An Okinawan Affair

by Herb Blanchard

  "Did you see everybody?

  What did the Marine say?"

  "First of all," Brad hesitated, held her eyes for several seconds, "I'm not leaving until Friday. The Marines I came with, and I were rescheduled to get here yesterday not Saturday. So we are scheduled to go back in five days which would be Friday. Even though we got here on Saturday, the Gunny couldn't see changing our flight because somebody screwed up and tried to keep us in DaNang an extra day. So the three of us get six days here instead of five."

  "Honto, Brad? That is so good. I have you for one more day. Then we really can go to the ryokan?"

  "Hai, we can for two nights.

  I stopped at the Bank of America this morning. You know, I have always done my banking there. I opened another checking and savings account for both of us. So you have to sign this card and after lunch we'll drop it off at the Kokusai Dori Branch. There is a small amount of money in it for now in case you need it for something."

  Tomi met his eyes as a tear formed in each of her dark brown eyes. "Thank you, this means we are almost married, neh?"

  "Yeah, it means except for the legal mumbo-jumbo, we're married."

  Tomi looked at him with a quizzical expression.

  "Sorry, Tomi." He took her hand and bent sideways along the table to kiss her. "We're married except for the paperwork. We are committed to each other in every way more than if we had all the paperwork."

  "Hai, I understand that. I like to hear you say it and I want to say it to you. We are married and I am committed to you, Brad-san."

  Don and Arlene want to take us to dinner at the VFW tomorrow night. I told them alright, but we had to be home early."

  "Why early, Brad?" It was like the golden dawn after a dark night. Her face glowed and she turned red.

  "You didn't tell them that?"

  "Sure why not? I said that I had to have you naked and in bed by 2000 so we could make a baby by 2015."

  "Iie. Eeee, you didn't. No, you didn't, Brad." Tomi started to laugh. "You would not embarrass me like that. I do know that.

  You are such a story teller. Just for that I will take you home as soon as we finish lunch and show you a good time, sailor. All for two dolla. Okay GI?"

  The water was almost neck deep on Tomi when she kind of floated and walked the couple of steps to sit on the rock bench next to Brad.

  "It feel so good. I want to stay in here the rest of the week. Can we make love in the water, Brad?"

  "I have the will. So there must be a way"

  "Yes, you do." Tomi answered before ducking her head under the hot water.

  "That's a start." Brad said when she came up for air. Then he ducked under the water and came up with the petite Tomi sitting on his shoulders with her legs wrapped around his neck .

  "I don't think you will have to come up for air this way."

  Brad gently lifted her off his shoulders and set her on his lap.

  "This is a great steak and you're eating fish, Tomi?"

  They decided to order room service rather than go to the dining room. Neither had dressed all day.

  "I think we should go for a walk on the beach after we eat. Tonight is our last night here and we haven't seen anything except the inside of this room and the hot bath. What do you think my Love?"

  "I would like that. There's a small store that sells American ice cream just a little ways down the beach. Would you buy me an ice cream like an American girl?"

  "Absolutely. You mean more to me and deserve everything any American girl ever got."

  Tomi started to laugh and blush.

  "That is not what I meant. You are so bad. Is your mind always on sex?" Brad kidded her and kissed her on the forehead.

  "It is all your doing. You have ruined me. A nice, proper woman and you have made me into a sex fiend. We do anything you want and I like it. Oh, yes I really like it, Brad-san."

  "See, that is what I mean. You are so very bad."

  They decided to take a bus back to Tomari Port rather than a taxi as it would take longer and they could pretend they were still on their mini-vacation.

  Brad had his arm around her and Tomi was drowsing in and out of sleep as the bus swayed around the curves on the narrow country road.

  "Do you want a boy or girl, Brad?"

  "Where did that come from? Are you so confident that we did everything right this week?"

  "Oh, iie. I was just thinking and wondering if it should be so, which you would prefer. We have not made love so much since the first months that we were together. I really missed you and will until you come home again. I know that making love is important to us whether we make a baby or not. We like each other and how we make each other feel when we make love. I would never have know such feelings in my body and heart if I had not fallen in love with you. Here you are 8 years younger, a baby-san." She laughed and hugged Brad's arm tightly. "You are not a baby-san when it comes to being in me. I am terrible aren't I?"

