Military Memories

by Lyle Stouffer

HEADQUARTERS 5th AIR FORCE/ US FORCES/ JAPAN

FUCHU AS, TOKYO, JAPAN

I arrived at Fuchu, signed in, applied for family housing in the nearby Kanto Mura government housing complex, met my new boss, Lt. Col Goldberg and the other two military members with whom I would share an office. Major Jim Coleman was a long time GCI manual environment specialist and Capt. Kabela was an automated systems specialist and was very knowledgeable with SAGE and BUIC automated systems in the US and the BADGE automated system that Hughes Aircraft Co had designed and installed in Japan for modernizing and enabling tie-ins with US ships at sea as well as Japan’s air and surface units. I was to be the so called expert for problem solving of the fighter/interceptor nature that would be posed to the office.

I was the only rated officer in the office so they were ground environment people and I could relate to the air.

I picked up an open-ended leave and planned to go to Tucson to help my family finalize details, pack up and catch their scheduled flight out of Travis AFB CA to Yakota AF Japan. Since my trip to Tucson was not an official military trip, I had to catch a space available seat on a MATS aircraft from Yakota AB to Travis AFB and then commercial air to Tucson.

When I got to Travis I inquired about getting a seat on the same aircraft that my family was scheduled to go to Yakota aboard. I was assured that it was not heavily booked and that I shuld just show up with the family and they would put me aboard. Since I was a space available traveler they could not assign me a seat at that time.

Mary Jo had already gotten a renter for our house at 5720 East North Wilshire Dr. In Tucson.

We had arranged with a veterinarian to take our miniature Dachshund, Schatz, and crate him and send him to Tokyo via Los Angeles after we sent him notice from Japan that we were there and Schatz’s travel should commence.

Most of our houseful of furniture went into what is called non-temporary storage since we had no assignment location on our return from Japan and the amount we could ship to our Japan assignment was very limited.

One item that we did sent to Japan, what we were very sorry we did, was a king sized one piece box spring for a bed. We were never able to get it into the assigned house in Kanto Muro and it spent the whole three years of our Japan tour stored in a warehouse at Tachikawa AB and we never bothered to reclaim it when we returned to the US at the end of our tour there. We liked the bed but not the trouble it caused.

We arrived at Travis AFB as a family of seven with great anticipation of our flight to Yakota AB, Japan. Not so fast! The aircraft was booked totally full of travel orders passengers and not one space available passenger got on board. There goes another flight for Mary Jo with all five accompanying her without that extra pair of hands to help. Tim was 12 and a lot of help but the ages ranged from 12 down to not yet four. More than a handful I grant you.

Col. Joe Guynes and his wife Charlie met the family at Yakota (in the middle of the night, Japan time) and gave the assistance and guidance that they very much needed.

The next scheduled flight to Yakota from Travis was 24 hours after the family departure and there were several empty spots so I arrived 24 hours after my precious family. I don’t think Mary Jo has ever gotten over the fact that she had to go to the Japan overseas assignment ahead of me.

We were glad to have a house to move into immediately even though our scanty shipped boxes weren’t there yet. The contacted the Tucson vet and asked that Schatz be launched on his trip.

It was all set for him to go to LA and transfer to a direct flight to Tokyo airport. We don’t know why but instead he was transferred at LAX to a flight to San Francisco, then transferred to a flight to Tokyo. We had been trying to find out where Schatz was but later found that there were delays at each one of his transfers. When we finally got him at the Tokyo airport he was a pretty unhappy dog. Then to top it off, animals being brought into Japan had to go through a two week quarantine period and had to be certified totally disease free before being free to live in the country. The quarantine facility was located at a US Army occupied camp at Zama so that is where Schatz spent his first two weeks in Japan.

Schatz was very protective of our kids and Anne said to one of her little friends, “Hit me and see what he will do.” And poor Schatz bit the little friend and back he went to Zama, this time for a two week rabies quarantine

All dogs were required by regulation to be tethered and not roaming free. Like anywhere in the world, some individuals laugh and scoff at regulations and do as they please. Schatz was on a nice long tether, so he could move about some, when a large Chow dog came within Schatz’s tether range and the challenge that Schatz got into resulted in his little 15# body being badly injured. Back he went to the Zama animal shelter to be patched up with stitches and a two week quarantine.

These were all happenings in the early months of my tour in Japan. In addition, we had a bicycle stolen from right at our door step. All of these minor incidents were written up and copies of the reports were sent to my immediate superior. Lt. Col Goldberg asked me what kind of non-conformists me and my family were trying to be.

