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During the week of April 12-20, 2001, several members of General Douglas MacArthur\u2019s Honor Guard partici\u00adpated in a Commemoration of General MacArthur\u2019s mili\u00adtary career<\/u><\/strong>.\u00a0 Some of you joined us for that trip; others may have never heard of the Honor Guard.\u00a0 I hope that this \u201cTrip Report\u201d serves both audiences.<\/p>\n Of course several Honor Guard members plan to write their own Trip Reports to include their personal experi\u00adences for their families and friends.\u00a0 Many members contributed to this composite Trip Report.<\/p>\n More information about General MacArthur, the occupa\u00adtion of Japan, the Korean War, the Honor Guard, etc. may be found in \u201cGaijin Shogun: General Douglas A.\u00a0 MacArthur, Stepfather of Postwar Japan\u201d (ISBN 0-9678175-2-8) by David Valley (tel: 858-485-7550), a member of the Honor Guard.\u00a0 I think this is an excellent reference that handles the subject matter accurately and concisely.<\/p>\n Maurice Howe, Editor<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Purpose<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Without General MacArthur\u2019s determination that post-war Japan could and would be a model democracy and able to rejoin the other nations of the world in peace, the people of Japan would have languished in starvation and despair.\u00a0 It was General MacArthur who insisted that the Japan should be \u201creborn\u201d as a productive nation among nations.\u00a0 He fought and won against the many voices a\u00adround the world that wanted Japan to be ground into the dirt as repayment for their misdeeds. To say that Mac\u00adArthur was a benevolent savior would be putting it mild\u00adly.<\/p>\n Is it any wonder that the Japanese people revere General MacArthur? Sadly, though, modern-day Japan (and mod\u00adern-day America and other countries, for that matter) have shelved their memories of World War II for more immediate concerns.<\/p>\n Among those who honored MacArthur were the Japanese who survived the war but came home to a ruined econo\u00admy; a ruined food source, a ruined political structure.\u00a0 And it was they who rebuilt Japan.\u00a0 MacArthur had the foresight and the authority to make it all happen.\u00a0 Did he make enemies during the Occupation?\u00a0 You bet!\u00a0 But very few of them were Japanese.<\/p>\n Space is too short here to do justice to the contribution that General MacArthur made to post-war Japan, so I\u2019ll not go further.\u00a0 In addition to David Valley\u2019s book, there is a huge body of research material devoted to Mac\u00adArthur, the Pacific Arena of World War II, the post-war era, the Korean War.\u00a0 Few men or women have had such a dramatic and lasting impact upon our lives and times than General MacArthur.\u00a0 I invite you to learn more of this critical time in world history.<\/p>\n The Honor Guard Company & It’s Members<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The Honor Guard Company was formed to protect Gen\u00aderal MacArthur, his office, his home, his family, visiting dignitaries, etc.\u00a0 And yes, they were called on to protect the Japanese delegation that met with General Mac\u00adArthur and his staff to confer about the cessation of hostilities throughout the Pacific and Asia.<\/p>\n The group was formed in early May 1945 in the Philip\u00adpines (as Company E, Headquarters and Service Group, renamed the Honor Guard Company on March 9, 1946) and accompanied the General to Japan.\u00a0 The Honor Guard continued to serve the General until President Truman relieved him on April 16, 1951.\u00a0 The Company remained intact to serve General MacArthur\u2019s successors until it was disbanded in July 1957.<\/p>\n During the Korean War, many of us volunteered to join the fighting forces there.\u00a0 I have repressed my seven awful months in Korea, but I am not the only soldier that ever went to war — many brought back worse memories than mine, and many others didn\u2019t come back.\u00a0 But that\u2019s not what this Trip Report is about…<\/p>\n Over the years there have been some 1,900 men in the Honor Guard (with the Company having one or two hundred at any one time).\u00a0 They were carefully chosen, and became an elite body of soldiers whose job it was to protect the most important and powerful man in Asia.<\/p>\n After their Honor Guard stint, they became businessmen, teachers, scientists, attorneys, doctors, and the very broad spectrum of \u201ccontributors to society\u201d that you should expect from such a one-of-a-kind group.\u00a0 We had pride then; we have pride now; and we are proud of our ac\u00adcomplishments and those of our progeny.