Stationed on Okinawa
by Harold PopeI served in US ARMY June 1958 thru Nov 1959 at Sukiran.
Served with USARYIS Signal Group with duty at Headquarters
Facility. Arrived there as a PFC and left as Corporal. Played
lot of basketball at Fieldhouse(forgot name) Loved my stay
there although I was away from my family. Okinawa was
and still is a beautiful place, nice beaches beautiful scenery.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone that may have been
around during this period. I retire from the Army as a CW4
and currently enjoying my benefits.(Harold Pope)
August 25th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Ii was stationed at Naha AB as a dental officer from Dec57 to Nov59. What a marvelous time! Got to travel much of Japan and Southeast Asia, went home via Australia and New Zealand; have been in St. Louis ever since.
Took my wife to the island in 2000 and she was enchanted. Couldn’t find any old friends but did meet the sister of one young lady I knew well.
If there is anyone out there who worked either in the dental clinic, fighter club or BX I’d be delighted to hear from them.
We hope to visit again in a year or two.
Have things changed? You bet. The only building I recognized on Kokusai Dori was the movie theatre. The YRETTAB shop is gone as are the bars I knew. Naminoue, once a poor red light district now has $300 a night hotels. Don’t know about the other activities. Black market alley has beenupgraded but is still fun. Highway 1 is now Route 58. Bembo’s is still around but hard to find and expensive. One thing hasn’t changed–the weather. Walk outside the terminal and you’ll know where you are.
Yes Japan is expensive now, but Bermuda is moreso. Through air tickets to Okinawa are costly but we got a good deal with a consolidator into Osaka and out from Narita. ANA still offers to overseas visiors cheap (about 11700Y) tickets for any domestic flight. You have to buy at least three and no more than five. But even if you fly into Naha and back out to the big smoke and leave the other ticket unused you’re still ahead of the game. Don Gutting
September 1st, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Kue hospital 69-72 dental officer. going back oct 08 with several people I served with. We all loved our time there.
September 27th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Harold Pope said
” Arrived there as a PFC and left as Corporal. Played a lot of basketball at Fieldhouse(forgot name) ”
I believe the name you are looking for is Stillwell Fieldhouse, if it was the one located at the bottom of the hill at Sukiran.
I was stationed there 62-64 with the 2/503rd Airborne Battlegroup into the change to 173rd ABG. I watched a few Friday night boxing matches at the fieldhouse, and our small bore team in the basement. Boy what a fun/party place, the island that is.
John
December 18th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Thanks John - Should have remembered that name, I spent many hours there.
During the the 50’s, 60’s all the forces had excellent sports programs to
include football, basketball, softball. I saw some good basketball and football
games while I was stationed there. I played for the Army softball team but
don’t remember how well we did!
Thanks for response
March 2nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
If you would like a vicarious trip back to the Okinawa of the early 1960s, please take a look at the novel “B.C. Street” on amazon.com–be sure and include the periods in B.C.–or visit: www.okinawa-bcstreet.com (this web site has an author’s blogs where you may leave reviews or comments). Published in the fall of 2006, the book is available in both paperback and hardback. Thus far, readers have given the book all five-star reviews on amazon. The author welcomes your comments at edcooper-edd@netzero.com and will respond.
March 2nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
In my previous post on 3/02/08, I meant to say “has an author’s blog (singular).” I tried to edit without success. At any rate, I will be grateful for any visits to my web site and do welcome comments about my book. I believe that it will rekindle many memories about Okinawa and the time you spent there. Matanae. . . E. A. Cooper