Wing director of operations for 5th Air Force, a Col. Roberson by name, was a very agressive administrator of his office. Col. Joe Guynes, who had helped Mary Jo get me this assignment, was tabbed to attend the Industrial War College back in the US, so he was no longer the deputy direction of operations while I was assigned there.

I checked out in the T-33 and flew quite a lot out of Yakota AB to Kadena AB, Okinawa, and Osan AB, South Korea, almost always in some official capacity. Col. Robertson thought I ought to be current in a fighter interceptor since I was the fighter officer in the Air Defense shop so he arranged to have me check out in the F-102 at Naha AB Okinawa. This was the only fighter interceptor squadron in the 5th Air Force realm. I had already completed the F-102 ground school for preflight training with the 456th FIS at Castle AFB while I was stationed at Madera, California.

This was another short lived activity as PACAF in Hawaii put out an edict that only personnel involved in operations involving mission aircraft at wing level or below would be permitted to maintain currency in mission aircraft. Back to T-33 only for me.

Col Robertson had gotten approval to restructure the military posture of US and joint Korean forces to a tactical air system from the basic air defense structure that was set up at the close of hostilities with North Korea in the early 1950s. This involved changing the AFSCs (Air Force speciality codes), job descriptions, mission objectives of units. This would effect the assignment of personnel coming into an assigned tour in South Korea. Except for the embassy and Air Attache staff in Seoul, South Korea, the tour for military personnel in South Korea was an unaccompanied 13 months.

I was selected as a member of a six officer crew to go to 314th Air Division at Osan AB and perform this seemingly impossible task. We did it and it was put into effect much as we had written it.

Another unexpected thing happened to me in early October, 1968. General Curtis LeMay, while he was Chief of Staff of the Air Force, dictated that only officers possessing at least a bachelors degree from a university would be offered a regular Air Force commission status. I was called into Gen. Thomas Megehee’s office (then commander US forces, Japan/5th Air Force) and congratulated for being one of 175 reserve commission officers to be offered a regular commission. I accepted! These were called supplemental merit offerings by the Air Force personnel center, (ien. McGehee personally administered the oath of office that I was required to utter in order to go from reserve office on active duty to a regular Air Force officer. The big difference at that time was insurance of an opportunity to remain in service beyond 20 years of commissioned service. A reserve officer was forced to retired from completing 20 years of commissioned service. I had been informed that I was going to be offered regular in July of 1968 but it was wasn’t completed until the visit with Gen. McGehee.

Also in July I was notified that I was one of four officers who were going to receive some medals presented by a two star general, the deputy commander of 5th Air Force. Major Gen. Timothy O’Keefe made a comment that he had been asked to do this task many times but never pinning on two Silver Stars and a Distinguished Flying Cross on one person before. I received the Silver Stars for the missions on the 17th of September and 26th of October, 1967, and the DFC for the mission on 3 October, 1967.

The family settled in to life in Kanto Mura. Since we arrived in Japan at the start of the summer the three boys got into a supervised judo and jujitsu and started working for their advancement in skills and colored belts. Mary Jo got involved in putting out a monthly officer’s wives newspaper, teaching conversational English at a Japanese boy’s school. She also befriended the Japanese wife of a US officer stationed at Fuchu and really had guided tours of many of the local spots that a foreigner would probably never see: an early morning visit to the Tokyo Fish Market, where the fishermen brought their catch each day to bargain with buyers for their prizes of the sea. (and having very fresh sushi at 7 a.m.), participating in a Japanese tea ceremony in a private Japanese garden etc.

There was an elementary school and a high school located on the grounds of the Kanto Mura housing complex, operated by the fine DOD school system. The school year kept all the kids pretty well occupied.

Col T.D. Robertson was what I would consider to be on of the more bombastic full colonels I met in my Air Force career. His real name was Thadius D. Robertson but I understand he hated the moniker and had his name officially changed to just initials although I heard him called Tadd by several of his peers.

He had a long time tactical air command experience and from the time he became chief of operations at 5th Air Force he openly stated his desire to convert the whole area of responsibility of 5th Air Force from a defensive structure and mission to an aggressive tactical force that could deal with any threat. North Korea was the first and foremost concern but the over responsibility included Japan, South Korea and Okinawa. He couldn’t really change the JSDF (Japanese Self Defense Force) since its defensive structure was established after the end of hostilities in World War II. There were US Tactical forces in the form of F-4 combat wings at Yakota AB and Misawa AB though the Japanese were only allowed defensive forces.

After getting South Korea reorganized. Col T.D. directed that the operations department of 5th Air Force be reorganized and restaffed much like 7th Air Force Operations that was the hub of the Vietnam War and was directed out of Than San Nuht AB at Saigon.

I was selected as one of the officers assigned to this reorganizing project. By the time we started this project. Col. Joe Guynes had been replaced by Col. Fred Webster and he was tabbed to head up the reorganization planning.