<\/p>\n Although not part of the military, we think of two of our Japanese friends and their wives, Tatsumi & Sachika Ishikawa and Suguru & Tomoko Morota, as being very much a part of the Honor Guard Association.\u00a0 They worked at the Embassy as \u201csnack bar boys\u201d for several years.\u00a0 They have attended many of the Honor Guard Reunions, and were present at the MacArthur Com\u00admem\u00adoration.<\/p>\n In April 2001 most Honor Guard members were in their late 60s and beyond.\u00a0 Many have passed away.\u00a0 Those of us who participated in the General MacArthur Commem\u00adora\u00adtion were eager to do so.\u00a0 We\u2019re all glad we made the trip.<\/p>\n Preparations<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Planning a trip like this is a trip unto itself. David Valley had worked long and hard arranging countless details (hotel selection, involvement by US Embassy, Navy and Army, making attendance arrangements with Japanese dignitaries, scheduling the Commemoration events, urg\u00ading Honor Guard members to attend, and on and on).\u00a0 David and his wife Dottie lived in Tokyo for several years so they had a head start.\u00a0 Even so, gluing all the loose ends together was a monumental undertaking.\u00a0 And it worked!<\/p>\n As for the rest of us, there were chores like renewing passports, buying some yen, oiling the wheels on our suitcases, etc. And what shall we pack?\u00a0 We needed some special duds for a couple of events, and enough stuff in carry-on baggage to see us through if the checked luggage ended up in Rio.<\/p>\n Del Sol Travel made the actual travel arrangements; even the extra flights & hotels that many of us would need to arrive in Los Angeles on time and rested for the flight to Tokyo\u2019s Narita airport.<\/p>\n The Trip To Japan<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Just thinking about 11.5 hours on a plane gives pause.\u00a0 Add to that the flight time from various corners of the States to LAX.\u00a0 Several of us were rerouted and delayed but these \u201cwar stories\u201d just added zest to the occasion.\u00a0 For example, some luggage was left behind because the flights were full and the weather \u201ciffy,\u201d but it caught up with us at LAX. Member\u2019s travel plans didn\u2019t allow time to leave home at a decent hour and still arrive at LAX by flight time, so we stayed overnight at the Shera\u00adton Gateway Hotel, just a short shuttle ride from the United terminal.\u00a0 This layover also gave us a chance to recover for the day\u2019s travels and rest up for the long haul to come.\u00a0 It was a good thing there was an occasional \u201chead count\u201d to be sure none of us had strayed.<\/p>\n For who are \u201cstatistically inclined,\u201d our plane from LAX to Narita was a Boeing 747-400.\u00a0 The airspeed was about 685 mph, at 36,000 feet, with an outside temperature of about -60\u00b0F.<\/p>\n It was great to have a chance to get reacquainted and chat with our fellow Honor Guard alumni and their wives.\u00a0 The three meals on broad were quite good.<\/p>\n Arriving In Japan<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Jet lag hit some of us hard and others hardly at all.\u00a0 The time difference is +11 hours from Los Angeles (+14 hours from the East Coast).\u00a0 We leave it to you to figure out how crossing the International Date Line affected those numbers\u2026\u00a0 You\u2019d expect this to turn things upside down but we were keep busy and being in Japan was exciting, so many of us scarcely noticed. Recovering from the trip home was quite another matter!<\/p>\n Collecting our luggage and sailing through Customs was painless.\u00a0 We boarded the first set of buses at Narita Air\u00adport for the journey to the Grand Palace Hotel. Some very efficient Japan Travel Bureau guides met us.\u00a0 Of course getting 70 tired and dull-witted Americans all pointed in the same direction would have been a chal\u00adlenge for anyone.\u00a0 Once on the buses, the tour guide made sure we noticed some highlights enroute — Japan\u2019s \u201cDisney World,\u201d a huge Ferris wheel, the Tokyo Tower, and a bit of Tokyo.\u00a0 Frankly we were too travel-weary to absorb all of that, but it was a good introduction to Japan.<\/p>\n Naturally we compared everything to what we have in the States \u2013 the cars, the weather, the shops, etc.\u00a0 We tried to remember some good advice: \u201cWhen in Rome, do as the Romans do.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Loud boisterous ex-GI Joes were sure to stand out in quiet restaurants but most of us did a pretty good job of leaving a good impression.