"Thanks, Sir."
"Rick? Good luck and congratulations. Let us know if you need anything.
And I’m sorry I broke your windshield."
There was a flurry of mike buttons being pushed as the whole crew agreed with their A/C.
THIRTY-FIVE
"Kruse will be at the flightline gate with his car to meet you. We all hoped that you'd get back sooner but these missions don't always go as planned."
"It's fine Sarge. I appreciate the ride and help. Bob will be able to fill me in."
"Jump in Daddy. Guess you missed the exciting part but all is well and Tomi and child are desperate to see you. He was born at about 1630. Tomi went into labor at 0730 after her water broke at 0700. Just about the time you went wheels-up he started protesting that he wanted out."
Bob led the way to the maternity ward where Cheryl was sitting on the edge of Tomi's bed and holding her hand. She didn't speak, but gently motioned for Rick to take her place. She kissed his cheek, smiled and softly said, "Everything is fine. Tomi is tired, the baby is beautiful, has ten fingers and ten toes."
Rick sat on the edge of the bed. Took Tomi's hand from Cheryl and started to lean down to kiss her when Tomi opened her eyes. Her face lit up in the huge Tomako smile that he loved, and she placed her free hand and arm around his neck. She pulled him closer and nuzzled his neck.
Rick kissed her passionately and felt her respond tightening her arm around his neck and gripping his hand tighter.
"I love you sooo much, Rick-san. And we have a beautiful and hungry son. Take me to see him. I want to be with you, and hold you when you see him for the first time. I just fed him, but he'll be hungry again in a tiny bit. He doesn't take much yet and I'm just starting to give him enough milk."
"I'm sorry..." Rick started to say.
Tomi placed her hand over his mouth. "There was no way we could know. And you have to do what you are paid to do.
I had Cheryl, then Bob. It wasn't the same, but I felt secure and knew that everything would be all right."
They talked quietly while Rick pushed her in a wheelchair to the nursery.
"He's easy to find. He's the most handsome with the creamy complexion and black hair like mine." Tomi said laughingly. "I thought that he might have blond hair and blue eyes, or at least hazel eyes. But no. He will be dark haired and dark eyed with a beautiful white complexion and no Asian fold on his eyes."
"I know that you're jerking my chain. I love him just as he is and know that you also love him 'as is'.
He's going to be smart and ambitious just like his mother."
A nurse came out and spoke to Tomi in Japanese.
"What" Rick asked, not picking up on much of the short conversation.
"She thinks that I should nurse him again. So she's going to bring him to my bed so we can be private and you can really see him."
THIRTY-SIX
Evening visiting hours in the Central Hospital's maternity ward were from 7 to 9 o'clock.
Rick walked through the door of the ward on Sunday evening at two minutes after 7.
"We have been waiting for you all day." Tomi said holding Brad to her breast. He's suckling like a little pig, but I have more than enough milk for him. Do you think that means he'll grow fast and big?"
Rick leaned over as Tomi raised her face to him. Their lips met with the urgency they both felt.
"I love you and I'm busy but still missing you." He said and bent down and kissed Brad on his fuzz covered head. "He's losing his hair. My God, he's turning bald at four days old."
Tomi laughed. "I don't think so. There's new hair coming in. He's through eating for few minutes. Here, hold him. He needs to get better acquainted with his Daddy.
You're comfortable holding him and you love him as you love me, honto?"
"Yes. He's ours, but in reality he is a part of your heart and spirit which makes him easy for me to love."
Tomi patted her bed beside her. "Dozo. I have to feel you touching me and I need to know how your day was."
Rick sat still holding Brad in the crook of his right arm. "He's asleep."
"Hai. He always does that after he has eaten. Typical male. Eats and falls to sleep. Tell me." She demanded. "Did you get us moved?"
"Hai. We are all moved into our new home. You'll love it when you see it. Cheryl and Yoshi repainted the baby's room and put up blinds and curtains."
