Tokiko recalled a buddy that has fallen crazy about a keen Western Air Force administrator
The wedding prohibit represented the Military Government’s unrelenting disapproval of erican soldiers and you will Okinawan female. Even with the newest ban is Frauen Jamaikaner actually elevated and they age legal, the fresh new army continuously pressured soldiers not to ever be also amicable with regional feminine. So it plan is discussed by a few of the female We questioned.
Residing in New york city, Okushima Tokiko got worked regarding 1951 so you can 1964 toward Army Corps out of Engineers within Go camping Kuwae within the Chatan. Her employment looked after payment when homes are confiscated to possess foot structure.
The business commander informed them it was all right playing up to toward girls in town, but do not to get really serious. Just performed they pay attention inside their initial “direction,” however it was also written in their “recommendations pamphlet.” erican military had that it ideas because the the nation forgotten the battle, however it seemed to myself particularly racial prejudice and you may entirely degrading out of Okinawan somebody.
The couple try way of life to one another, nevertheless when their dominating manager revealed, he was endangered having forcible go back to the brand new You.S., plus they split up. Tokiko herself had erican, however, their commanding manager had attempted hard to speak your aside of it.
Once i arrived in 1977, I felt no special culture amaze, but the the following year i travelled of California to help you Florida of the car, and the country looked incredibly large
“I imagined the brand new travel could not stop,” recalled Sachie (created 1931 within the Naha, now residing Nyc). She would arrived at the usa immediately after their unique wedding from inside the 1954 whenever she is actually twenty along with her partner, following on the Military, was nineteen. Their excursion first started regarding White Coastline Naval Foot during the northeastern Okinawa during the idea off Katsuren Peninsula. The brand new vessel sure having Bay area transmitted in the one or two thousand passengers. On board ship have been videos and you will dance events, thus all of the passengers and team preferred the newest travels. But Sachie, enduring severe ocean-diseases, skipped from all of the fun. “I couldn’t eat to have fifteen weeks, and you will threw upwards every my personal delicacies. The only some thing I will remain down was indeed sips from Coca-Cola and apple cuts. I thought I happened to be planning pass away by the point we surely got to Bay area.” Sachie rode the new coach for another four weeks, all the way across the country to your eastern coastline. “Brand new travels out-of Okinawa got arduous, nevertheless when my personal partner’s loved ones asked me personally passionately, I found myself pleased.” Travel 2 weeks towards a vessel and you may four months crossing the brand new country-made their own incredibly familiar with how far she try from domestic.
Many women said they had understood America is actually a large nation, however, were still surprised after they watched it through its own sight. Yukiko (Nevada, ages 62) informed me,
Just before marrying, I would spent some time working inside the Okinawa in the overseas twigs of a financial and you may a trading and investing providers. I additionally had a lot of contact with Us citizens courtesy my personal partner’s parents exactly who stayed with our team, and so i try somewhat used to Western lifetime. Within the Okinawa you might be never ever several or two hours push on the water, but in America we drove more 10 instances and you can noticed just belongings. They forced me to discover what a small area I might are from.
Reiko (Georgia, age 70) try also amazed because of the “the new wider street you to definitely seemed to continue forever. Riding on that wonderful road, I considered the nation’s energy.”
Of numerous was including surprised the America they stumbled on is therefore different from this new America that they had found in the films. “I thought America are a place where many somebody dressed in cowboy limits and sneakers. I basic stayed in my personal partner’s home town inside Nj, and i also remember getting distressed just like the I watched no body indeed there wearing them,” said Masako (Nj, years mid-fifties).