(Photo: Me in middle, yes the short one stoned with two of my good buddies in Okinawa)
Even though I was against the “war” in Vietnam, when serving in the Army in Okinawa during the war my objection was against the killing not only of OUR young G.I’s but the Vietnamese people as well. We were not invited by the Vietnamese people to as Dick Gregory said, “Force Democracy down their throats at the point of a bayonet.”
I was living off base in my own apartment in downtown Naha in the red light district and my military duties were light to say the least from a time standpoint. Only had to show up for IG Inspections (once every 6 months) but for the four hours a night 6 - 10 PM, Monday - Thursday I did work driving around in a jeep with Captain Estes, himself a dope smoker, checking security at the Machinato Depot on base for theft, thieves and other nefarious cat burglars that may appear.
After our shift we usually ended up at this on base BOQ (Bachelor Officers Quarters) for a few joints to get the end the shift and begin my day which was mainly all night. The rest of the time was all mine. Time to party hearty and make use of the liberal sexual activities that presented themselves in strip clubs, massage parlors and of course the various dope parties at the apartment.
The warehouses held cigarettes, military vehicles, supplies, ammo etc. ...But... mostly what we looked for during our security inspections were locals and our own G.I.s breaking into the security depot cages that housed the fresh body bags filled with young men from Philly, Detroit, Atlanta, L.A. you get the picture, sent from Vietnam before shipping to Tokyo for identification and the homeward bound trip to wives, parents, siblings, girlfriends and beer buddies.
The thieves (and we caught many) were making off with their valuables, money, jewelry, medals, etc from the corpses. When we caught a local Okinawan (few) we would turn them over to the Okinawan police for prosecution. Out of our hands.
When we caught an American GI robbing them, well things were a little different. With our .45’s drawn, locked and loaded we’d apprehend them and were supposed to take them to the military police for prosecution ...which we did...evidence and all for upcoming trial and stockade time.
Unfortunately for them was the fact that they were clumsy and everytime each one seemed to forget how to walk down stairs and fell down the concrete steps injuring themselves getting all bruised and bloody. The MP’s would take it from there. Later we’d show up at their court martial to testify. One thing about military justice….not one was found NOT GUILTY. I may have been against the war and the killing, but damned if I was gonna let these punks dishonor our own dead and rob their families of what few possessions they had at the time on them.
The dead soldiers, my own age had already given up a lot...the rest of their lives!
On the lighter side of my military equation was that I was also involved in dealing marijuana, LSD and opium on the island...LSD from my old friends in the Bay Area and opium from Thailand and Vietnam. I’d get the weed in Thailand personally on various trips there and the opium from GI’s I knew in Vietnam. Piece of cake.
Now the trick was getting it some back home so I’d have my own personal stash. The problem was solved one day in downtown Naha when I went looking for a present for my mom and came across these beautiful tall Japanese dolls. By accident the head fell off when I mishandled it, but discovered the dolls ceramic body was empty space.
I bought dolls for Mom, my two grandmas, various aunts and extras to pass out when I got home. I carefully removed all the heads, filled them with weed and opium balls and had them wrapped carefully and then shipped stateside. When I was released from the Army I made the rounds of family who proudly had the dolls on display in living rooms.
When left alone in the living room it was time to empty the treasure into a bag in mybackpack. I made a lot of family visits and also had the ones I sent for giveaways later that my parents kept, box sealed in the basement at their house. Not only did I have a good supply of the best stuff around, but barter material for other drugs such as LSD and mescaline.
One thing I learned as a Boy Scout...be prepared..and in the Army I learned “No Weed Left Behind!”