Before we finished the detailed plan to take to PACAF headquarters for approval, we showed a need for a 24 hour duty officer capability to monitor activities in the 5th Air Force area of responsibility and monitor any message traffic that may be of importance. Two L/Cs. and a senior major were initially assigned to assume this duty after normal duty hours as a shift work schedule. The Tactical Forces Operations office assumed this responsibility during normal duty hours.

When the package was complete, Col. Fred Webster and I were tasked to go to Hickam AF in Hawaii and present the plan to the powers that be at PACAF for approval. I ran into my former wing commander of the 432 Recon Wing at Udom, Vic Cabas, who had been promoted to Brigadier general and was heading up the PACF reconnaissance division at Hickam. (Sadly B/G Victor Cabas died in 1971 of a massive heart attack.)

We got the approval for the 5th AF plan and when we got back to Fuchu, I was tabbed to replace one of the L/Cs as a duty officer as he was completing his Japan tour and rotating to the states.

JAPAN EXPERIENCE 1968 TO 1971

In April, 1969, the North Koreans forced a US Navy EC-121 to land in North Korea and captured the aircraft and the crew. The EC-121 was an Elint (Electronic Intelligence) gathering vehicle and although it was flying over international waters in the Sea of Japan, the North Koreans claimed that it was over their territorial water and intercepted it with fighters and forced it to land in North Korea.

The US reaction to this obviously aggressive action was immediate. In addition to increasing alert status throughout 5th Air Force area, the US Naval 7th Fleet garnered four combat ready aircraft carriers, and accompanying support ships, for a total of 29 vessels, and sailed them into the Sea of Japan between Japan and Korea.

The task force commander of this armada was Admiral Cagle and his flagship and quarters were aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier Enterprise.

I was selected to hand carry and be prepared to brief the Admiral and his staff on the joint plans that would guide any joint operations between the task force at sea and the 5th Air Force participants.

1 was flown to ltazuke AB on the western most island of Japan, Kyushu, and then flown aboard the Enterprise in a COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) aircraft which goes aboard just as a fighter aircraft would. That was my first barrier engagement aboard ship.

I spent 15 days above the Enterprise and briefed the admiral’s staff and then a couple more briefings for additional ships staff and personnel that the admiral designated. I spent most of these 15 days in the control center or on the bridge watching aircraft operations. There were many tense moments as there were aircraft high status of readiness with weapons mounted on them with nuclear warheads in place.

1 thank my guardian angel and good fortune that hostilities never resulted and was more than happy to board the COD back to ltazuke.

The admiral had a very large and comfortable quarters aboard ship. I was given his alternate tower quarters that were adjacent to the ships bridge so I never had to swing in a hammock or dodge through bulkhead openings except on the way to the control room. Was great not to have stack smoke invading while aboard. Plenty of hot water as a result of the nuclear coolers.

Some interesting family activities that got me involved also. Tim and Paul decided to participate in Little League baseball in the summer of 1969. Tim was 12 years old and Paul was 9 so they were on different teams and a different level of play. They each had a coach and I volunteered to help whenever I could.

Prior to the start of the season, I was approached and asked to volunteer to join the umpiring corps. At a meeting held to discuss Little League rule book and the differences from the adult rule book, I was asked if I could further become the chief umpire and schedule the two umpires required at each game. I accepted and it must have met with their approval because they insisted after the season that I make myself available for the 1970 LL baseball season as well. It was a real task to keep up with the activities and availabilities of all the officers and airmen that had volunteered to umpire for the league.

In the fall of 1969, I found my name on the list of majors being promoted to L/C. and got to pin on the new silver leaves in December, 1969. T.D. Robertson thought I ought to have a bigger responsibility so he had me replace a L/C who was rotating back to the states. The job carried the title of Chief of Current Operations, Hdqtrs 5th Air Force. Some of the primary activities of the office was exercises the defensive and tactical forces of 5th Air Force, tasking alert levels and locations, coordinating gunnery ranges and point of contact for getting required inflight refueling tankers from Strategic Air command.

To help me with these monumental tasks, I had two majors, two captains and a sergeant administration clerk. I think we did a very good job. One of the captains was Dick Goddard and that friendship with the Goddards has lasted over the years and still exists as I write this document. Fve lost track of Maj. Brackett, Maj. Kruse and Capt High. I haven’t run across them since I departed Japan in April of 1971.

I received the Air Force Meritorious Service medal for my service at 5th Air Force and it was primarily for the manner that this office was run through 1970 into 1971 when I was leaving to return to the states.

