans who were not allowed base privilages, they were at a huge disadvantage not being able to get stuff from the Exchange. Once I called it the PX and was quickly reminded that it was a navy exchange not an army PX. Thought that was a little odd. Some old baggage aparently. My first purchase from the navy exchange was a camera, a Petri V6 which I still have but dont use any more. it cost me $65 which was more than half what the price was on the local market as I recall. Wanted a Nikon but it was too expensive for an Army private. I am trying to remember about the weekly bulletin that the Navy put out. It contained information on tours, events and other stuff like language courses. I would love to see one of these. Too much to suggest that someone might have one.

I was an E-4 and at that rank you were only allowed eight bottles of booze a month, and I had a ration card at the Kishine NCO Club. However, to keep my Japanese friends supplied with Johnny Walker Black Label and Napoleon Brandy, I obtained ration cards at the Zebra Cub, Atsugi NAS, and I think I had one at the Yokohama PX, but can't remember for sure. I think it was at the Yokohama PX that a Navy Chief accused me of having liquor ration cards at all the bases, imagine that! Evidently he never checked, as I never got in trouble over it. I guess there wasn't an accounting system that kept tabs on how many bottles of booze an individual was buying.

I don't remember ration cards at all or signing in or showing ID,,did I miss something? Easy math time 8 bottles a month thats 2 quarts a week.. pleanty of booze. The Japanese loved jonny Walker and as I recall it was what.. $120 on the Japanese market we paid what..$3.50 ? A guy in our outfit resold liquor which was a no no. I gave some bottles as gifts which were well received, if not over the top in some cases. I really embarrassed myself when I gave a case of johnny walker to some guys who were very good to us. I bought a bottle a week for over 2 months. Big mistake, they couldn't give a gift in exchange and lost face, I should have known better. Sounds like Wally had a bit of a private friendship program going on Im "shocked!"
From what I recall Wally had other friendship programs going on. I tried to stay pretty straight while there they never would let us forget the infamous " stockade" whatever that was. I did take some stupid risks with pot. Once at the Bill Chickering can you believe it. Someone must have written a book on all the scams. A guy I went to school with mailed back an AK47 from Nam,in peices of course. The Japanese loved playing drinking games, whick I seemed to always lose. There was one with the Darumas stacked inside of each other if you got the one with the music note in it you would have to sing a tune. One Expat friend with a japanese wife would make this little brew called sho-chu. It was a kind of Korean potato liquor which went down like rocket fuel. She gave me a little bottle of this and I sipped it in front of my apartment on the canal accross from Motomachi. After about an hour the street and canal didn't look quite level and I remember thinking how can the water stay in the canal when it should be sloshing out. Walking was out of the question. Lessons learned.

I didn't max out my ration cards each month, but we also had a lot of parties at Hakuraku Mansion where I lived and we all, corpsmen and nurses, pitched in to supply the booze. I think Johnny Walker Black was only $35 on the economy, and Napoleon VSOP was $85. I paid only $4 for Napoleon at the package store, but I only gave it as gifts, never sold it. A bottle of expensive booze came in handy once in a while!

A bottle can come in handy once in a while.. like at the Bund Hotel. OOps my mistake. I saw on some old maps that Yamashita Park was once a military housing area. OK Peter keep it clean.

I remember the ration cards, which were in use after "ration books" were no longer offered by US Forces. My dad was a tea-totaler so the only alcohol he bought was for gifts. We always had some beer and liquor in the house for guests so the card was never close to being maxed.
We had a gathering at our house on one occasion with a lot of uniformed folks and their wives and kids, so dad bought several bottles of liquor and mix. A wife of one officer sat down in our kitchen and started knocking back straight shots of Jack and before anyone knew it, she was zonked out asleep on the floor.
Another great family friend who worked at the NSA (no such agency) liked to throw down two or three beers, then doze off snoring in dad's recliner.

On the PX complex, I forgot to add; there was a free standing bank just behind the bowling alley that was our connection to the US banking system. It was operated by the Bank of America of San Francisco, CA. There is a B of A operating today in the US, but it is not the same company.

Now you've got me thinking. Try as I might I know that there was no ration or liquior card that I had to use. The best I can recall is that there was some sign in the store [ I always used the one next to the Seaside club] indicating the restrictions. I never exceeded these so maybe they didn't even start with me. I do remember that the clerk was an american which makes sence since there was the potential of misuse. Every time I was in there I believe I was in uniform [ fatuges] so perhaps they took my name down from my name tag. Banks. I do not think that I ever had an account on the base. In fact, I know I didn't. Firstly I did not have that much left over and we probably had some odd idea as to not be too tied into "their" system. I had a wallett that had two separate compartments one for MPC and one for yen. And always had my trusy conversion card. We paid for everything in cash. My landlord would show up promptly on the 1st of the month for the rent [30,000yen I paid my electric bill at a japanese bank on Honmuku. I remember that the teller would count out the cash, hand it over to a second teller behind her she would count it out also then a third. No mistakes here. I would sign what I believed to be a receipt and was on my way. The tellers had a different way of counting out bills. Somehow they would fold them over and weave them through their fingers and flip and count them out very fast.The Japanese all had personal signature seals [chops?] I thought of getting one but by that time we were pretty short. I'm not sure how they would do one for a foreign name. At center pier the translator challenged me to a contest adding a collum of figures, me on my adding machine and he on his abacus. I pretty much figured I was being set up to lose but went along with it anyway. the outcome you can guess, I lost but honestly not by that much as I had an adding machine as a kid and got pretty fast with it. In those days we were processing huge ammounts of vegetables for shipment "down south" [Vietnam] It was a little odd that we avoided using the countrys name when we could especially around Japanese. Why I'm not sure but it was a custom in place when I got there. I have been using virtual earth and have finally resigned myself to know that my old apartment building was torn down and replaced with a home. [ or so it seems] This somewhat surprises me as the building was not that old. I have read that this is a common practice [ to distroy 20 year old apartment buildings. I guess that the land is more valueable than the rental income. Also I found and old black and white ariel photograph of the Yokohama air raid of 1945. while I can't be sure I does look like Naka Ku got pretty bombed out. I wonder what was at Bayside Courts before the occupation. Best to all.