"Hai. I know. Yoshi asked if it would be all right. It was her idea and Cheryl helped her. She even brought the paint for me to pick out the color and pieces of fabric for the curtains. Did you know that she now works in the BX?"
"Yeah, Don mentioned it. She's going to school and is now working in the accounting department."
"Tell me. What happened today?"
"Not much really. I finished packing what we hadn't got to before we came to Koza. I did that when I wasn't here with you. Ojisan met us at the apartment with his tomodachi who owns a sukoshi truck. Bob, Don, Leo and I all went to Tomari with Bob's car and a car that Don borrowed from his hippie friend. With six of us it only took a little over an hour to load the cars and truck. Yoshi and Cheryl met us at Koza and the guys put everything in the kitchen and living room and then left."
"Iie! They left you with everything just in a pile? I cannot believe that."
"Iie, Leo, Don and Ojisan and his tomodachi left. Bob, Cheryl, and Yoshi stayed to help. Leo and Don are flying so they had to leave. Anyway, we can move or change anything that we want after you get home on Tuesday."
"Will you be able to take me home? I don't want to go to our new home with Cheryl or Bob.
I want very much for us and Brad to be together. Just the three of us, when we go in the door of our home."
"Hai. I'll pick you up before lunch and we'll be home for lunch and a long nap."
"You aren't flying tomorrow? I hope not. It would be terrible if you had to stay someplace in Thailand or on Guam overnight."
"I'm not flying. I'm going to help Don launch his EC and 3653 is in for inspection from flying tonight so I'll work on it until 1600. Then Leo and I will be off until Wednesday when we will be going to fly a CAP. It will be an afternoon flight so we won't be home until about midnight."
When Tomi snuggled against him, Rick saw her grimace which just flashed across her face.
"You alright?"
She squeezed his hand and pressed tighter against him. "Our son's big head needed more room and I'm a little tender. But I'll heal quickly and it only hurts if I move wrong. Is your arm tired. I can take him if you want."
"No. I'm just going to change arms and walk around to the other side of the bed."
"I need to feel our bare skin touch. I am really in need of being caressed and held." Tomi spoke softly.
"Hai, me too. It won't be long and we'll be in our own bed, under a warm futon and just our naked bodies"
"Feel my stomach. It is shrinking. Tomorrow night I will be able to lie on top of you as I have wanted to do for a very long time." She smiled as she kneaded his arm and kissed his free hand.
"Oh, yeah."
"What, oh, yeah?" Tomi asked smiling knowing that she was about to hear something good. Rick never used that expression except for good things.
With a broad smile he leaned over the baby cradled in his arms and kissed her with the passion they both felt for each other.
"I turned in our request for PCS orders to Kadena. I asked for a four year tour."
"It was approved?"
"It was approved by Kadena with a request that I be transferred ASAP since they are having a crew chief shortage. Now it has to go to Fairchild for approval. I talked to the flight chief and first sergeant back there and they'll put a rush and push for approval from the squadron there."
"You'll come back here then. When?"
"Can't say, Tomi. But it could still take awhile.
All we can do is be patient an
d hope for some fast action." He kissed her lightly.
"It's after 10 o'clock. I guess that I should go before they kick me out."
"All these okusan s had their babies at least yesterday. So they are like us, impatient to go home. The nurses only care if we have a brand new mother here."
Rick had been on the flightline since 0500 when he and Don Naylor had preflighted Don's EC for a 0700 launch.
"Let's get some breakfast and then check on 3653."
"How's Tomi and baby Brad doing? Home tomorrow?"
"Yeah. They're both great and Tomi can't wait to get home.
We really appreciate all you've done between flying for me and helping us move. I owe you big time, Don."
“As you keep telling me, pay back is hell."
"Is there a message hidden in there somewhere?"
"Could be. The approval for Yoshiko and I to get married is sitting in personnel waiting for someone higher up on the food chain to sign it. Then it's a done deal.
Oh yeah, you ain't the only new daddy around here. Or soon to be one."
"Really? You never mentioned whether you wanted to start a family or not. So should I congratulate you or say tough luck?"
