Chapter 11

The first part of the flight was uneventful. I was one of the last on board, and was seated in First Class! There was a Staff Sergeant in the seat next to me, and after taking off we were soon chatting. This was his second time to Okinawa, and he was looking forward to being back at Camp Hansen.

I told him I was going to Camp Butler, and he told me to make sure I went up to see Kinville outside of his camp. We spent the next hour and a half talking until we finished lunch, and they started the movie. Right before that he said the best way to avoid jet-lag was to sleep as much as I could the second leg, and then just force myself into a normal sleep pattern once I arrived.

The first movie they played was ‘Never Say Never Again’, so I put on my headphones and watched Sean Connery as James Bond again. When it was done they came around with a snack and drinks, and said we would be landing in Anchorage shortly.

Once there we all got off the plane so they could service it, and spent the next two hours wandering around the terminal. I talked with several guys, and for most of them it was their first trip to Japan also. We talked about what all we would do there, and how excited we were to be going there. Finally we got back on, and shortly afterwards we were having dinner. Finally that was done and the next movie was The Twilight Zone. Having seen it many times I got a pillow from the stewardess and following the advice curled up to sleep.

It was dark outside when the lights came back on and the pilot announced we were landing in Tokyo for a refuel and break. I looked out and marveled at the density of the city as we landed. We were only given an hour in the terminal this time, so I wandered around to stretch my legs before our flight was called again.

It seemed I had just closed my eyes, when the pilot announced we were in final approach for Kadena Air Force Base. “It is 1 in the afternoon, and it is a comfortable 90 degrees and 95 percent humidity. But skies are clear, and we already have confirmation that your transportation is waiting on the tarmac. Thank you for traveling Flying Tigers, and we hope to see you in 6 months on your return home.”

The Staff Sergeant laughed, and said that was for them, he and his people made up almost all of the flight. I asked him what I should do next, and he said that depended on my command. “Now they will already know you are arriving, so if they are on the ball there will be somebody waiting for you. Either with a sign where you get your luggage, or at the Transportation Desk. If there is nobody at luggage ask somebody for the Transportation desk and they will tell you where it is. Just go there, and if nobody is waiting hand them your orders and they will arrange you to get to your base from there.”

I thanked him, and we chatted as the plane landed and taxied up to a stairway on the tarmac. We shook hands and wished each other luck. I asked the stewardess about my computer, and she smiled and went and got it for me. The Staff Sergeant whistled as I picked it and my ditty bag up and headed out of the plane.

They all got into formation as pallets of gear were unloaded from the hold, and the ground crew pointed me to the terminal. I saw nobody waiting, but after almost an hour my bags arrived and putting them on a nearby cart I got directions to Transportation and made my way there.

There was a Corporal and PFC waiting there, and the Corporal asked “PFC Culver?” when I walked up. I said I was and he smiled and shook my hand. “I’m Corporal Simmons, this is PFC Jones. We will be working together once you finish in-processing. We were sent here to welcome you and make sure you get to where you are supposed to be. So consider yourself welcome, and come along.”

We were soon at the smallest van I had ever seen, and after tossing my bags in the back we were on the way. It was unnerving, as we were driving on the left side of the road! Cpl. Simmons briefed me on the way about what to expect for the next week. Apparently I was to check in at in-processing, be assigned a transient barracks, then I would have to report in on Tuesday morning.

“Tuesday, so I get a day or so off?” I said. Both of them laughed at that.

“Oh no, this is Monday afternoon! You lost a day when you crossed the International Date Line, back home it would be Sunday, but here it is Monday already. Don’t worry, you will get used to it. I suggest you get a good night sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day. Processing will take you about two days, we will likely come by and pick you up Friday morning. Your room is already set up, and PFC Jones here is your roomie. If you want you can give him any luggage and he will have it in your room when you arrive.”

I thanked him, and said he could take the seabags and computer, the clothing bag had everything I would need. They were both surprised that the box was actually a computer, and I told them what it was. “I have an IBM my dad will mail to me later, but that will probably be in a few weeks to a month. This way I have one, and since my fiance has the same one we are gonna send disks back and forth.”

They both thought that was cool, and Jones told me to hold off on having my computer sent here. “I know the electronics section in Okinawa City. If you want we can go look there, it might be better to just get a new one here.”

I said I was planning on waiting for the next model to buy a new one, and Cpl. Simmons laughed. “Culver, don’t bother. We know where to get motherboards and processors, just buy a good clone. Unlike in the US, the 286 is fairly common here. Then when the next model comes out, just swap motherboards and you will have the newest computer for a few hundred dollars. And you can sell your old parts at the monthly computer swap meet at Kadena. Trust me, most of us are always upgrading our rigs. In fact, the next meet is in two weeks, you can get a used one there easily, then upgrade it when the time comes.”

We pulled into the gate, and I shook hands with both of them and they said they would see me on Friday. Then with my clothing bag in hand I went into the Reception Building. And what followed was about what I expected. They took my orders, and after taking one of the copies stamped them and handed them back. Then gave me a photocopy map showing where the chow hall, club, and PX were. Then a Lance Corporal led me upstairs and assigned me a bed in an open squadbay, putting a copy of my orders with my name in bold black pen at the top on a clipboard at the foot of the bed.

