623rd AC&W SQ., Miyako Jima Photo Gallery by Doc G at pbase.com

623rd AC&W SQ., Miyako Jima

Miyako Jima, home of the 623 AC&W Squadron Detachment 1. About 180 NM southwest of Okinawa it was 17 miles wide and 26 miles long at it's widest and longest points. I was stationed there from July 1966 through June of 1967. I worked in the power plant.

The site COmmander was Col. Gerwick. The First Sgt. was Jack Cain. The OIC over Radar maintenance and the power plant was LT. Suralik. (Not sure of the spelling)

Super Typhoon Cora struck the island in September 1966. It pretty much wiped us out. Knocked one radar bubble over and left the Comm site looking like pick up sticks.

I processed most of these slides myself in the base hobby shop. Temperature controls were almost non existent and general processing conditions were pretty bad. It's a small wonder they came out out at all. Thirty-eight years later I copied them to digital format with a home-made slide copier. That will help explain the poor image quality of some of the the photos.

At any rate, poor quality or not, I hope you enjoy them. --- Doc George

623 AC&W Det 1 Miyako	623rd AC&W SQ Miyako	Motor Pool

	Keys and Zinsmeyer		Power Plant
	Power Plant		Power Plant
	Power Plant		Mail Pick-up
At the air strip.		After Cora	Gun Bunker, Miyako
	From the LSM		The LSM
	LSM 335		Air America
	Colonel's Beach, Miyako		Colonel's Beach, Miyako
	Colonel's Beach, Miyako	Colonel's Beach, Miyako
Colonel's Beach, Miyako		A beach near the Coast Guard Loran Site
Leper Colony, Miyako		Leper Colony, Miyako
Leper Colony, Miyako	Miyako -- unknown	Miyako hay cart	Miyako old bum
Miyako unknown street	Miyako air strip	Miyako -- after Cora	Miyako -- New Bubble -- After Cora
Miyako -- FireStation -- After Cora	Miyako -- After Cora -- Bent but not broken flag pole.	Miyako -- After Cora	Miyako -- FireStation -- After Cora
Miyako After Cora	Miyako After Cora	Miyako After Cora -- Comm Site	Miyako After Cora
NCO Club Steps after Cora	Filling Sandbags	Filling Sandbags	Okinawa -- Downtown Naha 1967
Okinawa -- Downtown Naha 1967	Okinawa -- Downtown Naha 1967	Christmas 1966	Okinawa -- Downtown Naha 1967
Okinawa -- Gun bunkers on hill in front of transient barracks	Okinawa -- Gun bunkers on hill in front of transient barracks	Okinawa -- The backside of the gun bunkers in front of transient barracks

comment

Douglas Smith		06-Dec-2018 03:42
My father James E.M. Smith was stationed on Miyako as an air controller in the Air Force from 1965-1966. The he served on Clark AFB in The Philippines where I was born. He passed away in 2016. Would be great to hear from anyone who worked with him or remembers him.

Ronnie Keeling		21-Jul-2018 18:39
Thanks for the picture I was on Miyako in July1969 - July1970 ACW op.

Dan Smith		27-Jun-2017 23:42
Dan Smith I was stationed on Miyako from March 1965 to March 1966....before Cora. Yes, I was a tropo radio relay tech and the one photo that says the antennas shown are tropo antennas is correct. Two "billboard" antennas used for frequency and space diversity AN/FRC-39A radios. I'm glad I spotted this site as I lost all photos I had of these moments in time. Thanks for putting them up !!

Don Luckert		31-Dec-2015 20:26
Air Weather service detachment on Miyako from mid 1954 to Aug.'55. Good buddies of Ed Barrett & Dudley Atteberry. I worked a lot with the Rickersons, an older couple who were missionaries on Miyako & was semi-chaplain for the base for several yrs. Almost drowned at Col. Beach from strong undertow. Does Nobaru still exist? I heard it disappeared after Cora, also the American Ryukyu Cultural Center in Hirara, where I taught English. Loved Miyako & had many great locals as friends. I recall one of the GIs fell down into the deep hole (well?) near the base & was killed while I was here. Great memries & tons of slides from those 10-12 mos. there. W/b great to hear from anyone there during the '54-'55 time frame.

Elmer Koehn		08-Dec-2015 11:47
I was on Miyako from Jan to Mar 1956. Enjoyed your pictures very much. Especially the leper colony as we drove through it once in a pick-up truck but was not allowed to get out.

Mike Boyt		23-Jun-2015 01:22
On Miyako July 63-July 64. Remember Fred Samples.. Radar Maintenance.. Had some great times...

sam phillippe		08-Jun-2015 10:32
Looks a little different from when I was there 58-59. It was good duty even then. Thanks for the memories

Horace Smith		16-Jun-2014 02:22
Great pictures, thanks for sharing them. Was there in mid 1967-1968.

Erling R Salvesen		30-Nov-2013 13:29
Doc George, Thanks for posting all your photos on line, they bring back old memories of Miyako Jima from when I was there in 1970 to 1971. Colonel's beach was one of everyone's favorite places to go to when off duty. A strange memory was the trip to the radar bubbles, and the sound of running over the thousands of snails that covered the road out to it. It appears to have become a nice tourist destination these days, and it can see why, with the natural beauty of the island.

Doc G		12-Nov-2013 15:18
Rich Staads...... If you happen to come back through here I wanted to let you know I remember you!!! Wow!! After all these years a voice from the past.