<\/p>\n The Hotel<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n When we arrived and suffered through yet another head count, we received room keys, and some meal tickets good for \u00a52,000 (about $17).\u00a0 If we had expected smaller rooms and more modest accommodations than we\u2019d find in the USA, we would have been disappointed.\u00a0 The staff was very courteous and efficient.\u00a0 The entire hotel was spotless, the elevators were swift and quiet, and there were 3 phones in most rooms!\u00a0 We were a bit wary about the extra buttons on the toilet (but that\u2019s another story).\u00a0 The towels were colored a brilliant gold.\u00a0 The sink & shower\/tub had instant hot water.\u00a0 All in all, the Grand Palace was the right place to stay.<\/p>\n First Impressions (After Fifty Years)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Returning to any \u201cold stomping ground\u201d after a long absence can be quite an eye opener.\u00a0 Most of were awed at the size and bustle of the city.<\/p>\n Where there was once open space, there were now high-rise offices and apartment buildings.\u00a0 Space is precious.\u00a0 In the old days, the walk from the Ginza to the Finance Building or Embassy would have been very different from today.\u00a0 Gone are the smelly charcoal-burning taxis.\u00a0 Then, 3-wheeled motorcycle-pickup trucks carried vege\u00adtables, firewood, and just about everything else.\u00a0 They have long since been replaced with snazzy new models.\u00a0 The odor of burned fish (well, to us in those days it smell\u00aded a tad overdone) was missing, as were \u2013 are you ready for this? \u2013 The Honey Bucket carts!<\/p>\n And what became of the American Embassy? It was quite a letdown to find a huge new building there.\u00a0 At least the \u201cBig House\u201d remains.\u00a0 The tiny homes and stores in that area are all now busy offices.<\/p>\n Yes, you could say it was quite a revelation to return and find almost nothing of the place we left 50 years ago. But it\u2019s mostly all good, and of course \u201ctime changes all things.\u201d<\/p>\n Tours, Tour Guides And Buses<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Together the Japan Travel Bureau and the US Army satisfied all our group-travel needs.\u00a0 Buses for optional tours, taxis & subways were at our expense.<\/p>\n The buses were the largest you\u2019d see in the States but had to negotiate some pretty tight places.\u00a0 We were con\u00adtin\u00adually amazed at the skill of the drivers to (a) avoid damaging the buses, (b) avoid hitting cars, trees, etc., and (c) getting through impossibly narrow gaps in traffic.\u00a0 For example, when the bus had to turn onto the street, it was quite clear that light poles, storefronts, pedestrians and so forth were gonna get it this time.\u00a0 But they didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n The bus tour of the city was quite revealing, as well.\u00a0 At every corner we saw busy shoppers, office workers, tour\u00adists, etc., hurrying here and there. There was certainly plenty to see. The old Ernie Pyle Theater had been re\u00adplac\u00aded by a shiny new building.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t recog\u00adnize many of our old haunts, with the exception of the Dai Ichi Bldg, the Finance Bldg, and the view of the Palace grounds.<\/p>\n A highlight was the trip to Mt Fuji and Hakone.\u00a0 We had all been waiting for that.\u00a0 At least Fuji hadn\u2019t changed!\u00a0 Most of us had never seen the mountain up close.\u00a0 The cherry blossoms along the road made that trip extra special.\u00a0 Add to that the ride in the cable car to the top of the enormous caldera where we saw (and smelled!) the steam and sulfur fumes coming from the fumeroles (proving that Mt Fuji is indeed still considered an active volcano).<\/p>\n Then back down the mountain to Lake Hakone and a boat ride.\u00a0 Buses then took us to the Odawara train station.\u00a0 The Bullet Train was a quite thrill \u2013 fast, smooth, and on time!<\/p>\n Our Honor Guard Flag<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n To make the Commemoration more memorable, Bob Johnson and Maurice Howe had a \u201cguide-on\u201d banner made and provided a classy pole for it.\u00a0 Bob carried this flag during several events, and it made a major hit for \u201cphoto ops.\u201d\u00a0 Bob & Maurice have donated the flag to the Honor Guard Association for use at future reunions and other gatherings. Eventually it will be donated to the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk.<\/p>\n The City<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In a city of 12 million and very little \u201copen\u201d land, the price can be as high as \u00a520,000,000 (about $170,000) per square meter in the Ginza district.