Tokiko appreciated a buddy who’d fallen in love with an American Sky Force administrator

The wedding ban portrayed this new Army Government’s unrelenting disapproval regarding erican troops and you will Okinawan feminine. Despite the fresh ban was brought up and they elizabeth courtroom, the brand new military constantly stressed soldiers to not feel too amicable that have regional female. So it rules was demonstrated from the some of the women I interviewed.

Located in New york city, Okushima Tokiko got did away from 1951 in order to 1964 toward Military Corps off Engineers in the Go camping Kuwae during the Chatan. Their own work dealt with settlement when residential property are confiscated to possess legs design.

The firm leader advised all of them it had been all right playing doing on girls around, but do not to locate major. Just performed they pay attention in their initially “direction,” but it has also been written in its “guidance pamphlet.” erican military had so it thinking because our very own nation destroyed the war, but it seemed to myself including racial bias and you can entirely degrading from Okinawan anybody.

The couple is way of life together, but when his dominating manager learned, he was endangered that have forcible return to the U.S., and additionally they split up. Tokiko herself had erican, but his commanding manager had tried hard to speak your out from it.

When i found its way to 1977, We thought zero special society surprise, however the next year we travelled away from Ca so you can Fl by the vehicle, while the nation checked incredibly greater

“I was thinking the fresh excursion cannot avoid,” recalled Sachie (created 1931 when you look at the Naha, today staying in New york). She would arrive at the united states once their matrimony during the 1954 when she are twenty and her husband, following nГјtzlicher Link in the Army, was nineteen. Their particular travel began out of Light Beach Naval Feet inside the northeastern Okinawa in the tip out of Katsuren Peninsula. The fresh new ship sure to own San francisco transmitted about several thousand people. Up to speed vessel was basically video clips and you will dancing events, therefore all of the people and you can team preferred this new journey. However, Sachie, suffering from really serious water-disease, missed on all of the fun. “We wouldn’t consume having ten weeks, and you can put up all my meals. The actual only real one thing I am able to continue down was basically sips out-of Coca-Soda and you can apple slices. I thought I was likely to die once we have got to San francisco.” Sachie rode the new bus for another four months, entirely all over the country on the east coast. “New journey from Okinawa ended up being grueling, however when my personal partner’s loved ones asked me personally warmly, I became happy.” Traveling 2 weeks with the a ship and you may five months crossing the fresh new country-made their own very aware of what lengths she was away from household.

Most females told you that they had understood The united states is a large nation, but were still shocked when they watched it employing own vision. Yukiko (Las vegas, years 62) told me,

Prior to marrying, I would personally did from inside the Okinawa at to another country branches off a financial and you can an investments organization. In addition had a good amount of contact with Us citizens owing to my personal husband’s mothers which lived with our team, and so i try some familiar with Western lifestyle. During the Okinawa you might be never ever more than one or two hours drive on the ocean, but in The united states we drove over 10 instances and you can noticed merely homes. It made me understand what a small island I’d come from.

Reiko (Georgia, age 70) is actually likewise satisfied by the “this new wide highway you to definitely did actually continue forever. Driving on that wonderful street, We noticed the nation’s strength.”

Of several was together with surprised the America they stumbled on is actually so unlike the The united states they had seen in the flicks. “I imagined The united states is actually an area where many some one dressed in cowboy hats and you can shoes. I very first lived-in my personal husband’s hometown when you look at the Nj-new jersey, and that i think of are upset as the I saw no-one here wearing all of them,” told you Masako (Nj, many years middle-fifties).