OKINAWA
1961-1963
TORII STATION
51st US Army Security Agency Special Operations Command
In 1961 the Army transferred me to Okinawa, and It was a great assignment with many opportunities to play music off-duty.
View of Torii Station from my backyard in Kadena Circle
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Okinawa Sunset
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There were numerous military installations with clubs needing bands and my flexible military job in Security allowed nights and weekends off duty to play music. I worked Saturday afternoons at the Topper NCO Club Grand Ole Opry on Kadena Air Force Base, and seven nights a week with Pat Patterson & the Sons of the South at various clubs on the Island. I also worked with Lucky Mitchell and the Cimmarron Cowboys at the Okinawa "Ebb Tide" Club. My Fender Custom three neck steel-guitar was about used up, so I ordered a Fender 1000 and had it shipped to Okinawa. This was my first "pedal" steel guitar.
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Topper NCO Club Grand Ole Opry - Kadena Air Force Base
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Pat Patterson & the Sons of the South
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Lucky Mitchell and the Cimmarron Cowboys
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My wife removing Typhoon tape from our 1960 Edsel
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Cave on the beach behind our house.
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Our next door neighbors home........... the fence at the top was our back yard.
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Kadena Circle Housing Area.
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Our private rental in beautiful Morgan Manor.
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Dreaming of going home to Oklahoma!
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I think this was Moon Beach........ the shark flags were usually flying.
White Beach was up the road...it was only open when he "Fleet" was in.
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Finally Going Home in 1963
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