Miyako Jima 1958, 623 AC&W Squadron, 623-1 AC&W Squadron

A Frank Odell Web Site

Purpose of This Page

This is to share the experience of living on Miyako Jima between the China Sea and the Pilipino Sea.

This page is intended for the enjoyment of the men that lived on the island in 1957 and 1958.

Perhaps some of the Miyakans who live on the island will enjoy reading about the old days they have heard their parents talking about. The days when the Americans lived among them.

This page is a scrap book with pictures and words supplied by Clark Nelson.

Clark was on Miyako 1957-1958.

Music is Cedar And Bamboo. It is continuously looping.

1958

623rd-Det. 1, AC&W Squadron

Call sign "Headwork"
Later Changed To "Wayside Bravo"

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Page History

Originated: 06/28/07

Improved: 06/28/07 07/07/07 10/15/07 05/03/08

This page is a grouping of random memories of life in the USAF on the island. Date was 1958. No lies here, just time distorted memories.

Miyako is located:
N 24.76
E 125.32

Unofficial Web Page

Where Is Miyako? The Radar Base
	Looking north along the road that passed by the Supply building on the left and the Orderly Room on the right. It then wound back around to the right and up to the barracks. While taking this picture the Motor Pool was behind the photographer.
	Miyako barracks.
	The arrow points to my room at the south end of the barracks. 1957
	That's Pierre "Gus" Benson on the left and myself (Clark Nelson) on the right. Barracks are in the background; appears to be a rear view of the barracks. This is one of those pictures I don't recall being taken. Miyako 1958.
	Duane Smith squatting in front of the Orderly Room in 1957.
	The Radar towers in 1958.
	In this picture one of the radomes is missing. The picture was taken after Typhoon Faye went through in September of 1957 and blew away the radome that was protecting the height-finder radar attenna. Best I recall that gear for the height-finder was the AN/FPS-6.
	Well and pump station?
	Some where on the island?
	This is Duane standing at the south end of the Supply Building.
	This is Clark standing at the south end of the Supply building with his back toward Nobaru village. The Supply building is not in view. We were cleaning our M2 Carbines and checking out the helmet liners. The pot on my head is the helmet liner.
	Clark in front of the barracks in 1957. Clark's back is toward the small PX building (not shown).
	Most of our radar operations crew standing near the tennis court as we were sunning our mattresses. This photo was taken in 1958. Standing left to right: Jervey Edwards -- New Jersey; Clyde Hart -- Florida; Dennis Schon - Nebraska; Clark Nelson -- Utah Squatting in front: Richard A. Spaw - Iowa (deceased - July 23, 2006). Also deceased is Dennis Schon from Nebraska. Jervey Edwards was with Motor Pool rather than radar ops.
	Photo taken in 1957. That's Richard A. Spaw on the left and me on the right wearing the makeshift "Ike" jacket fatigues. We're standing just outside the Orderly Room front entrance. Richard is deceased. Most of we blip chasers ran short on fatigues. Took an act of congress to fly us back to Naha to buy new ones.
	Duane clowning around with the Garrison Cap. Duane and I went TDY to Yozadake prior to the transfer to Miyako.

Every photo I sent you was taken by Duane Smith; I didn't take any of them, except the one of our barracks. The remainder of pictures were taken by Duane. --Clark Nelson-- Before you begin watching the clip below, you should use this control to stop the background music. Photos from Miyako Jima Island (Okinawa) 5:07
Communications Panel
......Go to page 1. Mostly pictures taken by Airman Odell while stationed on the island. All 1958 period. (Passed link test 0x/13/07)	......Go to page 3. Mostly pictures taken by Kyoko Takaesu of Miyako island group. All current pictures. (Passed link test 0x/13/07)
......Go to page 4. Mostly pictures taken by Kyoko Takaesu of Miyako island group. Also a time line of the airbase in pictures. (Passed link test 0x/13/07)	......USNS T-LSM-335 was the supply ship to Miyako. I made one trip on her from Naha Army Port to the Hirara dock. (Passed link test 0x/13/07)
......Ed Johnson has a web site about Miyako and it contains many very good photographs. Far better and more interesting than the ones on this page. (Passed link test 01/13/07)	......Satellite image and maps of Miyako. (Passed link test 01/13/07)
......623 & 624 Okinawa and Erabu Shima. Some pictures of typical installations. (Passed link test 01/18/07)	......Some photographs of the base and the island. (Passed link test 01/19/07)
.....The Home Page and the Odell Home on Merritt Island, Florida, USA. (41) (Passed link test 01/13/07)	......Page 2 of the Odell Home Page section. Space launch schedule from CCAS and NASA. And some other stuff. (41) (Passed link test 01/13/07)
......Site map. This is the best way to navigate this site. (76) (Passed link test 01/13/07)	......To contact Clark Nelson.
......AVG 40 minute movie. Long load time. (Passed link test 0x/13/07)	......To contact Frank Odell. Send comments, pictures or more thoughts. I will include them on this page.