  "Not really. You are very lovable and a realist when it comes to what life is."

  They stopped in the sushi bar before going home to buy their dinner and Brad's last meal before he had to leave Okinawa.

  A sleepy Tomi snuggled against Brad. "What time is it, Brad?"

  "It's only 8, Tomi."

  "You have to get up at 0530? So early. We aren't going to sleep much are we? I'm sleepy, but cannot stay asleep for more than a few minutes."

  "I know, me either. I haven't been to sleep at all. I just want to hold you and not look at the clock.

  My flight leaves at 0700. I have to be there by 0630 so the Gunny knows that I'm there to get aboard."

  "Oji-san will pick us up at 0600. Is that okay?"

  That's great. Try to get a little rest."

  FORTY-TWO

  LETTERS FROM VIETNAM

  3/12/67

  Hello My Lovely Wife-to-be,

  I just got off the aircraft in Chu Lai. I couldn't get a hop from DaNang until this morning so I stayed with some friends at MCB-11. It beats staying at the Marine transit hooches on the air base. The food and company was a whole lot better, also. Charlie Lawton was there and we went to the Chief's Club. He told me to get used to it as I would be one very shortly if I shipped over.

  After I checked back into 8 the Alpha Company Commander told me to get some rest and enjoy another day off because it would be the last one I would see for a while. I didn't know what he meant until I ran into Dan Storer. He was all grins and hyped up. He left for Japan this afternoon. He did fill me in on what the Lieutenant meant. We are starting a new job Monday morning outside the protected area. We are going to build a huge number of helicopter landing and parking pads for the Army's First Calvary Hueys. I'm going to be in charge of all the earth-moving which means a large number of Seabees, bulldozers, loaders and other trucks and such. The job is expected to last at least a month, maybe more if the Army can't bring in more equipment to help.

  I'm stalling around in this letter because truthfully my Love, I am missing you more than ever. I hope I will be able to sleep, but know in several days I will be so tired even thinking of my loss from not being with you will not keep me awake. Never did I realize how much I could love another human being as I do you. Or have a woman who loves me as you do. I know that my childhood wasn't exactly ideal or healthy, but I now realize how deprived of love and human caring I was. Don't get me wrong, I am not crying about how bad my life has been. I am just becoming aware of how great and different it is with you and having you as a partner and want to share these feelings with you.

  I have six letters from you sitting here to be read. They all came while I was gone and while I was with you. It is strange when you think about it. I was with you for six days, yet six letters are here waiting for me and I know that you didn't write any letters to me while I was on Okinawa.

  Please thank everybody for me. They all helped make it a great trip and they are
all looking after you for me and that makes me feel more secure about being so far from you.

  I wish I was in bed with you, just so I could hold you against me and feel your warm body and breath.

  With all my love forever

  Brad

  5/7/67

  Hi Lover,

  I am feeling good. It is the first Sunday I have had off, actually the first day I have had off since I came back from Okinawa. The first thing I am going to do is write you a long letter and tell you all that is going on that I have not had the energy or time to really write a nice long letter to you.

  You have been so good and patient writing almost everyday even though I have not been able to match you letter for letter.

  What do you mean that you haven't used our bank account except to put money in it? Please spend some of the money on yourself. Buy a new kimono or dress.

  When I am very busy and putting in long days I have been sleeping pretty good, but I'm worried that if I get too much time off my thoughts of you will overwhelm me again. It is very hard to stay asleep when I dream so real that I can feel your soft velvety skin against me and feel your soft lips and tongue on my mouth. How I love thee. Sounds a bit silly I know, but it is true, I love you beyond reason.

  Okay, we finished our big job for the Army and I got a nice "Atta Boy" from the officers and a great letter in my record which has guaranteed that I will get another chevron shortly after I ship-over.

