Typhoon, Reversion Riots, Slot Machines, Filipino Bands,
Koza, After Hour Bars, “The Bear,” East China Sea, B52’s, SR 71 Blackbird,
Eve-Day-Mid Watches, Pueblo Incident, Ping Pong at the Service Club,
Habu/Mongoose fights, “M” branchers eating lunch on the beams between the
towers, many fine people (US and Okinawan), and too little money with too
much to do.
COMMENTS: Great experience for a lad right out of high school.
COMMENTS: Here is my latest video about travelling in
Okinawa. Feel free to leave a comment with your top travel spots in
Okinawa.
Thanks, James
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Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 7:21 PM
Ed Smith
surfing under jspc
Taylorsville, Utah
1967 -1969
SP5
diving off the north west coast and just the social life
with so many friends
COMMENTS: I worked in the office of the Chief (Frank Harold USAF COL)
And Fred Cole (assistant Chief). We lived in the C company
building. hung out with E.G. Sandborn, Roy Hutchison, Barry
Bennett, Jack Smith and many others. None of us then would have
immagined the world (south east asia) as we see it today. part of
ed will always walk the streets of Okinawa.
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Sat, Nov 29, 2008 at 12:58 AM
Bill Irgens
Googled "Sobe Camp"
Baltimore, MD
May 62 through Nov 63
SP/4, from time to time. I was a Fac Controller in the Comm Center.
Cuban missile crisis, JFK assassination, LBJ's 1st
address to the nation, followed closely by 25 cent martinis at the club
annex & the cruise home on the USNS Gen. Barrett.
COMMENTS: Wonder where Dean McDowell, Jim Beam, Jack Mohn, Shelly
Gorman, John Prann or Rob Peyton might be?
COMMENTS: What a trip down memory lane this is! After the Army, I
went to CU, Boulder, then the Harvard B-School; I grew up a lot in the
Army, making my path post Army much easier. Hey, anybody planning
a reunion?
Will Luden
Chairman
Chief Evangelist
web: www.infopartners.com San Carlos • Menlo Park • San Francisco
email (alternative):
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Dates on Okinawa
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Oct 7, 2007 5:38 PM
Jim Green
61,62
Mos 982
COMMENTS: Jim Green, Torii station ops co. Mos 982
61,62. Played station level (and lower) soft ball and was on the
island army track team. I don't have computer skills to speak of
and this webtv internet connection is very unsafisticated. I can't
do much with it. I would like to hear from any one that knew me at
Torii station. Some years ago i was contacted by Doyle
Caton and (Jerry) Orton. Have since lost contact.
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Mon 31 Jul 2006 17:14:26
David Sowers
google
Vinton, VA USA
8/65-7/66 and 4/67-6/67
CPL USMC R Brancher
KC, Koza, KR6QW, Those Beaches, Orion, Short Time, Long Time!
COMMENTS: My first time overseas and I had a blast! I've been all over
the world with GE but my time on the Rock with Co. D is something I'll
never forget.
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Thu 23 Mar 2006 03:05:37
John Castronover
Google
Gainesville, Fl. USA
May 1963 to November 1964
Learning to fly at the Kadena Areo Club at Yontan airfield
COMMENTS: O56 and 057 with ASA worked at the Silo near the airfield.
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Thu 22 Sep 2005 17:22:34
Clinton "Zim" Zimmerman
surfing
Pennsville, NJ
1958-1959 Hq Co USARYIS
Good
typhoons
COMMENTS: I was in the Hq USARYIS in the G3 and later G1 sections. Was
selected to stay in the Hqs during typhoons eating c-rations and sleeping
on the floor. Many good memories. Have been unable to contact any of my
friends while there.
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Mar 30, 2005
Doyle L. Caton
browsing the web
Albuquerque, New Mexico
June 1960 - Sept 1962
MOS 962 & 722
COMMENTS: Hello,
I just tripped over your email address while browsing the web. I
was at Torii from June 1960 until Sept 1962, and I am trying to place
you. It was such a small post that I thought I knew most everyone
there.
I came to Torii as a 722 Cryptographer, but also had a previous MOS as
a 962, intelligence analyst, and got bounced around a bit between
jobs. My wife was a cryptographer at USARYIS HQ, so we lived off
base in Sunabe just outside Kadena Gate I. We had a black MG-TD,
and occasionally drove an Austin Healy 100-6 in local sports car events
for Bill Baxter, the British Car Dealer at Machianato. My last
event was a weekend of sports car and motorcycle racing we called the
Okinawa Grand Prix. It was at the old Yomitan airstrip above
Torii. As Grand Prix go, I guess one could say we had delusions of
grandeur.
Along with Bob Lancaster, I pitched for the Torii Station softball
team. Bob and I played against each other in company level at
Torii. He pitched for the Ops Co team and I pitched for Hq Co.
Last year, I joined the National Army Security Agency Association and
have tried to make contact with other former Torii guys who were there in
1960, 1961 & 1962. Some I have located are: Jim Green---I am not sure of his MOS, but he was in Ops
Co., and at 6 ft 7 inches, probably the tallest guy at Torii. He
was on the softball team. A couple of years ago he was living in St.
