I had no idea when I first entered Atsugi’s Main Gate that I would be embarking upon a very challenging four-year tour that would lay the ground work to my deciding to make a career in the US Navy and that most of my future Navy tours would be in the Navy Exchange System.
For 2 months or so until my household goods arrived in Japan, I got to live in the BOQ. This facility, like all the other buildings in Japan, was a wooden structure which had been built after WWII. It was one of the few buildings that was NOT painted a “pea-green” color!
During the first 2 years in Japan while I waited on the list for government quarters aboard the base, I had to live on the Japanese economy just like the natives. This was my first home—a very SMALL 2 bedroom place having about 600 square feet of living space and NO FURNACE.
The bathroom had been “Westernized” (meaning it had a TOILET!) and was fine—except for being colder than hell in the winter when the only heat in the house was provided by small kerosene space heaters in each room!
The house was uninsulated and drafty. The kitchen was a little primitive by American standards and cooking was done using bottled propane gas. Most of the furniture was government provided and EVERYTHING (couch, chairs, rugs, etc.) was GREEN. They matched the color of the house perfectly.
I had meet Dave Seyller (who became a life-long friend) while living in the BOQ. Dave was a Navy Flight Officer who flew intelligence missions out of Japan, Vietnam, and Guam during most of the period I was living in Japan. He helped re-paint the house using a lighter color!
Once we had painted out the place and done quite a bit of renovation work on the kitchen cabinets, bathroom walls, etc., the house was pretty nice and I actually enjoyed living off-base among the Japanese people. I did not have a telephone and nothing was in English, so I had to learn some basic Japanese words.
Other than the fact that everything was GREEN in color and the place was damp and cold except in the summer, the living room was comfortable.
“Fugi” was my 120 LB purebred Japanese AKITA dog who was a direct decendent of a Grand Champion Akita that was featured on one of the Japanese postage stamps. Fugi was lovable, but just dumber than shit!
As I mentioned, these houses were COLD in winter—especially when it snowed! My little Japanese car was small and cheap, but, it navigated easily through the very narrow (and, often, DIRT) roads in our area.
Jack Sowell, a retired E-9 Marine, worked for me in the Exchange. He ended up marrying “Emiko” who was one of my accounting office employees at that time. They have been life-long friends who have lived in Watsonville, CA since leaving Atsugi in 1972.
A few months after I moved into my house, several new homes for Japanese citizens were built across the dirt road from my place. I have illustrated (using my uniform hat) the SMALL size of these homes—probably about 450 square feet for families of 3-5 people.
As I mentioned, the Japanese at that time did not use any insulation in their construction. They simply built a wooden structure (which had only a primitive outer concrete supporting wall) directly over a dirt base and then stuccoed the outer wall and added a tile roof.
The ONLY source for American products and groceries was the Navy Exchange and Commissary which were located on the base about 6 miles from where I lived in “Minami Rinken.” So, we often had to buy some of our supplies in neighborhood shops like this vegetable market.
Most of the Japanese stores in Minami Rinken had fronts which were directly open to the street (and closed up at night by pulling metal shutters down to secure the front).
This is our friendly local Japanese Police Station. Crime simply did not exist when I lived in Japan and it was totally safe to go anywhere day or night and not have to worry about anyone bothering you or trying to steal your valuables.
Near the Police Station was the Japanese Fire Department. Their fire engines had to be small so they could navigate the extremely narrow roads common to Minami Rinken.
After about 18 months, I was able to move into a nicer Japanese home and to get a more impressive Nissan car. Of course, I still had small kerosene space heaters in each room and NO telephone, but life was better!
Since we had NO American TV and only one military radio station broadcasting in English, everyone bought the most expensive stereo system they could afford and spend their time duplicating records and tapes from everyone they knew. Steve loved his bean bag chair for listening to 4-channel stereo!
All of the NEX facilities were configured from old WWII-era wooden structures that had often been originally constructed as warehouses or quonset sheds. This is the Retail Annex where we sold furniture and displayed foreign merchandise purchased from other Asian countries.
These are some examples of marbleware from Hong Kong or Korea. On the left is CDR Ray Loftus, the former NEO who I had relieved while I was still a mere Navy LT. Jack Sowell is on the right.
After Jack and Emiko had gotten married, they moved to California. For his “going-away” gift, we had given him a Ships Clock which he still treasures and uses.
This is a photo of my NEX Office staff with my Assistant, LTJG A. G. Lafley, in the back row. “AG” had been my Assistant NEO for about one year and then relieved me as Exchange Officer in January of 1974. ["AG" ended up getting out of the Navy after his 4-year tour and went to work for Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, OH.]
“AG” (after relieving me as NEO) is standing behind my old desk talking to our NEX Merchandise Manager. “AG” is an exceptionally sharp individual who did well and went on to become PRESIDENT AND CEO OF PROCTER & GAMBLE CO!