  Speaking of shipping-over, the approval came through Friday from COMCBPAC. They approved everything that we asked for. So we are going to ship-over for six years on Tuesday, May 9th. I will be a first class on 1 August the same day I checkout of MCB-8 and head for home and you. We will have thirty days vacation, the whole month of August. Then I will check on board Camp Kinser on 2 September for a three year overseas tour.

  I put in for another R & R on 5/26, but in the meantime I am sending my check of shipping-over pay to the bank for deposit in our account. It should be there on 5/11. So my Love, go to the bank on 5/12, Friday and be sure it is there. It will be for several thousands dollars. I haven't got the figures yet, finance is still working on it. Probably just under $20,000. Plus what is already there gives us a very nice nest egg of around $32,000. Not bad for a pair of newly weds.

  Think about what you want to do on our 30 day leave. I kind of thought a trip to Hawaii would be nice. We can talk about it while we soak in the hot bath at the ryokan later this month.

  It always makes me more comfortable knowing that Oji-san is around for you and that Arlene and Don Winters check in with you often. You know that you can always turn to them for anything about the Navy.

  I told you that Don would take care of your noisy, partying neighbors. They had to find out the hard way that Okinawa is not their private party house. Play nice or get whacked up side the head.

  I'm going to go to lunch, then take a nap. Maybe seal this letter up and start another later in the day.

  Love you as I will always love you and think about you next to me every night.

  Brad

  FORTY-THREE

  This is a letter that Brad Burgess never got to see or read. In fact it was never mailed.

  Written in English, by hand, laboriously and slowly. An act of love by Tomako Tomanaga at a time that would hold great joy for both of them.

  5/22/67

  My Very Darling Brad,

  I am so very happy to be able to tell you what is about to happen to us. I was going to wait until you came home on R & R, but find that I can not wait so long.

  I AM pregnant. The doctor said two and one half months. That agrees with our time together when we were on R & R. Who knows which time that we made love. We enjoyed each other so many times that week.

  I am so happy and know that you are also. I am very anxious to see your face when you see my little stomach. I already have a tiny bulge because I am so small. I only thought it might be true when I saw my belly grow a sukoshi. My periods have always been so out of time with the rest of the world, my not having a period did not make me think that I could possible be carrying our baby.

  I have told no one else yet since I saw the doctor only one hour ago and came straight to our home to write this letter to you.

  With so much love for you and our baby. tomi

  Tomi carried the letter with her to the coffee house so she could give it to Arlene Winters as was their arrangement. Every two or three days Arlene would come to the coffee house, have a cup of coffee and visit with Tomi. Pickup any letters Tomi had ready to be mailed to Brad, take them and send them through the military mail system to Vietnam.

  Tomi was surprised when she was getting ready to leave the coffee house for the day and met Arlene and Don Winters coming down the stairs into the coffee house.

  She saw Arlene's tear streaked face and gasped for breath. A vision that Tomi had been denying for several days flashed through her mind. Lightheaded and weak, Tomi slumped towards the stairs as Don Winters caught her and gently lowered her onto the bottom step.

  Again the image returned. A brilliant reddish-orange flash. Then horrific thick black smoke. Streaks of torn metal and flying debris.

  BRADFORD (NMN) BURGESS, EON2, was a KIA in the Republic of Vietnam on 18 May 1967 at 1445 hours, while accompanying and supervising a convoy of MCB-8's heavy equipment from the Chu Lai military facility, traveling South on Highway #1 to the village of Ben Son, RVN. The vehicle he was driving struck a mine planted on the shoulder of the road when Petty Officer Burgess swung off the traveled portion of the road to avoid hitting a young Vietnamese girl. The girl was also killed in the resulting explosion.

  ###

  AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

  The author, Herb Blanchard is retired and living in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. He is a Vietnam Era Seabee veteran who spent several years stationed on Okinawa and made many trips to the island during his two tours in Vietnam. He followed his six year Seabee tour with an Air Force hitch of four years as a KC135 tanker crew chief flying to and from Southeast Asia and flying combat missions over Vietnam and off the coast of China. He took every opportunity to return to Okinawa be a two day lay-over or a 120 day TDY.

  Herb made and had many friends on the island, American and Okinawan. He knew the island and its people well and enjoyed every day he spent on the island.