Okinawa 1940's - 50's - 60's - 70's -PG-13

[Muku]

Originally Posted by Oxmix

Like GaryK said, Okinawa was at it's best in the 60's.
Ox

I would venture a guess that it all depended which side of the fence you were living on back then.

I heard all these kinds of stories from various cousins and relatives about Okinawa prior to coming here the first time myself.

But I have also heard plenty of stories about how things were not so great for way too many Okinawan's as well.

But I doubt that many guys back then really paid any attention to anything other than their own gratification.

[GarryK]

When I arrived in February 1960, I fell in love with Okinawa during my ride from Naha Port to Sukiran. When I started hitting a few bars I treated them all with great respect. My favorite place to hang out was the Palm Caberet in Moromi. Mixed drinks were 50 cents and a couple of gals would match me drink for drink; bourbon and coke. Got to know the ladies very well and the bartender. They had a little house out in back where the ladies would take their dinner break and a lot of times I was invited to join them just for good conversation. A few times after closing I would be invited along with the gals for card playing; learned how to play Hanafura and got to be fairly good at it. I remember one card night where I had my first try at sashimi. Loved the octopus and shrimp better. Bottom line is I treated every Okinawan I met with respect. Some of the military idiots thought that they were Gods gift to women and acted like that when they went into a bar = they were as long as they were willing to pay the price (and I believe it was raised for them). Okinawa back then was what one made of it. I made up my mind that I was going to have a great time and experience.

It has been such a long time ago, but I believe that in the early 60's the Sakaruzka area was technically off limitis to the military - thus no "A" signs. It was one of the areas that was known to be a hot bed for the Okinawa Communist Party and the presence of a GI could be cause for trouble to start, and it was another Okinawans only bar district. Not many military went there as it was in an out of the way area. Only on occassions would the RASP patrol the area and that would be if they received intelligence reports that military were hanging out there.

Respecfully, Garry

[DesertDonn]

Naha, Kokusai-Dori street, the round building is the Kokuei-Kan Theater which I understand was torn down in the early 2000’s



Itoman



Ishikawa



University of the Ryukyus, Shuri



Nago



Haneji



Yaka Beach Enlisted Rest Center

[elgringoloco]

I guess Sakarazaka perhaps was technically off limits, but I never saw an 'off limits' sign there. Regardless, it was a fun place to go. Don't know as I ever saw any communist there though. Not once did I encounter any hostile natives there either, just indigenous folks that were interested in having fun.

[toshi]

I have a few 1967-68 photos posted at www.okinawa.com in the Photo Gallery, here >>
http://okinawa.com/component/option,...id,17/lang,en/
(copy & paste no doubt) Check them out.
My username there is "rastamon"

I was stationed in the Army at the 2nd Log Command (Machinato service area) 585th MaintCo, a few miles north of Naha on the west coast, from 3/67 to 10/67. To include 3 TDY trips with USARPAC Calibration Teams.

[hanleyman1]

I'm currently stationed here in Oki and trying to figure out some history of the building/area I work in. Currently the building is, and has been since the early 80's atleast, the USMC Wing-side EOD Compound. It's located near the runways on kadena, off-base though, and on top of a hill. I've heard it was called spy hill or something of the sorts and also rumors it was a CIA building back in the day. If you were going north on Rt 58 and took a right at the Kadena traffic circle, our compound is about 3/4's the way to Gate 3 on the left.

Calling base property and surveying the only info they could pass was that the building was build in 1955. There's a lot of random concrete still in the ground and just trying to get an idea of what the place use to be. Our main building is shaped like a shoebox and we have what we think was a guard shack (now its the guard dogs' house), and then a weird shaped rectangular building. I'll try to get a google maps pic up...

Any help would be amazing, thanks!!

[Oxmix]

You're probably at Tori Station.

Regards

Ox

[Blues]

Originally Posted by hanleyman1

I'm currently stationed here in Oki and trying to figure out some history of the building/area I work in. Currently the building is, and has been since the early 80's atleast, the USMC Wing-side EOD Compound. It's located near the runways on kadena, off-base though, and on top of a hill. I've heard it was called spy hill or something of the sorts and also rumors it was a CIA building back in the day. If you were going north on Rt 58 and took a right at the Kadena traffic circle, our compound is about 3/4's the way to Gate 3 on the left.

Calling base property and surveying the only info they could pass was that the building was build in 1955. There's a lot of random concrete still in the ground and just trying to get an idea of what the place use to be. Our main building is shaped like a shoebox and we have what we think was a guard shack (now its the guard dogs' house), and then a weird shaped rectangular building. I'll try to get a google maps pic up...

Any help would be amazing, thanks!!

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[SnaFu]

As always the pictures you are all posting are terrific.

I had heard stories of a Vietnamese officer POW Camp during the Vietnam War somewhere on the south eastern end of Okinawa. Do any of you know if that is true?

Also there used to be a place on Camp Kinser that appeared to be some sort of old compound with what appeared to be guard towers. When I was stationed on Kinser in '80 the area did not appear to be in use. I think they were there probably still there up until about 10 or 15 years ago. I guess it would have been called Machinato back then. It was on the north west end of the warehouse area. Any idea what that was?

[daveh5o]

The compound you work at is a former missile silo area. I have seen photos of it taken in the sixties. Hope this helps.