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(The above is an illustration from Vic’s 1980 ‘Nippon Notebook’ depicting the loss of an F-4E Phantom jet from Fighter Squadron VF-151 in the Indian Ocean. Both aircrew survived, thank goodness! This morning, the alert notifications are going out to deployed US units to execute a “short dramatic” strike against the remaining Iranian capabilities. France is apparently preparing to riot again. So, let’s take a trip with Vic as he felt 48 years ago when the Iranians started this…)<\/p>\n
28 April 1978<\/p>\n
Yokosuka, Japan<\/p>\n
Dear America,<\/p>\n
I sit here scribbling in my near-palatial digs at the Yokosuka BOQ- Bachelor officers Quarters in plain English.<\/p>\n
. I have a small refrigerator, a balcony, and maid service. I will also be ending my leave and GOING TO WORK on Monday. Yecchh.<\/p>\n
On that auspicious day I will begin learning my duties for damage control and various readiness procedures aboard Midway. Like how to close the water-tight doors after eight cruise missiles have detonated after penetrating five decks and come to rest in the AVGAS storage.<\/p>\n
C\u2019est la vie.<\/p>\n
Have spent eight delightful days here in the land of the Rising Sun. After an intolerably long MAC flight, jammed together with my fellow neo-colonialists, I holed up for two days and tried to figure out who, and where, I was.<\/p>\n
I watched Japanese TV until I was confident that my body could sleep while it was dark, instead of vice-versa. Much worse than European jet lag, as the time zone change was 17 hrs. and an international date line. Also, since I am A-J squared away (and street-legal military), my customary sleeping aids are a thing of the distant (and lamented) past.<\/p>\n
Yokosuka is an attractive place.<\/p>\n
They have great scenery and huge B-B-Q pork sandwiches. Large steep hills of foliage-covered soft sedimentary rock tower amid the crowded buildings and berthing areas.<\/p>\n
The hills were apparently used by the Imperial Navy for storage and command posts during the great air raids; everywhere there are tunnels. Tunnels big enough to run rail cars into, small tunnels for personnel shelter, air shafts, cross-connectors, strange stairways leading into bricked-up walls.<\/p>\n
It isn\u2019t surprising that some of those soldiers held out for 30 years; I\u2019d be surprised if there weren\u2019t some still here on the base. Also of note is the old Dreadnought-class battleship MIKASA just outside the current U.S. boundary. She floats in a large basin filled to the waterline with cement.
\nShe was Togo\u2019s flagship when the Japs beat the Russians in \u201905 and became members of the Big Leagues. Fascinating; nothing like her left in the West.<\/p>\n
For the rest of town: crowded, crazy drivers, right-hand drive cars, bad exchange rate (and getting worse) and the sordid pleasures of the U.S.-oriented clip-joint bars. (A prime example: \u201cThe Shit-Kicking Country Western Bar,\u201d where I blew $55.)<\/p>\n
Plenty of jim-cracks and gee-gaws to buy. I purchased a simulated Nazi Kriegsmarine flag and nearly came back on base with it over my face, disguised cleverly as \u201cThe Lone F\u00fchrer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ah well.<\/p>\n
The Shore Patrol is everywhere in abundance. Have heard we bachelors only have to spend two years here instead of three for the married folks. Congress is trying to extend it to save money. The Peacetime Fleet is an odd place to be.<\/p>\n
Prior to my departure from the United Snakes, the Navy put me through some changes at SERE school. Search, Evasion, Resistance and Escape is what the letters mean. It was even worse than I heard.<\/p>\n
It was long, hungry, wet, sleepless and generally an eye-opener. The portion at the end was mind-boggling. After four days without meals we were shot at, hunted down, captured, interrogated, humiliated, stripped, slapped, put in little boxes, interrogated, boxed, slapped, screamed at, forced to crawl endlessly, worked, lectured, slapped around, and finally released after 28 straight hours. Whew.<\/p>\n
Still can\u2019t handle loud noises. Ah well, it is over and that is a great thing. Easily the weirdest experience of my military career (which included the Marine Drill instructor version of basic training). Yecchh.<\/p>\n
Hope the job is working out; I\u2019d like to be working for the unemployment people myself at the moment.<\/p>\n
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Onward and seaward; Midway is big, gray & underway so I\u2019m afraid I\u2019ll be flying aboard with the mail. It will likely be hair-raising. I may not have a chance to write for a while, but keep me posted on what\u2019s happenin\u2019 down Bean Town way. Tell Matt the Ensign sez high, best to Bud], Eleanor, and rub Uncle Rummy\u2019s tummy for me.<\/p>\n
Thumbs up & Bums away!<\/p>\n
Vic<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 Vic Socotra
\nwww.vicsocotra.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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