U.S., Japan announce plans to move Marines from Okinawa to Hawaii, Guam

Pacific Business News ^ | Apr 5, 2013, 12:03pm HST | Mark Abramson

[Pan_Yan]

The United States and Japan on Friday announced plans for basing troops in Okinawa that will result in Marines from there being moved to Hawaii and Guam.

...

“Under the plan, the United States will consolidate our forces over time and reduce our impact on the most populated parts of Okinawa,” U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a statement. “Together, our plan calls for the immediate return — upon the completion of certain necessary procedures — of certain facilities and areas on Okinawa.

[laplata]

You “Docs” deserve/deserved all the steak dinners you could ever eat and we’ll never forget your “above and beyond the call of duty”.

[Windflier]

[ConorMacNessa]

I believe you are correct. The American People have done it before and with God's help, we'll do it again!



"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[ConorMacNessa]

When I look back on a long life filled with both successes and failures the greatest thing I ever did was to stand on the field of battle with the 3rd Battalion Fifth Marines.



God Bless you, United States Marine Corps!



"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Gene Eric]

bump

[laplata]

Great words, those!

[TheGunny]

No, we have been moving towards this for years. This has nothing to do with the current administration, and in now way related to current events. lets calm down a bit...

[TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl]

Great post, great page. Semper fi, brother.

[panaxanax]

Thanks for the map. You have mail.

[Gaffer]

Three years as a brat there 59-62, and 18 months during Viet Nam.....

Can’t say I thought very high of the people or culture. It was an economy mainly subservient to military money, at least during the times I was there. The Japanese also have always thought of the Ryukuans as second cousins.

[WildWeasel]

Better be careful, Guam could tip over!

[texanred]

I understand why you think it's a shame to leave after 75 years but there haven't been a lot of “strategic necessity” arguments coming from the military when plans to close it started cropping up.

Is it imperative that we maintain WWII and Cold War positions that may not apply to the needs of this melinnium?

[texanred]

Any idea why spell check suggested “melinnium” which is clearly wrong? I should have checked before Approving spell check but I didn't know wrongly spelled words would be suggested...

[Psalm 73]

“Three of the best years of my life were spent on Okinawa....”

I spent a few months there working on helicopters. Had a great time - but ran out of “new things” to see and do after a month or so (I don’t drink, so my options were fairly limited).

I don’t see us leaving Kadena, though - it’s a pretty strategic airfield complex.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Yokohama and Sagamihara as an Army Brat in the 1950s.
Most all of the American footprint is long gone.

[Travis McGee]

That’s going to wreck Guam. Too bad.

[Ax]

I was stationed at Camp Fuchinobe 1965-1969. Fuchinobe was part of the Zama-Atsugi complex. I spent a lot of time at the Sagamihara O Club, as well as at the commissary. I lived in Minami Rinkan.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

My dad worked for the Yokohama Engineering Depot at Camp Zama in the early 1950s. We lived in Sagamihara in those years. In the mid-50s, he moved to purchasing for the Army's Japan Procurement Agency in Tokyo. We lived in the Sannotani neighborhood, across from Area 2 military housing until 1961 when we finally returned stateside.
The family was in Japan 1951-1961 and I made six crossings of the Pacific on MSTS (the Army's navy.)

[bert]

They are no longer required. A Pacific Marine force in Guam and Hawaii should be adequate.

The last tanks were withdrawn from Europe this week. the threat has dissipated.

[harpu]

Here's another look at...'the rock'