Wednesday, June 21, 2006 2:49 PM
Subj: Nakagusuku Castle
My dad was also in the 10th Army, 24th Corps. He remembers Naha, but cannot see the pictures of the castle well enough to say whether he remembers it or not. My dad's name is Frank Garcia from CA., called "little Garcia". He usually hung out with a soldier named Ford, my dad called him Junior. I am trying to get in touch with anyone who knew my dad. He always talks about being in the army. He now has terminal cancer, so I don't have much time.
Valeria Perin
Wednesday, June 07, 2006 10:41 AM
Hello:
I am sorry that I cannot help you with your book search, but was wondering if there is any chance of obtaining a/some digitial photos of the Circus Day book. I am looking for a book we read in Japan as children. I'm not exactly sure of the title or author. How's that for "helpful?" Apparently your text is in Japanese; it might be especially helpful if I could get a picture of the paper jacket and a couple of the inside of the book. Have you been able to get the book translated?
Thanks so much, and best of luck with your search!
Aletha Werner
Wednesday, June 07, 2006 3:59 PM
Hello, Aletha!
Thank you for visiting ClickOkinawa.com and for your message about my Okinawa Library. I have soooo many more publications that I need to add to my site - whenever I get (or take) the time. *Sigh!*
I have a couple of copies of the book you mention, both in English language, First Edition 1958. Author is Eleanor Hicks who also did the artwork.
Attached is a scan of the cover and the first page - I'm sure you'll recognize it. I think there would be some copyright ramifications were I to reproduce the entire book for you.
Please let me know, Aletha, if/how I may be of further help to you.
Kindest regards,
Mick
Thursday, June 08, 2006 11:35 PM
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my e-mail. I do believe that book is the one I am looking for, but I will have to take more than a cursory glance. Are you selling any of your copies or know where I can obtain one?
A. Werner
Thursday, June 01, 2006 4:05 PM
Hi Mick,
I ran across this web site and it has a web cam. go to www.mangohouse.jp and click on "live" middle left on screen. It is on the main shopping street in Naha.
I was going to the 623rd AC&W (Naha Air Base) reunion last month but had to cancel at the last minute. There is always next year.
Michael Prine
Oklahoma City
Michael's message made it all too clear that I have a horribly out-dated web-cam links feature. I'll need to get in there and clean it up, remove old dead links, etc. Thank you, Mike!
Mick
Monday, May 29, 2006 6:59 AM
My father was a LCT Skipper (LCT 1268) at Okinawa and then commander of LCT Flotilla 21 Group 63 based on Okinawa planning the invasion of the main islands.
He has a number of original orders from Okinawa which I want to give to museum. In scanning the internet there appear to be two museums on the Okinawa. Which museum do you recommend that I contact or is there another?
Mike Greene
Americus, GA
mikegreenelt@bellsouth.net
P.S. - Photos of the LCT 1268 are at archives/phibidx.htm.
Anyone who is on Island now have any suggestions for Mike Greene?
Saturday, May 06, 2006 10:01 AM
Mick -
I bought your Okinawa VHS tapes about three years ago, and thought that if you were still interested in Okinawa you might like to hear about a pretty good TV show (HDTV, though) about it. My wife read about it online on one of the Okinawan news sources when it was made, but didn't realize it was HD. I found it on the Discovery Channel HD Theater schedule, but too late to watch it. That did persuade my wife that it would be nice to have an HDTV, so we got one last fall. And I greatly appreciated it during football season! A few weeks ago, they showed the Okinawan episode again and we managed to get it on our Comcast DVR, but that didn't help my wife show it to her friends, so I wrote and asked about media. Turns out that they will be producing HD-DVD later in the year (which probably means next year), but they have conventional DVD available now so I ordered one so that my wife could lend it to her friends.
Obviously, the DVD is no match for HD, but it at least has a lot of good Okinwan footage. Following is the text of the reply I got when I asked about media:
Hi Larry,
Yes there are plans in the works for HD DVD versions of Festivals but it won't be happening until this coming Fall. In the meantime we are selling standard def dvds for $10.00 which includes shipping and handling. Send us a check with your mailing address and we can send whichever episode you would like.
