Here I was, on a Super Constellation. Heading to NAS Atsugi, Japan. Me, a South Georgia farm boy that had never been away from home.

I had completed Storekeeper's School in San Diego, and my first duty station was an AF (refrigerator ship) out of San Francisco. My first duty was Mess Cooking. Army recruits would know this as KP, but the Navy was different. This was a full three-month duty, not completed on a daily basis.

During this time, Mess Cooking, I had to see the integration of the University of Georgia. I worked directly for the cooks, both of them Black, and one of them was from the panhandle of Florida. His main comment was "The Navy gave me my first pair of shoes, and I walked backward for two weeks, just to see my tracks" Needless to say, Tom made my life just as miserable as he could. We both watched the TV when Doodle Hall, (Ocilla GA boy) flew the Confederate Flag above the UGA quadrant. Recognizing him as a classmate only added to my woes.

Since this was before integration of South Georgia schools, I had no interaction with "Black" people, as there were none in my small community. Tom gave me hell at every opportunity, but I have to admit he was a good cook. He had four hashmarks, (Time of Service: One hashmark = 4 yrs) so he had been watching his footsteps for at least 16 years. Still Comissaryman 3rd Class, just two ranks above my E-2?

James was the other lead cook. He, also, was "Black", but as different as night and day from Tom. He was a really happy man, and was always singing the latest from Motown. "Motown?"... in South Georgia? Never happen. But "Finger Popping Time" became "Finger Fucking Time" with James. Likewise, "My Girl" became "Your Girl" with all the accompanying lyrics. James was a trip, and opened a door that had never even been contemplated at home.

James always volunteered to cook special meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas. His Parker House Rolls, and the turkeys he cooked were memorable, even now,

45 years later. I lost contact with him, but I am sure other people, somewhere, really appreciated the finesse the Chef gave to their meals.

I spent 21/2 months on the USS Sirius. Just about the time I was to finish Mess Cooking, I found I had orders to Japan!! Now at this time, (March '61), orders to anywhere in Japan were GOLD! Actually, at the end of SK school, I had requested Adak, Alaska. I really wanted to kill a Grizzly Bear, not eventually marry a Japanese Lady.

Back to the Super Connie. We were on our way, but with this plane, it was 36 hrs in the air, with a stop to refuel on Midway Island. This was before the 707. There were some civilians on board, but directly behind me were four sailors who were meeting the USS Bon Homme Richard, the "Bonnie Dick". All of these crazy people were from Texas, and one in particular was working on the stew's.

We were going to have a layover of 4 hours on Midway, and this crazy man was talking the stews into a midnight (4 am) swim. He succeeded! Five of our US Navy's proudest did our best to insure that these 2 ladies remembered us. Here was this beautiful woman with her legs around me, in water that was mostly coral bottom and shark infested, and I remind myself that I was still a virgin. Even this tryst had not changed that.

At 19, I was primed, but I was the only one that did not bring a condom. Back then, before the Pill, they were the only birth-control method. Regina made up for it, with the first ever blowjob. You have to remember, I grew up in a society that did not even acknowledge such thing happened. It was wonderful.

We landed in Japan, God knows where. I think it was at Haneda, Tokyo's airport. All I could see were all of these short people, with black hair and brown eyes!

I am only 5'9", but it seemed I was a head taller than all these strange, short, beautiful, and totally alien people. As I looked around, I had no idea where to go, nor what to do. "We are not in Kansas, or anywhere else", I thought. Georgia was at least 10,000 miles away, and I was that far, to the tenth power.

Fortunately, the Navy had anticipated all this, and a Shore Patrol checked my orders and directed me to a bus.

When I arrived at Atsugi, I was taken into the care on the Base Master-At-Arms (MAA). These were the dumb-asses from the fleet that could only contribute discipline without leadership. Two weeks. No liberty. Base indoctrination on the basics of Navy life in Japan.

After two weeks of picking up cigarette butts, and general indoctrination, we were invited to an MAA party at one of the local bars. Now you have to picture, that since Midway, I had not even seen a woman up close. I saw many that lived and worked on the base, and others that came through the gate daily. All the while picking up cigarette butts. I had quickly become enamored of the beauty of Japanese Women. All us two-week graduates were invited to a MAA party at one of the local bars. There I saw Candy for the first time.

Here we were. on our first night out to see what the women of a third world country were all about. I was in total awe, as the women caressed, sat in my lap and played with my perpetual erection. I was offered anything, for a price, but unfortunately my pay records had not followed me. I was broke, and willing to give up my heritage in a South Georgia farm just for a hug from one of these beautiful ladies.