Rich Staads		08-Nov-2013 15:47
Looking at the typhoon that is currently in the Philippine's. Brought up memories of the typhoon in 1966 so I looked it up on the web and found your web page. I was in the 51st FIW. I was TDY there at the time of the typhoon. Your pictures were a walk back into history for me. Thank you,

barry_weiss		27-Aug-2013 05:33
Wow! Great memories. I was an Airman 1st Class repairing radios on Miyako from 61 - 62. It wasn't until halfway through my tour that one of the guys got appendicitis, and they cut down a few sugar-cane fields to land a C-47. Before that, the only way to and from Okinawa was on an LSM. We had a Major/CO who was drunk 24/7. When the radio room got word that the IG was coming for an inspection, everyone on the base was told, except for the Major. Bye bye Major. I remember a time we got a storm warning, and went around putting up steel shutters on all the buildings. We still had time when we were done with the shutters, so we went to warn the villagers surrounding the hill. One of the villagers said, "Storm no come. Snail still crawl." He was right. Thanks for all the great pics.

Bob Hoots		06-Feb-2013 23:13
Brings back a lot of memories, I was with the 2875th GEEIA Det.#2 from Kadena, who came out on a c-130 right after Cora to rebuild the Comm. antennas and rebuild the Radar tower, our trucks and a lot of the bigger equipment on the LSM. I remember the mess it made to your barrecks. We stayed downtown in a small hotel until the barrecks were repaired. Do you happen to remember Dave Farnham?

Mike Dreelin		04-Nov-2012 18:36
Really enjoyed the photos. I was stationed there in Oct 63 to Oct 64 and your photos brought back many memories. I am going to the attic to did out my old photos.

Theron Johnson		28-Aug-2012 19:21
Great pics Doc! I was stationed there July 66 - July 67 and worked in AC&W Ops up on the hill. Spent a lot of time at Colonel's Beach and the Moonstar Bar also! Good memories.

Paul Bunch		27-Oct-2011 20:10
What memories! I was stationed at Miyako in the eary 70's....'71 &'72. These pictures bring back so many memories, especially colonel's beach. Many days there drinking a cold one with my buddies and snorkling in those pristine waters. I worked as a radar operator. I wished I could remember more names.. I do remember Richard Bucanan who was a air police. I remember a lot of faces, maybe the names will come. But for now, what a treat to see these photos?

jim ledwith		13-Jan-2011 06:46
Thanks Doc for your web site and the great pictures. It brought back alot of good memories.I have some pictures taken after Cora maybe I can share them with you. Jim Ledwith

Tim Willmes		31-Dec-2010 22:25
Great site. I was stationed at Kadena 1970-72 but spent some TDY time on Miyako Jima working in the Comm Center. A few of the names I remember are Stan Oshiro, Jim Poe, Mike (Sugar Bear) Wilson, Randy Soli. Thanks for creating this site. Brings back a lot of memories!

Al Grabowski		31-Dec-2010 16:24
Enjoyed the pics. I was the lone radio operator at the site during Cora. Only comm with Kadena was with a single long wire between poles. Thanks for the memories.......

Sanders Mitchell		22-Nov-2010 19:31
Thanks for helping me remember.I worked operations from Nov. 65 til Nov 66.

geneholt		08-May-2010 21:44
Thanks for the great pictures. The one called "motor pool" is great. I didn't think I would ever see those building again after I left in June of 58'. The motor pool and building maintenance was my responsibility for those months. It was good and I had the only privately owned car on the island. It was a 50 (?) Ford station wagon. I made the exhaust pipes from antenna tubing. Had a bearing go out in the tranny once which was replaced with a bushing in town. Fuel pump was out so I placed a small gas tank under the hood on the fire way which gravity fed the carb. Always wondered what happened to it when I left. I bought it from five NCO's and sold it to another airman when I left. Lots of good memories and a few bad.

KERMIT D. ALLEN		13-Oct-2009 19:55
Although I was not on Miyako at the time, I was at Naha in the 2152CS Maintaining ATC Radars at the time(64-67). Later I returned to Naha, Oki and spent 5 Memorable Years (69-73) in the 623d and Hq51FIW Chief of Maint.Office.Traveled extensively to all of the sites over the period until we turned them over to JASDF.I have many slides and b/w photos circa '64-'67, '69-'73 of all sites.

John Belo		13-Aug-2009 12:41
Thanks doc they brought back a lot of great memories. I was there 01/64 thru 01/65 with the 2152nd comm. sq. det. 1 radio call DN2.

Dennis Goree		06-Aug-2009 15:18
Thanks for sharing these memories. Miyako 2152 Comm. Sq. Radio Rpr. 65-66

Fred Samples		17-Feb-2009 16:38
Great pictures Doc. Many thanks for sharing them. Fredio Samples Miyakojima 1964-65

Guy Elwood		21-Jan-2009 18:09
Great pictures. I was AIC of the power house from July 64-July65

Bill Bever		21-Jan-2009 16:25
Hello Doc George. I was on Miyako March 65-66. These pictures are fantastic. Thanks for sharing them. Bill Bever

John London		18-Jan-2009 00:12
Excellent, really excellent!!! If you ever decide that you want to share these great photos on the 623ACW.com website please let me know. Again, great work! - John London, 623ACW.com WebMaster KumeGoose@Gmail.com

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