Marc Pingry Productions
8814 Densmore Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
Thanks for your interest in our series. Discovery HD is ordering 12 more episodes.
Marc Pingry
Producer - Fantastic Festivals of the World
The URL for this particular episode is: http://www.pingryhdtv.com/festivals11.html
FWIW, this episode won an award for HD cinematography at the Deffy Awards (whatever they are).
There is also a Discovery HDTV special on "Okinawa's Coral Treasures" which makes the rounds if you happen to catch it.
Regards,
Larry Prall
May 7, 2006, at 3:49 PM
Hello, Larry!
I do recognize your name and want to thank you again for your purchases. Thanks too for this information about the Okinawa DVD. I'll cehck out that website and, more than likely, will order it.
Shall I give them your name as the person who referred me? (Some sites give credit to those who bring others in).
I hope you're enjoying a restful weekend,
Kind regards,
Mick
From: David Stewart
Sunday, April 23, 2006 2:01p.m.
Subj: 1940s pix
I just discovered your website and have spent the weekend enjoying your photos. You have a picture of an Army Officer titled "armyman" in the 1940’s group. I am almost (90%) positive who he is. Major William (Bill) Pollard. Now deceased; retired a colonel over 35 years ago. We also lived near them, on base, at Fort Eustis, VA in 1957. He changed a lot over the years and my memory is fading. Unfortunately, I have no pix of Col. Pollard in dad's collection.
This is the photo to which David refers.
He and my dad were best friends on Okinawa; however, that was in 1952-54, not the 40s. I have color slides taken by my dad of the floats on parade shown in pictures in your slide show. I am attaching my dad’s slide of a float, which was taken of the “Perry Centennial Day Parade.” Your picture of the same float, titled “Parade Food” is in the group of pix “The Work” in the 1940 pix. (Even the fellow walking in the foreground is in both pix.) Small world!!!
This one is posted on the site.
This a an enhanced portion of the photo David sent.
I was 12-14 on Okinawa and 17 at Ft. Eustis. The years dim my memory, but it sure looks like Col. Pollard. My parents are deceased and Bill and his wife, Mary, are all gone now so I can't verify the photo, but I'm pretty sure its Bill.
Dave Stewart
Pennsylvania
Sunday, April 23, 2006 5:29 PM
Hi, Dave!
Thanks for visiting ClickOkinawa.com and for your interesting message. I've posted your message in the "Mailbag" in hope that it might stimulate some correspondence among others who may have known you and Major Pollard.
I am trying to reseacrh Major / Colonel William Pollard and am finding many "hits" with his name - none with rank and name.
Do you happen to remember, Dave, where Colonel Pollard was from? His homestate could sure narrow the research.
Please go to the Mailbag and check it out! Oh, do you mind if I post your e-mail adderss along with your name? If not, that's ok and understandable.
"Talk" to you again!
Mick
David Stewart
Sunday, April 23, 2006 6:25 PM
Subj: Col. Pollard
Being a teenager at the time, I only knew the Pollard's socially....as a child you are not included in the finer details. After Bill's death, his wife, Mary, returned to HER family homestead in Ohio. I only know the state as my parents went out to visit Mary several times (my parents retired to upper New York state.) After my father's death 15 years ago, Mary did my mother's income taxes until my mother's passing 8 years ago.
I haven't seen Mary in 20 years, but my mother mentioned her many times. When my mother passed away I tried, unsucessfully, to trace Mary down in Ohio. I don't think Mary could possibly be alive now as she would have to be very old and her health wasn't good when Mom was still around. Bill and Mary didn't have any children.
