Fuchu US Airbase Heyday
Since publishing my 2008 explore and photos of the abandoned US Air Force base in Fuchu, Japan, it’s been one of the most popular pages on this site. See it here. It has attracted hundreds of veteran airmen from the 50′s onwards to comment and reconnect with old friends and colleagues- some of whom at times sent me photos from the Base’s heyday to include in a heyday page.
This is that page. Thanks to 4 airmen in particular- Carl Lindberg, Cliff Cockerill, Bill Lambert, and Dale Lingenfelter, for taking the trouble to scan and send the photos from this most memorable time in their lives, but also thanks to everyone who got in touch with me or just commented on the main page to share their stories and memories.
Without further ado- on to the photos (comparison photos in ruin are mine).
Carl Lindberg
Photos in and around Fuchu AS, AUG65 to AUG67
“Fuchu became my first duty station, after I completed Tech School at Lowry AFB. I was assigned to the PACOM Elint Center (in the back of the base, across the street from the Hobby Shop & Education Center). I lived in the barracks close to the Airman’s Club and BX Cafeteria in the SW corner of the base. I have attached several photos of personnel and facilities from my time at Fuchu.”
Carl Lindberg, Shoreline, WA
calladvise@AOL.com
Carl in front of the Airman’s Club
Carl & friends on the road towards Tokyo
HQ 5th Air Force, Fuchu AS
Higashi Fuchu Train Station, looking towards Tokyo
Carl hitting a foul ball across from NCO Club
Carl’s 56 Plymouth parked by my barracks
That’s a barracks at left, wholly covered in ivy.
Bill Lambert
“Have are a few photos I will share from 1961-1963.”
Bill Lambert
billlambert@frontiernet.net
This was outside main gate. What was the G.I. name for the strip? Haun or hawn?
I worked on bottom floor, last window you can see on the right. 1956 Communication Group.
This is me in front of my barracks. My room was the next set of windows on left. The chow hall was directly behind us.
Overgrown shot for above.
You got to remember these girls! The Gay Little Hearts……… When they played the Airmen Club, it was packed. Do you have anything on them?
Had the right person brought them to the US, they would have made it big.
Inside Airman’s Club………Beer 10 cent & cigarettes 12 cent l-r James Burley-Jerry Palmer(The golfer Arnold’s brother) Frank Allison-James Bodiford(beer to mouth)-?-?-me – Michael Comer
Not the Airmen’s club, but one of the interior dorms in ruins now.
Dale Lingenfelter
“Here’s a couple pictures taken just out side my barracks in Fuchu, Japan…..1956, I was stationed in Fuchu from Jan 1956 to Nov 1957.
Two great years in my life!”
Dale Lingenfelter
s1ooner@yahoo.com
Bicycling in front of the dormitories.
Upgrade to motorbike.
Cliff Cockerill
“I was stationed at Fuchu 3/53 – 3-56.. Worked in Tech Control in the 1956th AACS squadron.”
Cliff Cockerill
Fuchu Base entrance.
A nearby area, asphalt now covered in grass.
King Laundry just outside the gate
Looking down the strip just outside the gate
1956th AACS Communications bldg.
Communications Center for the 1956th AACS
Chow Hall for 1956th AACS
Cliff Cockerill near the station
Thanks again to everyone who posted and shared their comments and photos.
If you’d like to see more photos of the base as it is now- you can see them here.
And you can see more photos of Japanese ruins here-
Very interesting photos.
Hi Bill Lambert:
I was stationed at Tachikawa from Jan 1962 thru May 1966.
There was nothing that would get me to Fuchu faster than a Gay Little Hearts show.
They changed their name to “Happy Coats” and later “Tokyo Happy Coats” and departed Japan for the US in mid 1964 and were on the Ed Sullivan
show in Feb 1966. They also did an Al Hirt Show a few months prior
to that,
They cut 2 albums “Forevermore” and “Live” and also several singles on the now defunct “King” label. I know of no Videos.
Sorry to say, they never hit it big and as best I can determine, none of their records were hits except possibly in Hawaii.
As best I can determine, they suffered an identity problem in that people seemed to remember only the Korean :Kim Sisters” when it came to Asian
girl groups.
As best I can determine, the act folded in the mid 70′s.
Their records are quite common on ebay with the prices going from not much more than the cost of the postage to extremely overpriced.
Some of their music is on U-Tube including the Ed Sullivan gig but its
audio only as the Ed Sullivan copyright owners had it pulled about 2 weeks after it was posted.
I would really love to have a copy of that Ed Sullivan gig but I don’t see
it happening.
Thanks for the info. Hard to think they would be old ladies now. I have tried to find information on them as Happy Coats, but no live video. And the album cover with the short hair, not the way I remember them.
Hi Bill:
When the group did their last local gig in mid 1964 which was at the Sands Club, a Civilian club in the Stars & Stripes building in downtown Tokyo I was horrified to see the short hair. As it turned out, then and also on the night they departed Tokyo for the US, the hair was as we knew it and the short hair was only wigs for their new costumes. I have no idea what happened in that respect after that night in mid 1964.
That “Live” album was done at the New Tokyo Hotel and it sort of reminds me of the AOM shows with plenty of noise from the audiance and the girls clowning around on stage.
The “Forevermore” album is a real gem done in a studio with a couple of numbers done in Japanese that IMHO are downright beautiful.
I can provide color photojs of the group as we knew them but they could be from any of 7 or 8 EMclubs that they were playing in Tokyo, Yokohama or Yokosuka at the time,
Would love for you to send me the pictues you have of the Gay Little Hearts. Thank a lot. Bill at email billlambert@frontiernet.net
I was lucky enough to be stationed at Fuchu air station from 1955 until 1957, my gosh that sure does tell you my age doesn’t it ?( 80 ) Always enjoyed the Airmans club , like everyone else back then I was in love with ” Miss AGITA ” who would sign her heart out . Loved to hear her sign ” China night ” .The band was great too especially the trumpet player…. There was aplace right outside the base main gate that sold ” OSOBA” . Ther waitress was sure pretty too . OH I suppose I could write a book about my memories at Fuchu air Station .I was the illustrator assigned to Gen Robert Burns at the time . ( 22371 ) . Looking for my pal Don Bruno from Washington Olympia I think . We used to go to the gym and workout . If anyone might be interested in sending me an email , my address is newkirkb72@yahoo.com ……. would love to hear from anybody ….
In the Airmans Club picture, it is Ken Moultary sitting beside me. Not sure if I have his last named spelled correctly.