Posted By: jk
Okinawa - 05/16/22 11:29 AM
Just noticed that this is the 50th year after the giving back the island to Japan following WW II. I was there when it happened and August first they started to drive on the left side. The switch occurred without any accidents. Cant believe that 50 years have gone by.......jk
Posted By: Pawnee
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 11:34 AM
My grandfather helped take Okinawa but he would never talk about it. Interesting thanks
Posted By: upstateNY
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 11:34 AM
My Dad was in the 6th Marines that took Okinawa.He was wounded there in the Battle of Sugar Loaf Hill.
Posted By: Squash
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 11:41 AM
During the battle for Okinawa, my fathers ship , LCI 981, was tied up to a supply ship, getting resupplied when a kamikaze hit the supply ship. Luckily no one on my fathers ship was injured, but sailors on the supply ship were not so lucky.
My grandfather was KIA there in ww2
Posted By: K52
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 12:16 PM
The graveyard of the US Navy. I have my Dad’s journal of the battle, as the battle goes on the kamikaze raids day after day are taking their toll. He was on the USS Arkansas.
Posted By: RdFx
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 01:09 PM
The battles in the south seas was bloody and all passed RIP and living i salute your service !
I have alot of Marine friends that have passed that i knew personally that fought in those battles...Semper Fi
Posted By: TraderVic
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 01:13 PM
My uncle was on the battleship, USS California. They were hit by at least one kamikaze during the Battle of Okinawa.
I was there in 1974 when my destroyer made a brief port call.
Posted By: jk
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 01:19 PM
TraderVic, you probably stopped at white beach. I fished off of that pier a lot when there were no ships in. A long way down to the water. We saw a lot of ocean fish swim by as we fished and caught grouper and king mackeral from way above them. Sold the fish for drinkin money, could rent a taxi with driver for $5 for the nite. Long time ago.......jk
Posted By: Snowpa
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 01:49 PM
Spent months
around the Rock RA Naha ,Machinato ,Kadena
never were very friendly towards us unless the money was flowing .
Posted By: TraderVic
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 04:14 PM
jk.......we weren't there long enough to wet a line. The cross wind was awful that day and we weren't tied up long because of conditions.
I was in Yokusuka several times, Sasebo as well. Even made it to "ground zero" in Nagasaki. Offsetting drinking cost is a noble effort
Posted By: The Beav
Re: Okinawa - 05/16/22 04:44 PM
I spent about a year there . I was stationed at Camp Schwab.