"We definitely want him."
"So congratulations."
"We'd like you and Tomi to stand up for us when we get married in the Mayor's office."
"Sure. We'd like that. Sure it can be done before next month? I'm out of here on about the 5th or 6th of January."
"Yeah, I know. It should be all right for the 26th or 27th of December."
They had just sat down to eat their breakfast when Bob Kruse pulled up in his flightline chief's pickup. He came into the snack bar with a huge smile, waved at the crew chiefs as he went to the coffee urn, filled a cup and walked over to sit with them.
"You, SSgt Davis, should kiss me and smile happily as I spread good cheer."
"MSgt Kruse, what in hell are you talking about?" Rick asked.
"My crazy Black Irish wife just left a message for me to call her. What she really wanted was to get a message to you Rick." He was still smiling like crazy but giving no hint to what was going on.
"Quit fucking with me, Kruse." Rick laughed.
"Okay. Cheryl actually called for you. Your lovely little wife and son are being released from the hospital at 1000 hours.
You are officially released from duty for the rest of the day.
I don't want to see you, or Leo, on the flightline again until 1300 on Wednesday. I'll get the word to Leo at the barracks.
Your tanker will need a good preflight since it is coming out of BPO unless you can get your confederate here to check on it for you."
"You got it, Rick. As soon as I finish eating I'll go check on it.
Yoshi and I will see you and Tomi about dinner time for a short visit. I haven't seen that rug rat yet." Don said as he started to eat his bacon and eggs.
"We'll bring some sushi and fried chicken over."
Both friends looked at Don, turned to each other and shook their heads in unison.
"Sushi and fried chicken?" Rick asked laughing as he stood to leave.
"I don't think that he's officially a rug rat yet Don. That stage is when he starts crawling. I know that he may be a bit precocious, but not that advanced." Bob injected with a laugh.
EPILOGUE
The new three member Davis family had a few short weeks of bliss and harmony.
On January 3rd, 1968 Tomako Tomanaga started classes at the University of the Ryukyus in the newly open School of Health Sciences to get her BS degree in Human Services.
On January 6th, SSgt Rick Davis departed Okinawa for his home base at Fairchild AFB in the state of Washington. He had already applied for a Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) back to Kadena AFB on Okinawa.
Rick got notice on March 4th, 1968 that his request to marry Tomako Tomanaga was approved by the Military Command of the Ryukyus Islands and he started considering options to travel to Okinawa to get married and adopt his son. His PCS orders were also approved and he would receive them shortly
On March 15th he received his Permanent Change of Duty Station orders to Kadena AFB for a 48 month tour of duty. He would depart Fairchild for a 30 day delay en route leave beginning on April 2, 1968. On April 5th, 1968 he arrived VIA a Fairchild AFB KC135 tanker, tail number 57-1430 at Kadena AFB.
Tomako Tomanaga and Rick Davis were married in the Naha City Mayor's office on April 10th with Cheryl and Bob Kruse, Don and Yoshiko Naylor as witnesses.
Rick held their son, Bradford Tomanaga Davis, in his arms for the entire ceremony.
In June of 1971, Tomako Davis received her BS degree and she accepted a position with the Ryukyu Institute of Public Health in Naha City.
In August of 1972 the Davis family departed Okinawa for a change of Duty Station back to Fairchild AFB where Rick could complete his enlistment in April of 1973.
In May of 1973 Rick took a position with Hawaiian Airlines in Honolulu as an aircraft maintenance supervisor and Tomi took a position with the Hawaii Department of Public Health in Honolulu.
Brad T. Davis attended and graduated from the University of Hawaii before enlisting in the Air Force where he completed flight training on C141 transports and later transitioned to the new C17 cargo planes stationed at McChord AFB near Seattle, WA.
The Kruses retired from the Air Force in Honolulu where Bob went to work for Rick Davis at Hawaiian Airlines.
Cheryl and Tomi are still inseparable friends.
Don and Yoshi Naylor stayed in the Air Force and as happens so often, they all lost touch with each other.