When your slide of the army officer popped up, I thought, "That's Bill!" But it took a while to put a last name to the picture. I read the caption underneath hoping that a name would appear. The "unknown soldier" factor only increased the mystery. All I could remember is that he looked like the husband of my Mom's friend Mary. I am pretty sure it is him, but the last time I saw Bill, just before he died 30 years ago, he was very ill and had lost almost all body weight. (Bill was a heavy smoker and drinker.) At the time he and Mary were visiting my parents in upstate NY and I met him briefly. (These officers retired back in 1959-60.) The only other source of idenity would have been my older brother, but he passed away before Mom.
I'm not even sure what Bill did for the Army, but I believe he was in Finance. I THINK, and this is a big THINK, that Mary was a former Major in the Army Nurse Corp. That might help, but I'm not sure of that fact. Something in the back of my mind makes me think that I heard it once upon a time. Maybe that could help your search.(?)
I did go through my father's slide collection and find no pictures of any adult friends on Okinawa; only family and a few scenery shots such as the Perry Parade. About 75% of Dad's slides were totally ruined from mold and age. For some reason Dad did take about a half dozen pix of that parade. That's how I recognized the float. About six months ago I finally finished scanning my fathers entire slide collection (dating back to Guam - 1947) and that is the only reason that particular slide jogged my memory.
Wow, now I've really muddied the waters. Even I, at this point, have a few more doubts of his idenity. But my first impression when I saw the pix was "that's Bill!"
I would rather not publicize my email address. When I get email and don't recogonize the sender, I burn it away. I was stung big time with a virus a year ago and lost a lot of data. Anyone wants to contact me can do it through you.
I have put out a couple feelers to people who indicated that they went to Kubasaki HS, but I post their return addresses on a log. When email comes in I verify who its from before opening it.
Thanks for the slide shows. Unfortunately, any pix taken after the late 50's look like a strange place to me. I really enjoyed your 1940 series! And I've just begun to take a peek.
Dave Stewart
Michael Nickell
Monday, April 17, 2006 2:21 PM
Hi, I don't know if you remember me, I bought a bunch of your VHS home movie's a couple of years ago off of EBAY
My question is when I returned back to Okinawa in Oct. 2003 for a visit I bought an music C.D. of Okinawa songs!, and one of the song was in the movie I watched last night called "The Japanese Story", The song is called "Chinsagu No Hana" . On the back of the C.D. case the song title is in english but the inside book the words are all in japanese! If anyone whould know you would, or could find out! I will even pay you.
Their is also another song that was in the movie called " Asadoya Bushi" that they played briefly that was a beautiful song. I went on line and the soundtrack comes from Austrailia and is too expensive. So if you have time or knows somebody with the translations of theses two songs, I would be grateful, Thanks Mick
Email me at okisho573@yahoo.com
MF Nickell Maj. USMC (Ret)
Hi, Michael!
I do indeed recognize your name - and let me thank you once again for your interest in my Tour Okinawa video collection. I hope that you are still enjoying them.
Asadoya Bushi
Okinawan folk music (from Yaeyama): Asadoya Yunta. (Sutton, field tape)
Originally a folk song from the island of Taketomi in the small cluster of islands known
as Yaeyama (most southern part of the Ryukyu archipelago), where it is often performed
with no instrumental accompaniment. Here, in a version from the main island
(Okinawa), women sing to the accompaniment of sanshin, kutu, kucho (four-string bowed
lute) and yotsudake (bamboo castanets). Asado (Asato) is a family name; ya means
"house"/"family"; and yunta is a local term for a group work song. The original, in local
dialect, tells the story of the beautiful Kuyama of that family being courted by a
government official. Around 1940 a Japanese-language version was made to appeal to
the mainland Japanese, in connection with a film. Even the Okinawans (who are losing
their dialect) tend to sing the Japanese version, except, of course, back in Yaeyama. A
classical (koten) piece, known as "Asadoya Bushi," is derived from this folk song, with
similar melody, but slower tempo and performed without the bamboo castanets. (notes
courtesy of David Hughes)
Lyrics:
ti-.n-sa-gu-nu-ha-na-ya
English translation:
Kindest regards,
As if often the case, your inquiry has sent me on a two-hour (so far) scavenger hunt. The more I search for stuff the more I learn - and that's why I love it when readers send me questions.