Louis MO. Larry Wright---Another Ops Co guy, Larry stayed on Okinawa for
a year or two after he got out of the army. He did a cartoon strip
and wrote for the Okinawa Times. When he came back to the states,
he began doing editorial cartoons in Detroit, and is still there.
He is a nationally recognized editorial cartoonist. Gerald (Jerry)
Orton---He is from near my hometown of Ada Ok, I ran into him there in
the early 1970's, lost touch and ran into him again a couple of years ago
near Houston, working as a parole officer.
Seems you and I also crossed paths later. I had worked at White
Sands Missile Range before my ASA duty. I left ASA in 1966 at
Arlington Hall, went back to the aerospace sector, and in 1974, I came to
UNM with NASA's tech transfer program.
I still live in Albuquerque , and would appreciate hearing from you or
any other early sixties era Torii guys.
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Fri 11 Mar 2005 03:11:45
Ed Garvin
Went to Sobe, Okinawa
Monroe, Mi
Jan, 1960-Aug, 1961
SP-4
Many happy memories with coworkers and villagers
COMMENTS: Worked as 056 at Torii Station. remember the giant snails all
over the sidewalk going to work in the morning. Spent many hours at a
little Sake House in KC.
I realize that there have been many changes, but would love to go back
and visit. Even if it is unbearable hot and stinky.
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Sat 20 Nov 2004 20:09:32
richard faraca
google
el cajon ca usa
0ct 68 thru may 70
ssg e
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Sat 28 Aug 2004 03:57:55
Bob Gach
Web Search
Gig Harbor, WA
1960 - 1962
Giving the local kids oranges on the way to operations;
looking for the "sky hook" on my first day in operations; beautiful
beaches; shift work as a "tape-ape."
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Thu 05 Aug 2004 14:17:33
Willis Rhoads
Tori Station Okinawa Search
Imperial/Missouri/USA
Nov 58 - Oct 60
SP5
Typhoons & Kadina Circle
COMMENTS: I remember it was hot and humid. I worked as an 057 and some 056.
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Fri 28 May 2004 01:55:03
Gary Kindred
Google
Atlanta, ILLINOIS
COMMENTS: I loved Okinawa dearly. I was lucky enough to marry an
Okinawan woman. 36 years now. Went back in 2000. The island was nothing
like I remembered. I was an 058 (morse interceptor). We didn't know how
well we had it.
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Sat 03 Jan 2004 23:12:49
Jay A. Adams
NCVA Site
Napa, CA USA
Oct 1966 to May 1969
Sgt and SSgt. USMC
Youngest Daughter Laura born. July 1967
COMMENTS: Was an enjoyable tour of duty. My wife Elaine taught school
at the DOD School, M&K on Kadena. Also being the only Marine assigned to
the Air Division at JSPC was interesting.
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Wed 17 Dec 2003 21:51:50
Bruce J Mitchell
just typed in Okinawa and went from there
Frenchtown, New Jersey
1955 - 1957
COMMENTS: Can't seem to find anything or anybody pertaining to the years
I was there. Too far back I guess.
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Thu 04 Sep 2003 04:13:26
J. D. (Don) Ratliff
NCVA site
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
January '64-Aug '66
CTI2-CTI1
Typhoons and my dog Duke
COMMENTS: I arrived on Okinawa after finishing the 15-month Mandarin course
at the old Navy Language School in Wash DC. My child bride of 2 years joined
me in Feb 64, and we had an addition to the family 9 months later. There are
only 3 duty stations I really enjoyed, and Okinawa is right in the middle of
the 3 (Cyprus and Guam are the other 2). We have pictures and terrific
memories of the good friendships, the interesting work, and fantastic
shipmates from JSPC-2 and NSGA. We are fortunate to meet some of these
friends from time-to-time at the annual NCVA reunions.
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Sun 03 Aug 2003 21:29:53
William E. Spalding "Bill"
Just looking around while at NCVA site
Kersey, Colorado, USA
Jun 69 to 73
CTA3
COMMENTS: Worked in the watch office then in J01 for Col. Eubank and Mr.
Bateman, still have some photos and other things now that I am getting older
and found this web site I will get them out.
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Saturday, January 18, 2003 12:10 AM
John (Jake) Pekarik
Minersville, PA USA
1963 TO 1966
CTR3
surfing
going to northern end of island on my honda
COMMENTS: max speed (30 mph) on any hwy. torii station was home for a few
years. what a treat to find a site that takes me back to some of the most
memorable years of the past. I still have the sony tc 500 tape recorder I
purchased at the ship store on base.
City, State, Country
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Monday, January 13, 2003 2:30 AM
Don Land
Titusville, FL
65-66
CTR3
google
The squirrel cage, Kadena Circle, Gobbler's Alley
COMMENTS: My first duty station after Corry Field. What an experience!!!
City, State, Country
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Wed 30 Oct 2002 22:55:29
Russell M. Poole
Dothan, Alabama, USA
7, 1957- 9, 1958 Linkou 9,'58-9,1959
SP-3 058.2
Surfing
A bunch
COMMENTS: Looking for an old Tori Patch from Sobe Camp.
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