Note: For privacy reasons, email addresses are not displayed.
For those of you who have following the Tokyo Broadcasting System documentary and one of us returning to Okinawa after 50 years, let me say , it was a \"TRIP OF A LIFETIME\".
Brenda and I are back with a load of memories we will never forget. The changes on the Island are something that I still can\'t comprehend.The people are the most gracious and attending I have ever met, the new construction is a testament to their attitude, \"what recession\" ??? Everything crane on the Island is in use for high rise buildings.Kokasaui Street in downtown Naha is straight out of a Bruce Lee movie with all its glitz and glamour. The City is one massive jumbo-tron scoreboard from any NFL stadium. The economy appears to be booming with Cartier, Louis Vutton, and Rolex specialty stores everywhere, and they are not fake knockoffs either. It is truly a 21st Century city of Starbucks and McDonalds... oh, did I mention the cost of food was thru the roof ?
I was only able to locate one of the original Mace launch sites, the one at Onna Village. It is now a Peace Memorial and has been retro-fitted to resemble a high class Museum. I was greeted with much enthusiasm by the caretakers and given a fantastic tour of the complex.... it only took 5 full days to locate the place. The Site was very difficult to locate and no one at the local Onna Village City Office knew of its existence.No one understood English and could not speak Japanese. We got along quite well with much pointing grunts and SMILES, the other universal language right up there with music.
Brenda, myself, and two Grandkids were there for 12 days and will always look upon favor with the memories. I had always talked going back but never thought it would be a reality, not cheap, but well worth it.
As soon as the Jet-Lag subsides and normal returns, I have loads of images to post here. For those of who were on Okinawa , you won\'t believe your eyes.
Bill Horn
Original Pioneer
September 5th 1961 - March 5th 1963
Site 1
Brenda and I are back with a load of memories we will never forget. The changes on the Island are something that I still can\'t comprehend.The people are the most gracious and attending I have ever met, the new construction is a testament to their attitude, \"what recession\" ??? Everything crane on the Island is in use for high rise buildings.Kokasaui Street in downtown Naha is straight out of a Bruce Lee movie with all its glitz and glamour. The City is one massive jumbo-tron scoreboard from any NFL stadium. The economy appears to be booming with Cartier, Louis Vutton, and Rolex specialty stores everywhere, and they are not fake knockoffs either. It is truly a 21st Century city of Starbucks and McDonalds... oh, did I mention the cost of food was thru the roof ?
I was only able to locate one of the original Mace launch sites, the one at Onna Village. It is now a Peace Memorial and has been retro-fitted to resemble a high class Museum. I was greeted with much enthusiasm by the caretakers and given a fantastic tour of the complex.... it only took 5 full days to locate the place. The Site was very difficult to locate and no one at the local Onna Village City Office knew of its existence.No one understood English and could not speak Japanese. We got along quite well with much pointing grunts and SMILES, the other universal language right up there with music.
Brenda, myself, and two Grandkids were there for 12 days and will always look upon favor with the memories. I had always talked going back but never thought it would be a reality, not cheap, but well worth it.
As soon as the Jet-Lag subsides and normal returns, I have loads of images to post here. For those of who were on Okinawa , you won\'t believe your eyes.
Bill Horn
Original Pioneer
September 5th 1961 - March 5th 1963
Site 1