“Lights out is at 2200, revile is at 0600. Chow is at 0630, be waiting at the desk at 0800. Uniform is utilities, have your orders with you. Welcome to Okinawa PFC, and your time is now free until 0800 tomorrow. And I suggest you go get a haircut between now and then.”

I said I would, and after locking up my things in a wall locker I followed the map to the exchange. I got a haircut, and then wandered around for a few hours until it was time for chow. After eating, I stopped at the E-Club and had a beer, then feeling a bit tired headed back to the barracks.

I talked with some of the people, and at around 9 I headed off to bed. I was so tired I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow, and did not wake up again until the lights came on the next morning. I took a quick shower, then several of us headed to chow. That night some of the guys were going off-post, apparently Corporal Jansen had been stationed there before so volunteered to show us around. So I changed into my civies and tagged along.

I should not have been surprised when we went into a strip club, but I went in also. There was a petite Asian girl dancing, and she only had a pair of panties on, and her breasts were small and firm. I mentioned to our guide that she did not look Japanese, and he shook his head. “Nope, she’s an LBFM, from the Philipines. Almost every stripper, bar girl, and prostitute you see here will be from the Philippines.”

“LBFM?” one of the other guys asked before I could.

“Little Brown Fucking Machines. Those Flips will fuck your cock right off, and come begging for more. And watch out, we also call them ‘Buy-me-drinkee’ girls, because they will come up and sit next to you, asking them to buy them a drink. They will say it is champagne, but it is just soda. At $5 a glass, they will flirt with you and rub your cock through your pants. Until you are broke or have had enough, then they will go on to the next sucker. If you want some company, buy them one or two drinks, but know in most clubs they will almost never fuck you. But go up three blocks and you will find massage parlors. Those girls will fuck you, for around $20. Just go to the clinic first, the Doc will hand you rubbers all you want for free. But most of them are gals in their 40s. If you want something cheaper and younger, go to Club San Francisco in Kinville. They have girls there that will take you to a quiet place and jack you off for around $10.”

By now the stripper had removed her panties, and I could see she had a small dark tuft of black straight pubic hair on her mound. She looked to be around 14. I mentioned that, and our guide said she was likely 18 or 19. “Oh, you will not find underage girls here. But the Flips all look really young. They come up here for a year or so, and go back home with a wad of cash. Some never return, some stay home for six months or so and come back. Since you guys are here permanent party, you might even be able to date one if you get a car. But don’t ever promise to marry them. Love them, fuck them, but trust me there. Getting permission to marry them is almost impossible. And if you leave, within two months they will have a new boyfriend they will do the same thing with.”

We each had two beers as we watched one girl after another take the stage. They would each dance for three songs, in a bikini for the first, topless for the second, and nude for the last. And our guide told us we should each tip them at least $1 during the last song. “They really pay these girls shit, and most of it is taken out for room and board. But they keep most of their tips, that is their real money.”

We each tipped then at the last dance, and the girls did grin at us when we set the money on the stage. One even leaned back and spread her legs, using her fingers to spread her pussy lips so we could see the pink inside. Finally our last beers were gone, and we headed back to the barracks.

“I’m going to be working at the Division Motor Pool. If any of you want tours of other areas, just look me up. I can show you every camp from here to Schwab, how to get there and what there is outside the gate. I will even show you how the base bus system works, and all I ask is for a drink from each of you when we go out.” We all said we would do that at some time, and soon were back at the barracks. I took a shower and was soon in bed again.

The next day was a repeat, I filled out my travel forms, signed the forms needed for an overseas deployment, and just after noon was released for the day. I quickly changed to civies and spent the time until evening chow wandering the base. I was starting to get used to the humidity, and while brutal at first it was feeling close to normal now.

After spending some more time at the PX I headed to the chow hall. In front Cpl Jansen came up and asked me if I would join him for dinner out in town, his treat. Well, not one to turn down such an offer I accepted and soon we were walking out the gate. “Oh, out of uniform call me Pete.”

I laughed and said that was my name also. He joined in, and then as we walked I asked him why he had made me this offer. “Well, you’re different from the others. Let me guess, married?”

“Engaged.”

“Yeah, thought so. You barely looked at the girls, and did not really pay much attention when I was describing the clubs and whorehouses. You may someday go to them, you may not. Three year unaccompanied?”

I nodded, and he laughed. “Well, I wish you the best of luck there, honestly. You will get leave after about a year and a half, you plan on getting married then?”

When I told him we were, he said to tell base housing before I went home for leave. “They will put you on the list provisionally, and go to any recruiter or base and have them send over a copy of your marriage license. That will confirm your spot, and in two to six months you should get a place. It will be a little one bedroom dump, unfurnished. You can borrow furniture from the Wives Club for a few months, and they also run a second hand store you can buy things at.”

