Okinawa

[Covey_Rider]

Just wondering if anybody that looks at these forums is stationed in Okinawa right now. I report to 3rd MLG, 9th ESB on June 1st. It'd be kind of nice to have somebody there to show me around a little bit.

Semper Fi

Lcpl Stam

[10thzodiac]

My nieces husband works for the Marines in Okinawa (armed Japanese base security). He gets along well with his Marines. Speaks English and is in his twenties.

Let me know in a PM what base you are at, if it is his base, maybe he can show you things you may otherwise not see.

I have to get his okay first. Rules are rules !

SF

10th

[MKinney]

Hey I'm in Okinawa. Let me know when you're in JRC :) I'll come say hi.

[Sgt D]

If your going to 9th ESB you'll be on Camp Hansen.

[yellowwing]

Dang, Lucky SOB! They had me slated for Okinawa in '85 but changed their minds a week before I shipped. I got another Stateside Duty Station.

I had a buddy that had just rotated from Oki. He said, "I could tell you a different cool story about Okinawa once a day for two years!"

Enjoy every minute of it Dominic!

[MKinney]

Okinawa is a lot different than back then, or so I am told all the time.
Liberty cards and buddies (Red/gold card with red having a midnight curfew).
And lots of other differences.

[huey guns]

MKinney, like doing stupid stuff in the ville and getting chased by brown shirtsback to the base and having to climb the fence to get back on, because its past curfew. yea , lots of stories. phoon parties were the best though.

[MKinney]

So I've heard. Almost that season, so we'll see what happens :beer:

[10thzodiac]

Gentlemen,

Back in the early sixties I was fortunate to be stationed in Camp Sukeran aka Zukeran and now Foster.

Back then the Army ran the base. The 12th Marine Regiment and the Marine 3rd FSR shared the same base with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, WAC's and Fort Buckner.

The gates were manned by Okinawan security guards no MP's, you could come and go as you pleased.

My hooch was right outside the gate and I could walk there in 15 minutes from my barracks.

They had this stupid 'Cinderella Liberty' and E-4's could only stay out until 1 AM and E-3's and below midnight. Nobody regularly enforced curfew on base only the MP's in the ville.

Occasionally during my two year stint there we would get a smart ass sergeant that tried bed checks. They would map the squad bay who slept where. Because the troopers were rotating back to CONUS at different times the maps got obsolete fast. They then tried relying on empty racks to catch Marines AWOL but all you had to do is remove your blanket, sheets, fold those cheap 3rd MarDiv mattresses over like the rack was empty and remove your name tag, etc.

To avoid getting spotted accidentally by the wrong people going AWOL during working hours there was a out of the-way-gate that was not used by people that might know you.

Most NCO's that had the duty would wait to reveille or later to write anyone up that wasn't back at midnight.

Guys would still get in trouble. Some just re-enlisted for six years and were getting busted for AWOL. One corporal who re-enlisted who I went to Okinawa with aborard the USS General Mann an American Indian was in Naval Gunfire assigned to my battery. He made Sergeant and acted like we were never corporal buddies before. Well one day he was AWOL for morning formation and got busted to Corporal, then he was AWOL again and got busted to Lance Corporal. I could of got even but I just didn't feel like it.

[Zulu 36]

I was on Okinawa for a couple of months before they gave it back to the Japanese (May 15, 1972). Oki was a really nice place until then. I was in Vietnam on May 19, 1972, so I didn't suffer through the initial transition pains.

I went back to Oki on TAD from Iwakuni in late 74 - early 75. Much had changed, but the worst of the transition was mostly over. Oki was still fun, but not the same.

[Chamorro]

:mad: Yea, I was stationed at Camp Courtney '68-'69. A couple of us tried to sneak in after midnight, thru a trail by the chapel near the gate, but were caught by the gate guard who was making a head call. One month base detention, but allowed me to save bucks for a month so I didn't have to pawn my watch for the next liberty call to BC and Gate 2 streets.

[Chamorro]

:mad: Yea, I was stationed at Camp Courtney '68-'69. A couple of us tried to sneak in after midnight, thru a trail by the chapel near the gate, but were caught by the gate guard who was making a head call. One month base detention, but allowed me to save bucks for a month so I didn't have to pawn my watch across the street for the next liberty call to BC and Gate 2 streets.

