SMITTY WAS HERE !!

Miyajima Hotel

Miyajima Hotel

Being that Smitty so enjoyed taking in the sights of 1945 Japan and it is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, this post will continue with the brochures he brought home with him. Above is the Inland Sea and Miyajima Island that is approximately 45 minutes from Hiroshima; the entire island is considered a park being that two parks are actually on the island, The Omoto and the Momijidani, both famous for their cherry blossoms in spring and colored leaves in autumn.

The Great Torii

The Great Torii (52′ tall [16 metres]) is the red religious structure within the bay is from the 16th century. The earlier one had been destroyed by a typhoon. The Itsukushima Shrine has stone lanterns that remain lighted throughout the night. Senjokaku is the hall of a thousand mats and beside the shrine is a hall filled with countless rice ladles offered by worshipers. There is a five-storied pagoda (100 feet high) for Buddha close by and in the Omoto Park is a two-storied pagoda built by “Hidari-Jingoro” an ancient famous artist.

The center photo showing a patio, Smitty indicated that that was where they ate. And the circle to the right, dad wrote, “Damn good fishing and crabbing here.” It seems you can’t even take the Broad Channel, NY fisherman out of the soldier.

At the bottom picture here, Smitty wrote, “I slept here in a room like this.” On the right-hand side of the page is written, “I managed to get behind the bar at this place.” (Can’t take the bartender out of the trooper either, I suppose.)

Gamagori Hotel

At the Gamagori Hotel, above the bottom-left photo is written, “Good Food. Chef here studied under a Frenchman. Boy was the food tasty.” The right-hand photo has, “Fishing good here.”

Gamagori Hotel, interior

On this page of the Gamagori brochure, Smitty marked on the center diagram where his general stayed. (If viewing is a problem, please click on the photo to enlarge.) The bottom-left photo is marked, “Had a room like this at this place.”

Gamagori Hotel, interior

This brochure is entirely in Japanese and therefore unable to give the reader a clue as to where it was or still is located.  Thanks to our fellow blogger, Christopher, we have a translation here…

1. The colorfully illustrated brochure says “Sightseeing in Miyagi Prefecture” （観光の宮城縣）and lists several of the highlights (skiing, cherry blossoms, shrines). The 3-D illustrated map shows the whole area, featuring the famous destination of Matsushima. Now, today it’s considered old-fashioned, but there is this thing called “The Three Sights of Japan” （日本三景）, pronounced Nihon Sankei, which refers to what were traditionally considered the three most beautiful places in the country: Matsushima, Miyajima, and Ama no Hashidate. It looks like your dad hit at least two of them — I wonder if he also made it to Ama no Hashidate! Here is a modern link to “things to do in Miyagi Prefecture”: https://www.google.com/search?ei=42UuXZ7LMc3B7gLEwpzACQ&q=%E5%AE%AE%E5%9F%8E%E7%B8%A3&oq=%E5%AE%AE%E5%9F%8E%E7%B8%A3&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l2j0i30l8.29273.32641..38871…1.0..0.80.438.6……0….1..gws-wiz…….0i71j0i4i37.nNS_NTAA6-Y
   Fun stuff… Thanks for sharing!

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.

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Military Humor –

Paratrooper School.

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Farewell Salutes – 

William J. Bumpus (101) – Broken Arrow, OK; US Army, WWII, PTO

Melvin Cakebread (100) – Alpena, SD; US Army, WWII, PTO

Melvin Dart (100) – Santa Ana, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-17 navigator

Edward Eisele (102) Cinnaminson, NJ; US Army, WWII, US photographer

Dale Ferguson – Atlantic, IA; US Army Air Corps, Japanese Occupation, 11th Airborne Division

Robert Gallagher – Cumming, GA; US Navy, WWII

Joseph B. Love Jr. – Atlanta, GA; US Army, Defense Intelligence Service

Charles McCarthy – Detroit, MI; US Army, WWII, 87th Infantry Division

Carroll “Terry” Newman – New Orleans, LA; Merchant Marine Academy grad / US Coast Guard, WWII, (Ret.)

Anthony Romero (101) – Sante Fe, NM; US Navy, WWII

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