Leo and Linda Rosko left the Air Force after Leo's three year enlistment was up. They live in a suburb of Boston and without fail send Christmas and birthday cards to the Davis and Kruse families every year.
###
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
The author, Herb Blanchard is retired and living in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. He is a Vietnam Era US Navy Seabee veteran who spent several years stationed on Okinawa and made many trips to the island during his two tours in Vietnam.
He followed his six year Seabee tour with an Air Force hitch of four years as a KC135 tanker crew chief flying to and from Southeast Asia and flew many combat missions over South Vietnam and off the coast of North Vietnam. He took every opportunity to return to Okinawa be a two day lay-over or a 120 day TDY.
Herb made and had many friends American and Okinawan on the island. He knew the island and its people well and enjoyed every day he spent there.
GLOSSARY
(A list of Japanese, Okinawan, English & corrupted words & names in all three languages used by the GIs on Okinawa during the 1960's and 1970's. Also Air Force and aircraft terms.)
"A" Sign - Placed by US military health inspectors. GIs and Military civilian employees were only allowed to patronize establishments with an "A" sign.
AWOL - absent-without-leave. Slang for a small bag like a gym bag to carry a change of clothes & shaving gear.
BUFF - B52 Heavy bomber. (Big Ugly Fat Fucker)
BX - Base Exchange (Navy & Air Force)
Combat Apple missions - CAP Combat air patrol in the vicinity of North Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin. On standby to refuel fighters and bombers flying missions in that area as well as supporting other aircraft flying search and rescue missions for downed flight crews. Supporting Jolly Greens.
CONUS - Continental US
C7 - Caribou Twin engine aircraft used in Southeast Asia has short, rough field landing and takeoff capabilities.
C141 - Large four engine jet cargo aircraft.
Crew Chief - The NCO in charge of maintaining, refueling, and repairing an aircraft. The person whose name is in the aircraft's forms. The one who maintains and updates these forms.
EC135 - A modified KC135 loaded with radios and electronics but still capable of refueling other aircraft in flight.
F4 P
hantom - Twin engine jet fighter bomber.
KC135A - Aerial refueling version of a Boeing 707. Also carries passengers, (Geese), and cargo.
MARS - Military Affiliated Radio System. A combined amateur radio operators,(HAMS), and telephone system to allow members of the military overseas to talk to friends and families in CONUS.
Phase Inspection - Inspect and repair of an aircraft after it has flown a set number of hours. More involved than a preflight or post flight.
Post Flight - Inspect and repair any deficiencies on an aircraft after a mission.
Preflight - Inspect and prepare an aircraft for a flight.
PX - Post Exchange, (Army)
RASP - Ryukuian Armed Services Police - A military police unit made up of Air Force, Navy, Marine Corp and Army law enforcement working with Okinawan law enforcement
RON - Remain Overnight. A temporary stay on a facility other than an aircraft's home base.
RTAFB - Royal Thai Air Force Base. A base belonging to the Thai Air Force that we were guests on.
RTNAB - Royal Thai Naval Air Base. A base belonging to the Thai Navy.
SAC - Strategic Air Command
Sattahip - Section of the city of Utapao,(UT) Thailand where Utapao RTNAB was located.
Short time - Sex with a prostitute just one orgasm and you're through. 1967 $2.00
SNAFU - Military slang. (Situation Normal All Fucked Up.)
TDY - Temporary Duty
Okinawan & Japanese terms
akabu - red, such as red hair. GI slang for a women's period
aka-chan - child, baby
Asahi - a Japanese beer
arigato - thank you
arigato goziemashita - feminine thank you
benjo - toilet
bento - box lunch
biru - beer
butterfly - person who goes from lover to lover
C/C & kori mizu - Canadian Club whiskey and ice water
cha or ocha - green tea
chan - added after a person's given name to denote affection. (Tomako-chan)
Cherry-boy - Slang for a GI new to the Island, or a young male virgin.
chinbun - knowledge
chotto matte kudasai - wait a minute, please