[ErikHeiker]

I did my time on Okinawa, but I had just gotten married, so it wasn't the best tour. This was 77-78. I started at Camp Hansen with 3rd FSR (changed to 3rd FSSG), went to Mac-T for a while and finished up at Futema. I'd take the liberty bus to Camp Butler and wander about down there. I remember getting some good tacos at Charlie's. Check out Whisper Alley when you're in that area! Kadena was off limits to us most of the time because of the bahavior of a few rowdies! One thing I wish I had done was get my scuba rating. $25 at the time. When I finally got it, it was about $500.

But like everywhere else, the really good times are in the past. A few Marines raping the locals has really made us persona non grata. As a C-130 loadmaster, I've stopped at Kadena a dozen or so times over the past 15 years and in the end I didn't even go off base anymore. The hostility level was just too high. Didn't mean to turn this into a downer, but there are some things you can do over there that'll be fun. Just be careful out in town.

[10thzodiac]

In Okinawa I worked for a couple different Comm-O's, both Captains. The last one '64-65 use to give me the skinny on what's was up with the officers.

He told me about a Major that was confined to quarters after working hours, who was ordered to keep his door open at all times so he couldn't go to the ville without being missed.

A bunch of Marine officers were jealous of him, his wife could afford to be with him in Okinawa (no dependents). They complained to his superior who ordered him to tell his wife not to do the 90 day visa (Okinawa under US jurisdiction) anymore. He told his superior in so many words, that she is an American citizen and she can do what she wants and he can't stop her.

Officers and Gentlemen.

[Covey_Rider]

Hey I'm in JRC right now...we got done w/admin this morning and we're doin nothing but burning time all day. it's 1010 right now and i'm already done for the day. I'm in room 314 if you do indeed try and find me.

[chili77bowl]

Get into Geocaching...it is a great way to see the island...
There is so much that most people here will not see because they don't want to break the typical "lets go to gate 2 street" attitude.

if you are here, get out! See things...talk to locals...don't be a barracks rat or a typical annoying A$$...

[CPLGRAY90-94]

I was in oki twice. 91 and 93. what did they end up doing with camp schwab?? I thought they were in the process of turning it over to the japs in 93 but i could be wrong. Camp hansen was fun. Hooked up with some air force girls and went across the street to there dorms. Oh Boy the memories! hahaha! Anybody here from pendleton (san mateo 1/5 alpha company) 1990 - 1994??

[thepjr43]

Gentlemen,

Back in the early sixties I was fortunate to be stationed in Camp Sukeran aka Zukeran and now Foster.

Back then the Army ran the base. The 12th Marine Regiment and the Marine 3rd FSR shared the same base with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, WAC's and Fort Buckner.

The gates were manned by Okinawan security guards no MP's, you could come and go as you pleased.

My hooch was right outside the gate and I could walk there in 15 minutes from my barracks.

They had this stupid 'Cinderella Liberty' and E-4's could only stay out until 1 AM and E-3's and below midnight. Nobody regularly enforced curfew on base only the MP's in the ville.

Occasionally during my two year stint there we would get a smart ass sergeant that tried bed checks. They would map the squad bay who slept where. Because the troopers were rotating back to CONUS at different times the maps got obsolete fast. They then tried relying on empty racks to catch Marines AWOL but all you had to do is remove your blanket, sheets, fold those cheap 3rd MarDiv mattresses over like the rack was empty and remove your name tag, etc.

To avoid getting spotted accidentally by the wrong people going AWOL during working hours there was a out of the-way-gate that was not used by people that might know you.

Most NCO's that had the duty would wait to reveille or later to write anyone up that wasn't back at midnight.

Guys would still get in trouble. Some just re-enlisted for six years and were getting busted for AWOL. One corporal who re-enlisted who I went to Okinawa with aborard the USS General Mann an American Indian was in Naval Gunfire assigned to my battery. He made Sergeant and acted like we were never corporal buddies before. Well one day he was AWOL for morning formation and got busted to Corporal, then he was AWOL again and got busted to Lance Corporal. I could of got even but I just didn't feel like it.
I'm trying to remember the 155 Howie unit at Camp Sukiran Okinawa in 1963? We were bunked right next to Airborne. Getting old, memory is failing. Can you help me out?

Semper Fi
Tom Payseno, USMC 1929492
thepjr@msn.com