\u00a0 Tokyo is crowded and busy.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t notice any vacant storefronts.\u00a0 The crowds were enormous.\u00a0 The traffic is so bad and the commute from the suburbs to long, the offices and businesses operate on the staggered schedule.\u00a0 Even then, at times the streets are wall-to-wall people.<\/p>\n Slums are not unknown but as the tour guide said, \u201cYes, we have them but we don\u2019t take the tourists there.\u201d\u00a0 Fair enough.\u00a0 There were a few \u201cstreet people\u201d but only a few.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t clear whether they were just left be, or periodically purged from view.<\/p>\n Something that stood out was the cleanliness of the streets and the city in general.\u00a0 You\u2019d see an occasional cigarette butt and sometimes a scrap of paper but NOTH\u00adING like the mess in American cities.\u00a0 On our early morn\u00ading walks, we met lots of \u201clittle old ladies\u201d sweep\u00ading the sideways.<\/p>\n Bicycles and motorcycles were not nearly as numerous as we expected.\u00a0 Maybe that speaks to the flourishing economy and\/or the abundance of public transit.<\/p>\n Although most Japanese cars and trucks had recogniz\u00adable names, many did not.\u00a0 We guessed that several com\u00adpanies make cars more suited to Asian travel needs \u2013 size, pollution standards, etc.\u00a0 It was abundantly clear that the Japanese are fastidious about their vehicles \u2013 surely they suffered dents and scrapes with all that traffic but they don\u2019t stay dented long.\u00a0 We saw only one car with a minor dent.\u00a0 Compare that to New York City!<\/p>\n Buildings, Bridges, Etc.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In a land where typhoons and earthquakes are endemic, we were a little surprised to see no evidence of damage \u2013 any cracks in walls or pavement, any fallen trees, etc.\u00a0 One sight that reminded us that earthquakes are real \u2013 the understructure of bridges and elevated roadways was concrete encased in steel.\u00a0 We guessed that this reduced damage and injury.<\/p>\n The Japanese are very wary of fire. \u00a0This may be a result of wartime firestorms or the likelihood of fire caused by earthquakes.\u00a0 Our schools and stores have fire exit signs, but in Japan they really get serious.\u00a0 The carpet in hotels, etc., must be fire resistant (and have special tags to prove it).\u00a0 Hotels have elaborate write-ups to help in case of fire.\u00a0 Fire precautions are very much in evidence all dur\u00ading our stay.<\/p>\n We got the chance to see buildings in various stages of construction.\u00a0 The Japanese intend for their skyscrapers to stay up \u2013 they use a LOT more steel than we do.<\/p>\n In parts of the States, we have an occasional tornado.\u00a0 In Tokyo they have typhoons.\u00a0 In fact they can pretty much count of having one or more each year.\u00a0 Many of the streets are lines with trees.\u00a0 They have been severely pruned to become a smaller target for the fierce winds, and to reduce the number of airborne limbs.\u00a0 The trim\u00adming makes the trees look odd but they seem to thrive.<\/p>\n Parks & Other Visitor Attractions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Tokyo is not only a beehive of activity, is also has end\u00adless attractions for tourists and the Japanese.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to walk down the street and not see some park, shrine, etc., and little gems of imaginative beauty.\u00a0 The Japanese have a knack for turning the most ordinary patch of rocks, a shrub or two, and perhaps a few flowers into works of art.<\/p>\n The Trip Back Home<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Things went smoothly as we roared back to LAX. This crossing took only 9 \u00bd hours, thanks to the Jet Stream.\u00a0 But it still took up to 32 \u00bd hours for some of us to finally get home.\u00a0 Now only was our adrenaline sued up, but our sit-down-upon parts had had the course.\u00a0 Yes, it was good to go but even batter to get home!<\/p>\n A Cameo Or Two…<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n We had no occasion to drive in Japan. It\u2019s just as well — we would have flunked.\u00a0 There are several countries (you\u2019d be surprised how many!) where you drive on the left side of the road — no, don\u2019t say \u201cwrong\u201d side of the road!<\/p>\n In the States we are accustomed to keeping to the right on sidewalks, store aisles, etc.\u00a0 In Japan the custom is to keep left.