Well, guess what!? I may have come up with something for you - and a bonus, if you care. I'll be spending more time on the hunt, but meantime, Here goes:
"Oh, my wife is as a flower amid a bed of thorns..
Oh how happy, how ashamed, to acquire a name of unfaithfulness..
The two of us alone, but somehow constrained.
I have dyed for you a dark blue kimono - please wear it with a sash as a sign of my affection"
(Source: DooYoo.co.uk)
Tinsagu nu Hana (Okinawan "the Basalm Flowers") is a popular Ryukyuan folksong in the Okinawan language. It is also sometimes spelled Tensagu nu Hana.
Notice that each verse has the same number of syllables, as is typical in Ryukyuan prose (called ryuka):
ci-mi-za-ci-ni-su-mi-ti
u.-ya-nu-yu-si-gu-tu-ya
ci-mu-ni-su-mi-ri
ti-.n-nu-bu-ri-bu-si-ya
yu-mi-ba-yu-ma-ri-si-ga
u.-ya-nu-yu-si-gu-tu-ya
yu-mi-ya-na-ra-.n
yu-ru-ha-ra-su-fu-ni-ya
ni-nu-fa-bu-si-mi-a.-ti
wa-.n-na-ce-ru-u.-ya-ya
wa-.n-du-mi-a.-ti
ta-ka-ra-da-ma-ya-ti-.n
mi-ga-ka-ni-ba-sa-bi-su
a.-sa-yu-ci-mu-mi-ga-ci
u.-ci-yu-wa-ta-ra
ma-ku-tu-su-ru-yu-i.-du
a.-tu-ya-i.-ci-ma-di-.n
u.-mu-gu-tu-.n-ka-na-ti
ci-yu-nu-sa-ka-i.
na-si-ba-na-ni-gu-tu-.n
na-i.-ru-ku-tu-ya-si-ga
na-sa-nu-yu-i.-ka-ra-du
na-ra-nu-ka-na-mi
Just as my fingernails are painted with the pigment from the basalm flowers, my heart is painted with the teachings of my parents.
Although the galaxies in the sky are countable, the teachings of my parents are not.
Just as the ships that run in the night are guided to safety by the polestar, I am guided by the parents who birthed me and watch over me.
Just as there's no point in owning splendid jewelry if you don't maintain it, human beings who maintain their bodies will live life wonderfully.
The wishes of he who lives sincerely always come true and he prospers.
You can do anything if you try, but if you can't if you don't.
Semper Fi!
Mick
Tuesday, April 18, 2006 12:18PM
YOUR TRULY AN ANGEL MICK, I OWE YOU BIG TIME!
ANYTHING YOU WANT JUST ASK!
How is your family doing, your son's are probably grown up with children of their own. In the EXPO "75 video was the little girl "Brittney" your daughter or a family friend?
Well anyway thanks for taking the time out and doing this and for the fast reply.
NICK
Hi!
P.S. As for owing me big time.... "ANYTHING" I want, huh? HehHehHeh!! Lemme think on that a while - maybe the winning California lottery ticket. I heard today that it's over 700 million!
Happy that you're happy!
Brittney is indeed that "little girl" who is now in Damascus, Syria, studying Arabic languages. She finished up at Florida State last year and has been doing some internships. She was in Cairo, Egypt for several months and this month will be transferring to the US Embassy in Casablanca, Morocco for another internship.
She was highlighted on the FSU website:
profiles/mcclary
and
mcclary/finalist
We are very proud of her accomplishments so far. She aspires to be a "somebody" in the State Department - and, ya know, I believe that she'll achieve that!
Well, needless to say, I'm going to be researching your very intriguing inquiry some more so don't be surprised if I send you some more information!
Kindest regards,
V/R
Mick
From: Mary Estep
Tuesday, April 4, 2006 9:36PM
Hey! Remember me? - Mary Estep. I remember you from Great Falls. I see that you are the webmaster for the email link that my new co worker here in Okinawa emailed me.