When I was promoted to L/C in December 1969, Gen Thomas McGehee congratulated me and said he was about to leave for Colorado Springs to take the job of commander of ADC. He said that he was going to ask that I be reassigned to ADC when I completed my Japan tour as he had intentions of making me an F-106 squadron commander.

All was not work with little play during the three year tour in Japan. In 1970 my parents arrived in Japan via a recently operational Boeing 747 and joined us for a visit, a bullet train ride to Osaka ^ to attend Expo "70. They tasted Japanese culture and things of interest before returning

homeward again on a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747.

We had several family trips around the surrounding country side. To Nikko, where the famous carvings of the life sized moneys in the “hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil” pose. A ski trip to Naiba in the so called Japanese Alps. The family experienced the Japanese bath while staying in a beautiful Japanese hotel in Atami. The kids had a hard time keeping from diving and splashing which would have been anything but the staid decorum that the Japanese approach their classic hot bath.

There were many trips to local Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

Mary Jo and I had a tour to Shikoku Island that also included a ferry ride to Hiroshima where we spent considerable time in the Peace Memorial and Museum there. Powerful experience. The

two of us also went on a tour to Sapporo on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. We did this the year before the 1970 winter Olympics were held there. The ice carvings were huge and intricate.

We had a family tour to Osaka, Kyoto area that included the witnessing of the use of cormorants for night fishing. The cormorants had lines to a snug ring around their necks so that they couldn’t swallow the fish they caught. The handler would relieve them of the fish and back they would go for another.

Mary Jo and I had several out of country trips to Hong Kong, Taipei in Taiwan, Bangkok in Thailand and Kadena in Okinawa etc.

A young Japanese college student, Toyomi, was eager to learn more conversational English and became a family friend. One summer we agreed to let Tim accompany him on a tour . Tim really learned a lot of the Japanese language and customs and developed a desire to learn more. He was not yet 14 years old but really becoming grown-up. All the children had “Japanese Culture” classes and took several day trips and experienced some longer camps.

I was given the opportunity to volunteer for a fouth year at 5th Air Force as were many of the officers stationed there. Lt. Gen Tom McGehee’s words were still echoing in my head when 1 turned down the extra year and received an assignment to ADC Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Our travel back to the US was not a run of the mill military PCS move. We were given an option of going by air or a two week cruise aboard the President Wilson of the American President Lines. This would mean free passage for Mary Jo and me and our five kids and Schatz our Dachshund all on board with only bar bills and tips to come out of our pockets. The US government was subsidizing the cruise line by helping fill its cabins with military travelers and paying the tariff.

What a great trip. We packed up our goods for shipping and went aboard with baggage for tfce trip. We sailed on April 25, 1971, crossed the date line and had two 29ths of April. We had a 36 hour layover in Honolulu before continuing on to San Francisco. The five kids had supervised activities and an assigned table for the five at the early seating for dinner while Dad and Mom ate at the later dinner seating. We enjoyed the shipboard evening entertainment.

Mary Jo and I played party bridge from Yokohama to Honolulu and won the first place trophy.. .and got the booby prize for duplicate bridge from Hawaii to San Francisco.

Schatz was in a kennel on the upper deck between the stacks. I would walk him in a designated area a couple times per day. Several nights I would tuck him under a jacket and sneak him to the room so the kids could enjoy him. Then back to the kennel. Very sneaky but never got caught in that violation.

The kids were really spoiled with the great menu aboard ship and thought lobster, beef Wellington, prime rib and the likes should be their fare for the future. We found out, second hand, that Gregg had ordered nothing but six fancy desserts at one evening meal. The waiter talked him into eating something more nutritious prior to his dessert. Katy, on the other hand, was just six years old and she was content to have more of the peanut butter and jelly variety.

When we arrived in San Francisco, we stayed overnight at the US Navy/Marine Club and it wa hard to get the kids back to accepting foods that would bring them back to reality.

We had a commitment to accomplish before traveling to Colorado Springs. The Officer’s Club officer at Fuchu was still in Japan but had shipped his car back to the states and we had agreed to drive it from the port of San Francisco and turn it over to his sister in Denver. After we completed the necessary paperwork and picked up the 1968 Oldsmobile vista dome station wagon, we headed for Denver.

It was convenient to deliver it in Denver because we had purchased a 1971 blue Ford station wagon that we were to pick up at a Denver Ford dealership. We realized later on that it should have been painted yellow instead of a dark blue because it turned out to be the biggest automobile lemon we had ever owned, new or used.

I won’t belabor the details but we had to return it to a dealer so many times for repeated identical generator problems. When they finally got Ford to replace the generator, we started having more nightmare problems with it.

Anyway, the brand new Ford got us from Denver to Colorado Springs before we started having the problems.

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