\u00a0 This was a little disconcerting, such as in sub\u00adway stairs and passages, not to mention remembering to look both ways before crossing the street.<\/p>\n The Japanese obey the \u201cwalk\/don\u2019t walk\u201d signs religi\u00adous\u00adly.\u00a0 There were plenty of ways to identify a Westerner (especially an American) by watching how they react to those signs.<\/p>\n Excellent public transportation and plentiful taxis made renting a car unnecessary.\u00a0 A taxi costs \u00a5660 (about $5.50) for the first several blocks, plus a small addition for the next few blocks.\u00a0 The taxis are immaculate and seat four chubby Americans comfortably.\u00a0 The price is the same regardless of the passenger count.\u00a0 For safety, the right rear doors cannot be opened (because traffic whizzes by on that side). The left rear door is opened and closed by some magic by the driver.\u00a0 Just another thing to get used to…<\/p>\n Personal Observations<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Several Honor Guard members asked that their com\u00adments about the Japan excursion be included in this Trip Report. Their observations are indicative of our experi\u00adences, and give this narrative additional breadth.\u00a0 We thank you!<\/p>\n (Some of these essays have been edited for length and overlap with other text, although some duplication was retained because it added to the flavor of this report.)<\/p>\n From Hollis & Lunell Horton–<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n It is said that you can never go back and, to a large de\u00adgree that’s true.\u00a0 However, the return to Tokyo after 54 years was not a disappointment, but a great pleasure.<\/p>\n Tokyo was rubble and ruins in 1946. Today it is a mod\u00adern, clean and impressive great city.\u00a0 The vast under\u00adground subway system and fast, clean trains were a pleasure to use.\u00a0 The unexpected courteous volunteer help of Japanese strangers was a big help in moving about.<\/p>\n Springtime, with cherry trees in full bloom, azaleas bright colored, and trees perfectly trimmed, were im\u00adpressive.\u00a0 Small equipment and intensive care, quite different from that of the Texas Panhandle farmed the small farm plots.<\/p>\n The ceremonies at the Japanese War Memorial remem\u00adber\u00ading all killed by war and the two ceremonies honoring General Mac Arthur at Atsugi and the Tokyo Masonic Hall were fitting and touching.\u00a0 His legacy should be remembered.<\/p>\n The trip to again see Mt.\u00a0 Fuji was a “must do” occasion. Other tours and trips to long ago remembered places were great.\u00a0 Seeing the Dai Ichi Building and visiting Mac Arthur’s office were as if time stood still.<\/p>\n Good weather, good food and a fun, congenial group helped make it a perfect reunion.<\/p>\n From Bud & Joan Hoffmann–<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n We just can’t express our gratitude for all the hard work that went into putting the trip together.\u00a0 The coordination & cooperation was incredible! Of course, the flight from LA to Narita was, to us, a killer.<\/p>\n We’re amazed at the cleanliness of Tokyo — the streets, subways, public bathrooms, etc.\u00a0 Local transportation system was just fabulous.\u00a0 We pride ourselves on navi\u00adgat\u00ading the subways (after the first trip).\u00a0 Japanese people were so kind, so helpful.\u00a0 We just had to stand around looking stupid, and someone would offer help!<\/p>\n It was quite different seeing Tokyo all in one piece again, after the devastation in ’47.\u00a0 The various ceremonies that were arranged were wonderful, very moving (I find myself choking up just thinking about them), David’s getup as the General left Joan speechless (rare for her), but she got her voice back and is still talking out the “General’s” appearances.<\/p>\n I think we did quite a few tourist-oriented things during the few days we were there.\u00a0 We visited the Dai Ichi Bldg., Tokyo Tower, the Palace grounds, Hibiya Park (saw our only homeless people there, sleeping under card\u00adboard), the Buddhist Temple, Rippongi and the Hard Rock Cafe, Mt Fuji and the nearby hot springs, and the Bullet Train.\u00a0 Most amazing was that bus ride from the hot springs down to Odawara to catch the train.\u00a0 And of course the shopping trips (waiting time for Bud).<\/p>\n From Maurice & Helen Howe\u2014<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Around 1980 we hosted a Rotary Exchange student from Japan. Kiyomi has visited us twice since then, so she was anxious to show off her homeland.\u00a0 She, her hus\u00adband Masato and their son Kento, took us to a dinner at a \u201creal\u201d Japanese restaurant.\u00a0 What a treat!