I thanked him for the information, and then I got my first taste of yakisoba. It was actually really good, basically fried noodles with veggies and pieces of pork. We each had a large plate full of it, and had the local beer. “It’s spelled like ‘Orion’, but pronounced ‘OR-e-on’. And be careful, this stuff is about 10% alcohol. A common gag is to take the new guy out, and watch him get plastered on three or four cans. If they try that with you, just let them buy the first one, pronounce it correctly, and say one is your limit.”

I laughed, and said I would do just that. Soon the beers and food were done, and I indeed felt like I had finished three as we walked back to base. Not drunk, but a nice little buzz. We shook hands and wished each other luck, and I promised I would see him in a week or so.

Sure enough, the next morning after chow I was getting my stuff together when PFC Jones came in. He grabbed my clothing bag and led me out to the van, and then came my first surprise. “Delgado!” I yelled when I saw Franny standing outside the van, and I rushed up and we shared a hug. “When did you get here?”

“I got here last week. I saw no reason to go home for a week, so spent the weekend in San Diego, and caught the first flight out of the Naval Air Station. And Culver, we are gonna have a blast! We will get together tomorrow, and I will start filling you in on the things I discovered.”

We chatted on the five minute drive to the barracks, and Jones led me to the Unit Admin office, where I started in-processing to the unit. Soon I had my room key, and was meeting everybody from the Commander and Chaplain, to the First Sergeant, Company Gunny, and Supply. Jones and I hauled everything to my room, and I followed him to our work area. There I met Cpl. Simmons again, and he introduced me to Lieutenant Adams.

“Well Culver, we will have PT formation in front of the barracks at 0630. First call here is at 0800, bring a notebook because you are going to the motor pool. For three days you are going to take the Japanese Driving Course, then you are going to accompany Jones on his routes. His job is to go to every camp on the island, and pick up and drop off the update disks for the supply and admin sections. In the morning you will pick up the disks here from the night before, and the printouts. Deliver them to each camp, you will finish by lunch. After lunch you then go back to each camp and pick up their disks with updated data, put them in the cartridges and feed them into the computer.”

He smiled and Cpl. Simmons laughed. “It is kind of a crappy duty, but we do that to most new guys. The upside is that you will learn the island very fast, and on weekends we do not ask to many questions if you use the duty van to go to another camp. Just remember if you do that, absolutely no drinking and no stops out in town. But you can park near the USO and walk out in town if you want, just bring some civies with you.”

I said that sounded great, and we were dismissed and I went into the workshop. I looked at the computers there. Sure enough, there was a huge PDP system with about 15 slots for eight disk cartridges in it. Jones showed me how to load them, and insert them into the server. Then he showed me the printer, and where the cartridge with data to be sent stateside was at. “You take this entire cartridge and fill out a routing sheet and drop them off at the transportation desk at Kadena in the morning. They will take it, and in the afternoon hand you the one from the states if it gets there in time. Sometimes they are delayed, and we may get four or five at one time. I will show you how to handle that if it happens.”

Soon Staff Sergeant Kelly who was in charge of our section gathered us all together and gave us an end of day brief, and we were released until Monday morning. Jones and Franny walked with me to the barracks, and when we got there she pointed to a barracks across the street and said that is where she lived. “I will meet you here tomorrow morning at 8, but if you ever need me just go to the duty desk and they will send somebody up to get me. See you tomorrow Culver.”

I was not surprised when I got to my room, and Jones told me I had the top bunk. I laughed, and proceeded to unpack my things, putting everything away then setting up my computer. I did not bother changing into civies, and walked to chow. Once back in my room I played a game as Jones watched a TV. It was a small color set, with a VCR under it. And I saw a bunch of copied movies on a shelf next to it. He told me about the stores that sold bootleg movies and music cassettes for $5 out in town.

“And don’t worry about exchanging money to Yen, almost anywhere within two miles of a gate takes dollars. But if you further out in the cities, you will need yen. The exchange rate is around 220 yen to the dollar, so your money will go pretty far, depending on what you get.”

After a week I was pretty well adjusted to the time difference, and at 10 we turned off the lights and went to bed.

The next morning I got up and dressed, then went downstairs to meet Franny. We hugged when she arrived a few minutes later, and we walked to chow. She then filled me in on a few things nobody talked about.

“Pete, over on top of the hill there is the MARS station. It stands for ‘Military Affiliated Radio Station’, and it is basically shortwave from here to the states. You can go in and fill out a message they will send anywhere in the US for free, like a telegram. And once a week you can make a free call. It is over radio, you each of you has to say ‘over’ at the end of each sentence, they actually switch it manually from transmit to receive. But it is five minutes and it is free.”

I said that was great, and I would be doing that so my dad and Linda could have my new address. She then chuckled, and said “There is a base close to your house, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, Van Nuys Air Force Base. It’s small, but it is just a few miles away.”

“Great, you may be in luck then! There is this private military phone system called AUTOVON. I have already learned how to work it, and it is great because you can call any military base around the world on it for free. I learned a few tricks, and if you are lucky we can call the base there. Then hit a few buttons, and you are in the local phone exchange. Then you just dial the number and you can call anybody you want.”