home: http://minemen.us
Copyright 2005
by Ĝan Ŭesli Starling
Photos and commentary submitted by David Goldsmith. Thank’s David!
The group picture was taken December 27 1954. I returned to USA for discharge Jan 7, 1955. This was called Fasron 118, Mine detachment, Naha Air Base, Okinawa. some of this group were replacements for the 1954 group. Some I never really knew. Since I was to get discharged they held me for an additional two plus months. (Total time about 15months) Mine compound personnel left to right.
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Our compound was located just off but adjacent to the USAF air strip. In November 1953 and early 1954. We had one Warrant Officer who retired and was replaced by LTJG Trotter (I think) in February. Our two MNC’s were Jackson and E.O.Spangler. The MN1 was David Bruce. The MN2s were Johnson and Jim Spencer. I was the MN3 and Phillips, VanStone, Brown "Brownie", and McCrelless were the MNSN’s. Also With us was one AOC, one AO3 and one AOAN.
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We ate with the Air Force and sometimes the US Army. There were about 200 Seabees very near us and they did all the auto repairs, etc. The war was over but we remained on an 8-hour alert all the time I was there. Each of us was issued weapons: M1 carbine and 45 Pistol. We manned the Island Rake stations, that is we plotted the Navy practice mine drops. They dropped smoke bombs in the ocean water and we recorded their drops. To say the least, we had it made, did what and went where we wanted. Used our Jeep and Trucks whenever we chose but all stayed out of trouble.
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The Quonsets in the far background and up on the hill are the 29th USArmy. We were surrounded by the Ocean, USAF, US Army and "Krazy" Seabees. In 1953 and 54 there were few paved roads in the base, or on the Island and it was the USAF Air Base. The planes on the other side of our chain fence are F86's and they had no mercy as to the noise they made. They were still cleaning the island from WW2 damage, salvaging metal from downed planes, boats, etc. In the bay and ocean, while attempting to clear some land near us they dug up a Japanese airplane that had been shot down. It was very primitive all over the island.
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I flew over it several times. Trotter was a pilot had use of a USN Beecraft and I took the Jeep or cargo truck on every road I could find. I seen it all. We had beach parties at Kim Beach and White Beach, Scuba Dived on the ocean side of the airstrip. (We could drive down around it without getting in trouble with the AF.) Walking across the Coral reefs required sneakers. We really did what we wanted and no one ever questioned us. Used the PX at Kadena AFB. About 30 miles to the north of us because the PX which we had at Naha was very small.
Cheers,
David Goldsmith