\u00a0 We had drool\u00aded for really good tempura and other delights.\u00a0 Helen was a little reluctant to tackle some of the delicacies but Maurice dug right in.\u00a0 Masato\u2019s and Kento\u2019s English was about as good as our Japanese, but thanks to Kiyomi things went very well indeed.<\/p>\n A day or two later, Kiyomi, her mother-in-law and a friend took us to lunch at the Imperial Viking atop the new Imperial Hotel.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 On the way back in their monstrous Mercedes, we had yet another mini-tour of the city.\u00a0 The view was spectacular and the food & service were outstanding. Kiyomi also gave a personalized tour of the Ginza.<\/p>\n Helen & I enjoyed walking near the hotel — watching and learning.\u00a0 Strolls with our friends, Max & Daphne Harrell and Bob Johnson were welcome diversions.\u00a0 Get\u00adting tangled up in the subway system proved that our guesswork wasn\u2019t goo enough.\u00a0 Luckily, helpful Japan\u00adese men and women volunteered their advice.\u00a0 When al\u00admost all signs are in Japanese and you understand none it, you need all the help you can get.\u00a0 We couldn\u2019t help but compare their help, to what we might expect in Boston or Los Angeles.\u00a0 I think we all came away with the resolve to be more helpful to foreign tourists when we found them befuddled on American street corners.<\/p>\n As an added attraction, we discovered a great little tem\u00adpura caf\u00e9 very near the hotel.\u00a0 It was so good; we ate there 3 times.<\/p>\n From Norman and Toy Ann Smith–<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Toy has 3 brothers living within a hundred-mile range.\u00a0 Had nice visits with them.\u00a0 One 3-day trip took us to Nagano, home of the winter Olympics.\u00a0 It was still cold up there but we tried a little skiing. It was really danger\u00adous, with many patches of ground showing due to the warming weather.\u00a0 And I\u2019m sure as hell not as young as I used to be — I was so sore I couldn’t walk the second day without complaining.<\/p>\n We know the top 7 men in the Sumitomo Corporation.\u00a0 I met them in Arizona over 35 years ago.\u00a0 They were there doing some work for the corporation prior to buying half interest in Phelps Dodge some 20 years ago.\u00a0 They are wonderful gentlemen.\u00a0 We met with 4 of them, including Mr. Arakawa, for dinner one evening. He picked us up in his limousine. I wish you could have seen the auto\u00admobile.\u00a0 Puts a Mercedes to shame.\u00a0 Had a nice evening with talking about old times.\u00a0 Was invited by Mr. Tschida to his home for a full day.\u00a0 Most wonderful Japanese food I\u2019ve ever eaten.\u00a0 His wife was super. \u00a0Kim, my granddaughter, had previously met the Tschida family and formed a wonderful relationship with their daughter. She is a graduate student of the English Lan\u00adguage.\u00a0 So speaks English as well as her father.<\/p>\n I\u2019m so glad that we went with all of you. We almost didn’t.\u00a0 As I only knew two of the gentlemen from my time there.\u00a0 I did not know David Valley, or must say remember him.\u00a0 He came in two months before the general left.\u00a0 I just cannot place him.\u00a0 But thank god for people like David and his lovely wife.\u00a0 My wife and I truly appreciate what they have done for us.<\/p>\n Kim enjoyed participating.\u00a0 She is a nut for General Mac\u00adArthur also. She met the lovely lady whose husband gave the memorial statue at Atsugi Air Base.\u00a0 Wonderful to watch Kim and her talk in Japanese.\u00a0 I popped a couple of buttons.\u00a0 We are so proud of her.\u00a0 She has al\u00adways been special, and not afraid of anything. She is attending Waseda University there in Tokyo.\u00a0 We will get her back this coming July.<\/p>\n Again, my privilege of having met you and your lovely wife.\u00a0 And thanks for everything you and David have done to put it all together.\u00a0 You have surely made a lot of people happy.<\/p>\n Have to mention that I was so glad to see Kiwamu Tuchida again.\u00a0 I had a lot of dealings with him through my job of being company clerk. I was surprised to learn that the gentleman dressed as the General.\u00a0 He told me that he had been the clerk also, so we had lots to talk about.<\/p>\n From Max & Daphne Harrell\u2014<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Thursday, April 12th<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n We drove from Brownwood to Grapevine (near the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport), and stayed overnight at a motel.\u00a0 They let us leave our car there.