MY FIRST DAY IN JAPAN, AUGUST 1961

THE BUS RIDE FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE NAVAL AIR STATIONAT ATSUGI WAS LONG AND FULL OF STRANGE AND EXCITING AROMAS. ONCE WE ARRIVE AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION, I SAW MT FUJI IN THE DISTANCE. IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY, A LOT OF FLYING WITH ONLY A ONE HALF-HOUR STOP IN HAWAII FOR REFUELING--AND SENDING POST CARDS OF DIAMONDHEAD. THE PILOT POINTED OUT MIDWAY ISLAND, THE KIMONO-CLAD HOSTESSES SERVED COLD BOTTLES OF KIRIN BEER. THEY FURNISHED US WITH HOT TOWELS FOR REFRESHING OUR FACES. IT HAD BEEN A JOURNEY OF MORE THAN FIVE-THOUSAND MILES. I LOOKED AT MT FUJI AND WONDERED WHAT MY TOUR OF DUTY WOULD BE LIKE. WOULD I BE HOMESICK FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS? WOULD I LEARN TO SPEAK JAPANESE AND HAVE THE KIND OF EXPERIENCES I HAD HEARD ABOUT FROM MY NAVY FRIENDS WHO HAD BEEN TO JAPAN? MY MIND WAS FULL OF MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE. MY COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WAS PRESIDENT KENNEDY; I KNEW HE HAD IT ALL UNDER CONTROL.

HOW I SPENT A LOT OF MY SPARE TIME

FRIENDS AND ALLIES FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS

THE FIRST CAPTION THAT ENTERED MY MIND FOR THE PAINTPROGRAM IMAGE BELOW WAS

TORA, TORA, TORA

but after awhile I thought about a caption that would be less intimidating and dramatic , a caption that would express the general attitude that exists today, more than 50 years after the war. As time passes, the memories of Pearl Harbor and the war fade away; time has a way of healing the scars of war when generations change. I needed a caption that would indicate that those days of hate and anger are, for the most part, gone. It was with much peril and sacrifice that many of our deceased family members made it possible for Japan and the USA to build a bonds and freindship. To illustrate the obvious, I came up with the following caption:

"Somehow, I think we are making a big mistake, Abe."