I visited the Nakamura farmhouse just last week.
I am new here to Okinawa. I've been here less than a month, but I'm enjoying it so far. I've seen the Yakatori on the streets and I still have a recipe that you scratched onto a Rx for me of how to make it. The good old days at Malmstrom.
Since then I've separated from the Air Force and then came back on duty 4 years later.
Made MSgt my first time testing to catch up with where I left off. I'll be putting on that stripe in a month or so.
I'm working with TRICARE Pacific for the Lead Agent.
Well, just wanted to say hello!
Still in Montana? I liked it there. I still miss it at times.
TSgt MARY A ESTEP
NCOIC, TRICARE Area Office - Pacific
Camp Lester, Okinawa
Email: estepma@oki10.med.navy.mil
From: Joe P.
jazzman500@comcast.net
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 7:53p.m.
Mr. McClary,
My father sketched an Okinawan castle during WWII. It has the American flag flying inside its walls and he has written on it "The palace of Okinawa, now occupied by the 10th Army of the United States." He writes that he "could see far out into the China Sea". Would you have any idea which castle this could be. I could send you a copy if it would help.
Thanks
Joe P. - Michigan
This one deserves a page all it's own! Check it out! (Click Here)
From:Bill Greene
wgreene21@comcast.com
Friday, March 17, 2006 12:00p.m.
It was probably at least three years ago that I ordered your VHS set on Okinawa, which I have thoroughly enjoyed.
Perhaps you'll recall my telling you a few years back when I first discovered your Okinawa website that I also lived at Nakasone Apartment in the Goya section of Koza. I recently purchased a Nikon film/slide scanner and have just scanned and digitized a slide of the apartment building. If you don't mind, I would like to send it to you.
I don't know if you recall Bob Wales, the radio personality who hosted the very popular "Opinion Line" on KSBK, but I contacted him a couple of years ago and we e-mailed back and forth a few times. I believe he was forced to leave Okinawa in 1974, whereupon he returned to the states, finished law school, and remarried. He retired not long ago to Terlingua, TX, and has his own website.
Anyhow, I figured it was about time to contact you again.
Thanks again for the wonderful and informative website!
Sincerely,
Bill
Hi, Bill!
Believe it or not, your name looked immediately familiar and after reading your message I DO remember your previous correspondence.
The name, Bob Wales, also rings a familiar bell, but I have to admit that I don't know why. Was he also on AFRS on Okinawa back in the 70s? The older I get the less clearly do the bells ring! But that name gave a little tinkle.
Does his website presentmuch (any?) information about Okinawa?
Bill, I'm delighted that you have enjoyed the Tour Okinawa collection. As time goes by and technology gets into the hands of common consumers like me it's more fun to do things like putting my Tours on DVD. So far I've got 4 of the 14 Tour set recorded on to DVD. Now, I am watching for a reasonably affordable DVD-to-DVD recorder. When I get REALLY good at it I think I'll re-do the entire collection with some additional narration. I wouldn't want to overdo the narration though. Too much gab can ruin a good thing!
I am still looking forward to getting back to Okinawa some day and as each year passes it just seems to be busier and busier. Maybe it's time for me to think about retiring too. But I'm still having too much fun with my patients to just bag it all now. But, maybe soon....
Well, Bill, it's so very good to be able to keep in touch with you! The Internet, e-mail included, still blows me away! What a terrific tool - and one that we can enjoy in our lifetime! Can you imagine, Bill, what our kids and grandkids will be able to do in another 30-40 years! !? It's mind-boggling. Think of where we were 40 years ago and where we are now!