<\/p>\n Friday, April 13th and Saturday, April 14th<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n We took the motel shuttle to the DFW Airport, and board\u00aded a United flight for Los Angeles where we had a 4-hour wait for the plane to Tokyo. The flight was eleven hours and twenty-five minutes long.\u00a0 We arrived at Narita Airport outside Tokyo on April 14th<\/sup> due to hav\u00ading crossed the International Date Line.\u00a0 We breezed through Customs and the Honor Guard members as\u00adsembl\u00aded for the bus trip to the Grand Palace Hotel.\u00a0 The personnel there were very, very nice and treated us like royalty.\u00a0 Rooms (that usually rent for $300 per night) were already assigned.<\/p>\n Sunday, April 15th<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Easter in Tokyo!\u00a0 We enjoyed a light breakfast, then walked along the inner moat of the Imperial Palace with Maurice & Helen Howe.\u00a0 We visited the Science Mu\u00adseum and the adjacent Nippon Budokan Hall and observ\u00aded young men practicing Kendo (a popular martial art).<\/p>\n The group went to the famous Meiji Shrine where we learned a lot about him and the Shinto philosophy.\u00a0 We also observed a traditional Shinto wedding.<\/p>\n Next the MacArthur Honor Guard, represented by David Valley, placed a wreath on the Chidorigafuchi Memorial to the Japanese Unknown Soldiers of WW II.\u00a0 A photo of this event was printed in the April 16th<\/sup> Japan Times<\/em> with several Honor Guard members and their wives clearly identifiable.<\/p>\n That afternoon we enjoyed a bus tour of the Ginza, the Dai Ichi Building (and learned that the Dai Ichi Mutual Life Insurance Co. has maintained the General\u2019s office as it was during his tenure.\u00a0 We also saw the new American Embassy and learned that the old MacArthur residence (the \u201cBig House\u201d) was intact and used by the present US Ambassador to Japan.\u00a0 We also witnessed the Changing of the Guard at the entrance to the Imperial Palace.\u00a0 It was quite ceremonial and impressive.<\/p>\n Monday, April 16th<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n A beautiful ceremony was held at the Atsugi Naval Air Station for the General.\u00a0 David Valley dressed as the General, complete with corncob pipe and sunglasses, and repeated his farewell address to Congress.\u00a0 (It was very well done!)\u00a0 This event was coordinated with the US Army, US Navy, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and David Valley.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The proceedings of this event are detail\u00aded elsewhere in this report, but suffice to say, it went very well.\u00a0 After the formal ceremony, the Navy band played Big Band music from the 30s and 40s.\u00a0 A few brave souls jitterbugged in the parking lot. Then we ate a great lunch at the dining facility.<\/p>\n Tuesday, April 17th<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n We visited the Ginza again, and checked out several department stores.\u00a0 They were much more expensive than in the States but shopping there was a great exper\u00adience!<\/p>\n In the afternoon we assembled to board gorgeous buses provided by the US Army, and headed for the Masonic Hall for another commemorative ceremony.\u00a0 The sides of the buses had paintings of cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji \u2013 they were quite striking.\u00a0 Colonel Roth (whom we\u2019d met at Atsugi) distributed pins signifying the closeness of the two nations (Japan and the United States).\u00a0 Lt. Gen\u00aderal Paul Hester (who is the highest-ranking US of\u00adficer in the Pacific) attended the Masonic Hall ceremony with his wife.<\/p>\n Another highlight of this event was Frank Hunter, a pro\u00adfessional piper.\u00a0 Bagpipe music was especially fitting be\u00adcause General MacArthur was of Scottish ancestry, hav\u00ading descended from the Clan MacAteer.\u00a0 We also learned that the General was a 33rd<\/sup> Degree Mason.<\/p>\n The featured speaker was Mr. Harry Fukuhara, a former Honor Guard member and Nisei linguist who acted as an interpreter for the MacArthur family.\u00a0 He explained the importance of the Nisei soldiers in the American Army during the war.<\/p>\n The Dai Ichi Mutual Insurance Company was honored for maintaining General MacArthur\u2019s office in down\u00adtown Tokyo.<\/p>\n Wednesday, April 18th<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n It was time for a major side trip \u2013 Mt Fuji. The cherry blossoms were in their prime because of the altitude and lower temperature.\u00a0 The violets, redbud and forsythia add\u00aded to the array of color.\u00a0 After a rest at the base of Mt Fuji (another great photo op!), the bus took us to lunch at Lake Hakone.