I had to sit there, nursing a beer (another anomaly, S GA), while I watched everyone else fondling, and occasionally disappearing to the back room, with one of these ladies.

I had noticed one of the girls that seemed to be having a lot of fun. She would laughingly decline any intimate contact with any of the men, but dance with them as though her life depended on it.

She was the total butterfly, sitting on men's lap, scooting around to create an arousal, then leaving with a laugh. I saw one BM1 (Boatswain's Mate, 1st class, EM-6) offer her $20.00. At this time, starting work on the base was $30.00 per month, a short visit to the back room was $2.50, and stay all night was $5.00. We had to have special permission to stay out all night. There was a 12:00 o'clock curfew, and the Shore Patrol (SP) would nail you if you were on the streets after that.

All this time, I had watched Candy flitting around, totally enamored. I had never seen anyone as beautiful, or as desirable. She had been working the more financially endowed people for much of the night. She finally came and sat in my lap. "So Sailor-san, you don't like Japanese Women?" The immediate throb of my perpetual erection denied her statement, and she noticed.

"Come with me to the back, and we can take care of that", she said. "I haven't been paid in 1 1/2 months, I don't have any money". She wiggled on my lap, and said, "OK, come see me when you are paid". She stayed there the rest of the night, refusing to leave me. Pissed some deck-apes off!!

The next day, I transferred out of the temporary barracks, was given a liberty card, and PAYDAY!!!. Well, a subsistence of about $20.00, enough to buy cigarettes and a couple of beers. Liberty Call was at 5:00 pm and at 5:01 I was on my way to see Candy.

Charging out of the Base Gate in a 100 yen taxi (roughly .25c, I was dropped off at 5:20 at the bar where Candy worked. Did work. This early in the day, there were very few of the pretty ladies from the week before. I sat drinking an Asahi beer, and wondering what had gone wrong with my plans?

Kazuko came and sat with me, I bought her an Asahi, also. Most bar girls drank an expensive tea, and hardly ever accepted a real drink. Kazuko told me that she and Candy were real friends, and that Candy was somehow impressed with me. She also told me that Mama-san had fired Candy because she just sat with me, and did not try to get me to spend money.

I managed to get back to the base on what money I had left.

I was assigned to the Inventory Control section of NAS Supply. I "walked through" any emergency requisitions that came to the Supply Department. An AOCP (Aircraft Out of Commission for Parts) got everyone's attention, and I had to take care of it. Since my rank was a lowly E-2, I became friends with Nick, SK3, and Doolittle, SK2.

Now put the name "Doolittle" in the Japanese culture at the time, and you came up with really aggressive faces. General Doolittle's (no relation) raid was still well remembered. He had wisely chosen the name "Doo-san". Nick was "Nick-san". There was a town past Tokyo, named Hatchi-Oji. Evidently, one plane from the famous raid went down near this town, and the citizens really whacked the aircrew. After the war was coming home to Japan in late '44 and '45, all the bomber crews "Saved One for Hatchi-Oji". At the time, this was the most modern city that I saw in Japan. It was literally leveled, and no American went there after dark, and hurried through during the daytime.

Now, I was assigned to the Supply Department well after payday. Nick and Doo realized that I had a really fine watch, and also, a Polaroid Land Camera. Funny how friendly people can be when you have things that can be pawned before payday!!

OK, they suck me in, and promised me that they would show me the "real" side of the Japanese Women. Understand, my dick had softened very few times since I arrived in Japan. We went out, pawned both camera and watch, and came up with the stupendous amount of Y16,000.00 ($40.00). Split 3 ways, 5,5,6, I was ready to meet the world, at least all the women promised.

We first went to a local restaurant and had a steak. Promise you, Kobe Beef for $1.50 is something you have not experienced in your lifetime!!

Then we went to the bars. Now even at 19, I was becoming bald. When we entered the bar, Nick introduced me as "Osani-san". Now an Osani is that little man in the boat that is predominant in a women's satisfaction.

This name gave me lots of attention, with Nick's and Doo's laughter. The women were all over me. Doo told them that he thought I was a virgin (I still was!)

I was being smothered, when I looked up and saw Candy. I bolted from the women, Nick and Doo looked at me, and then saw the lady who had my attention.

I approached Candy, and made a total ass of myself, since I had money.

She turned away from my pretty crude proposition, and left the room. I followed, having to get past a bouncer.

I turned her around, and told her that she was the most exciting woman I had ever met, I told her how much I wanted her, and this was just enough.

Candy remained in the Nightlife around Atsugi, simply because I could not afford her. But afford takes on a new meaning, as I spent the night with this wounderous lady, and did not spend a cent.