My favorite story about the miracle of the Internet is about a phone conversation I was having with my dad a few years ago. Our discussion came around to my grandfather - my Dad's father - and his service in World War I. Dad spoke of an issue of National Geographic that he once had that had a photo lay-out of a bombed out village in France. One photo was of a badly damaged 2-story home; in one window on the 2nd floor, three "Dough Boys" were hanging out one of the windows, hamming for the cameraman. Well, Dad had lost the Nat Geo magazine but remembered the month and year of the issue. As we continued to speak I jumped into eBay and, sure enough, there was the issue being offered. I bid, I won and sent it on to my Dad. What a terrific surprise it was for him!
As for the miracle? Before the Internet, how would a guy in Great Falls, Montana have ever been able to hook up, in just minutes, with another guy in New Zealand who just happened to have a dusty old National Geographic in his basement?
Few things, in my opinion, deserve to be called "awesome." Nowadays, people say, "Awesome!" as casually as I used to say, "Cool!" when I was a kid. There are only a few really awesome things, in my mind. The SR-71 is one. The Lord, and, of course, the Internet!
Well, my friend, I've probably bored you to tears with my ramblings.
Thank you, Bill, for remembering me and especially for getting back in touch. You're awesome! Just kiddin', but I do think you're cool!
Kindest regards,
Mick
Stephen A. "Mick" McClary
Great Falls, Montana
From: Ray
Monday, February 20, 2006 7:58p.m.
rayburr@ria.net
I was stationed on Okinawa from January 1966 to February 1968. I was in the Army with the Air Defense Artillery. I was assigned to the Nike-Hercules (NH) battalion (BN) on the north part of the island.
There were two HAWK BN's and two NH BN's. We also had a RADAR site up on the Motobu peninsula at the top of Mt. Yaetake (Site 18). Our Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB) was fragmented between Sites 1, 2, and 18. I was the HHB Commander (CMDR) and Asst. Operations Officer for the NH BN. This entailed travel between the three sites. I put 5000 miles on my wife's Rambler and 3000 miles on a Honda motorcycle in the two years I was there.
I worked as many as 140 hours in one week and usually 80 hours per week. When I first went to work at the BN Ops Center at Site 2, I asked the Ops Officer how they worked their time off. He replied, "It's sort of like a day on and stay on. We usually give the married men time off to get the divorce."
The week I worked 140 hours occurred so that I could have the weekend off when my family arrived. There was a six month waiting period for on-base housing at that time. We were in a brand new duplex at Camp Kue. By brand new I mean we were the first family to live in it. At least my family did. I was on-site more than off.
I was the only officer in the 30th Brigade to ride a motorcycle. The 30th Brigade CMDR (a one star General Officer) required all motorcycle operators be members of the Special Forces Group Motorcycle Club which had a stringent driving test. I had to drive the bike to Machinato to get an actual driver's license. After I passed the written test, I asked if the examiner wanted to go with me for a road test. His reply was, "If you drove it this far, you must know how to handle it." So there was no road test.
My tour was cut short by orders to Vietnam in February 1968.
My wife was a substitute teacher while we were there. Our son started school in Colorado where you had to be five years old before school started to start kindergarten. His sister, who is one day shy of being two years younger, was able to start kindergarten on Okinawa (under California school laws) at age four before turning five in December. That placed them graduating from high school (back in the States, of course) and starting college only one year apart.
I have rambled on too long. My experiences on Okinawa were much different than those of you who served there later on. The Ryukyu Islands were governed by the Americans when I was there. We used standard U.S. currency and drove on the right side of the roads. The top speed on Hiway 1 was 35 MPH.
My family enjoyed the local life more than I had an opportunity to do, but I enjoyed what little I saw of it. Especially the motorcycle drives up to Site 18 on the back road (dubbed "Pineapple Road"). The views were spectacular.
Thanks for listening.
Thanks for visiting ClickOkinawa.com and for your message. As I'vetold so many of my readers, I truly envy your having been on Okinawa pre-1972. I've heard so many stories about how wild and crazy it was in the "old days" before Reversion.
I've enjoyed every word in reading of your adventures and hope that someone who knew you back then reads this and will get in touch with you to reunite and share some old war stories!
With great respect for your sevice in Vietnam,
Kindest regards,
Mick