\u00a0 A tram took us up the mountain for more shopping and sight seeing.\u00a0 Next came the boat ride on the lake in a \u201cpirate ship.\u201d\u00a0 The view of the beaches and hills was fabulous \u2013 the cherries and redbuds were at their best.<\/p>\n Interesting note \u2013 the ladies\u2019 restrooms did not have reg\u00adular toilet seats.\u00a0 They were porcelain receptacles mount\u00aded on the floor.\u00a0 But they flushed!<\/p>\n Our return from Mt Fuji was by Bullet Train, which pro\u00advides a very smooth ride at 160 mph.\u00a0 We shared a cab with Maurice & Helen for the ride back to the Grand Palace.<\/p>\n Thursday, April 19th<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Five brave souls (Maurice & Helen Howe, Bob Johnson, and Max & Daphne Harrell) took the subway to Shibuya looking for souvenirs.\u00a0 With five active brains, we still managed to get disoriented (lost!) in the maze of subway trains (not once but repeatedly!).\u00a0 Luckily several Japan\u00adese stopped to help, and one lady even interrupted her journey to escort us to the right place to catch the next train, but we misunderstood her and got lost once again.\u00a0 We finally took a rest at a fast-food restaurant, bought a cool drink, and discussed how we might get to the Meiji Shrine area to buy souvenirs. There were five of us so we decided to take two cabs.\u00a0 We reconnected at the Shrine entrance and proceeded to the gift shop.\u00a0 We found what we came for, and had a soft-serve ice cream to recuperate from our subway ordeal.\u00a0 Bob bought a green tea gelato, which we all sampled. One would have to love the flavor of green tea with a passion to eat that stuff!\u00a0 The subway trip back to the hotel went much more smoothly, with only a few wrong turns.<\/p>\n In late afternoon we met at the hotel to board gorgeous buses for the ride to the New Sanno Hotel for our \u201cSayonara\u201d party. The New Sanno gift shops were quite reasonable so we got a Chokin plate as a souvenir of the trip.\u00a0 The buffet dinner was delicious, with several kinds of meats, salads, vegetables and desserts.\u00a0 Friar Neal Law\u00adrence was the keynote speaker.\u00a0 He told of the re\u00adbuild\u00ading of Japan and the role General MacArthur played in this endeavor until President Truman recalled him on April 16, 1951.<\/p>\n Friday, April 20th<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n We gathered in the hotel lobby along with mountains of luggage for our return trip home.\u00a0 After leaving the city for Narita, we saw beautiful country homes; many with rice paddies nearby.\u00a0 How very fortunate these people are to have so much space to themselves when their counterparts in the city have an average personal space of 66 square meters.<\/p>\n On the return flight we sampled sushi along with our regular \u201cwestern\u201d meal, and settled in for the 8-\u00bd hour flight to Los Angeles.<\/p>\n Tokyo is a beautiful city of 12 million residents, with thousands of azaleas; redbuds, dogwoods and cherry trees in bloom this time of year.\u00a0 It is a clean, bustling society whose people spend much of their day commut\u00ading to work, usually by subway or train.\u00a0 An average of 70 minutes is spent daily commuting just within the city.\u00a0 People who live in the suburbs may have substantially longer commutes.\u00a0 The Japanese appear to be a busy, thoughtful, polite and hardworking people who love and enjoy the beauty of nature and cherish simple rituals.\u00a0 It is a mystery how they maneuver in traffic with so many drivers n the road.<\/p>\n Our lasting impression of Tokyo is that theirs is a great society, but there\u2019s nothing like the wide-open spaces of Texas!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Preface During the week of April 12-20, 2001, several members of General Douglas MacArthur\u2019s Honor Guard partici\u00adpated in a Commemoration of General MacArthur\u2019s mili\u00adtary career.\u00a0 Some of you joined us for that trip; others may have never heard of the Honor Guard.\u00a0 I hope that this \u201cTrip Report\u201d serves both audiences. Of course several … Continue reading Tokyo – April 2001<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":76,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-118","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1925,"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/118\/revisions\/1925"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/76"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/generalmacarthurshonorguard.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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