Reposting due to recent comments:
Section one was on for the Midwatch and at the top of the log it read, “Friday, 24 September 1965.” Over 100 men were in the Ops Complex for that Midwatch. It was just another ordinary day.
According to the record, the fire started sometime around 0200, not in the ‘tunnel’ itself, but in the wooden two-story structure in front of the tunnel – Building 25. Thick black smoke began filling the air. Men stayed at their positions – as was the norm, while supervisors searched for the cause. The air conditioning system aided in the spread of the smoke.
Calls were made. The men were told to prepare to evacuate! The origin is believed to have been electrical in nature and may have been caused by an overload or perhaps frayed wires. Others maintain that it was caused by the incinerator, overheated – yet again – with the daily classified burn. What was the real cause? We’ll probably never know. What is known is that when the smoke cleared and the fire was put out two Marines; nine Sailors and the Officer of the Day were dead.
This was no longer an ordinary day!
The OOD was notified at 0230. The Fire Department was called at 0235 but personnel were not ordered to evacuate the building until 0255 – nearly an hour after the fire started !!
With one exception, all the men lost that night were junior personnel. The building that was destroyed was used, in part, as a training area where new people could get accustomed, to the job, up to speed, prior to moving into the tunnel. These new Sailors and Marines didn’t “know the ropes.” When the rooms and passageways filled with smoke, did they know where another exit was? Did they know more than one way in or out? No one knows. The majority of bodies were found clustered at the base of the interior stairwell of Building 25.
There were heroes that night. Wilford Cordell was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for his efforts as he tried to fight the fire. When the young seaman realized the hopelessness of the situation he found himself already trapped by the flames. He was awarded the Medal posthumously.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Ernest D. Moody, the OOD, was no newcomer to the Navy nor to Security Group. He was an 18-year veteran. As a former maintenance man on his third tour at Kamiseya, he knew his way around the labyrinth of interconnecting rooms. As OOD, he had been notified of the problem at about 0230. He was last seen near the incinerator room. For his actions that night, LTJG Moody was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal – posthumously.
By 0300 fire was evident throughout Building 25. Outside fire assistance had been requested with units from Camp Zama, arriving on the scene at 0312.
By 0430, twenty-eight pieces of fire fighting equipment had been employed and had finally brought the fire under control.
In the final analysis, there were 122 men on watch in the Operations Complex when the fire broke out. Buildings 25 and 105 were completely destroyed and Building 106 was partially burned. Twenty-five men had to be helped from the building – 14 of those required hospitalization, along with one Japanese National fireman from Kamiseya. Twelve men had died.
There was an official investigation. The board convened on 18 October and sat until 24 November. During that time 47 witnesses were called, 77 exhibits were entered into evidence, 68 personnel were involved with the inquiry. There were 55 recommendations. The court produced 1,661 numbered pages of questions and testimony, plus additional pages of facts, the exhibits, endorsements and forwarding letters: the stack of paper is over 9.5″ thick!
By the time of the first anniversary, a permanent memorial plaque had been cast with the names of the twelve shipmates lost that night.
When the command finally closed and left the base in 1995, the plaque was boxed up and eventually arrived at Corry Station where it remains on display today.
Over the past half-century memorial services have been held in remembrance of our Sailors and Marines. That tradition has continued, notably for the 50th anniversary. We still remember our shipmates.
By Jay R. Browne, CTMCM (ret)
Jay Browne served as the last Command Master Chief of NSGA Kamiseya from October 1992 through June 1995.
****
CTOCM JAY ROBERT BROWNE
UNITED STATES NAVY, RETIRED
Jay Robert Browne was born in Cleveland, Ohio in November 1949 and graduated from Mentor High School in July 1968. Following boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, he attended Electronic Technician “A” School also at Great Lakes.
Following his training at Great Lakes, SN Browne received additional training in Pensacola, Florida, on the AN/FRA-44/54 systems. His first two duty stations were NSGA Keflavik, Iceland and Wahiawa, Hawaii. Following reenlistment and Electronic Technician “B” School at Treasure Island, California, CTM1 Browne received orders to NSGA San Vito, Italy. Following his tour in NSGA San Vito, CTM1 Browne attended a second Maintenance School at Pensacola Florida, where he attended AN/FRD-10(A)/(V) training with following orders to Ramasun, Thailand. After Ramasun he was transferred to NSGA Misawa, Japan, and NSGA Edzell, Scotland. It was at NSGA Edzell that CTM1 Browne was selected for Chief Petty Officer in 1978. Chief Browne returned to Pensacola for instructor duty at CTM “A” School. While at Pensacola, Chief Browne was selected to Senior Chief. Following his tour in Pensacola Senior Browne received order to Galeta Island, Panama and London, England, where he was selected to Master Chief. Master Chief Browne’s next assignment was at the National Cryptologic School (NCS) at Fort Meade, Maryland in 1989. While at Fort Meade, Master Chief had the honor to serve on the Chief Petty Officer Selection board for FY-1991. After his tour at the NCS, Master Chief Browne received orders at NSGA Kamiseya, Japan, where he served as the Command Master Chief and chief historian for Kamiseya.
CTMCM Bronwe’s decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (2), Navy Achievement Medal (2), plus others.
Following retirement in 1995, CTMCM Browneearned a real estate salesman license from the State of Florida and sold homes for a builder. He joined the NCVA in 1994 and has served as a member of the Board of Directors. He is the Assistant CRYPTOLOG Editor, and Special Publications Editor.
Master Chief Browne married the former Doreen Margaret May Proctor of Inverbervie, Scotland in November 1980. They currently reside in Cantonment, Florida, a part of greater Pensacola.
11 March 2017 at 01:59
I was on duty that nite in section 1 CT2 Donald E. Verdon
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14 August 2019 at 01:06
Hello Don if your memory is like mine forgive me. I also was on watch that night lead group out of tunnel, became trapped behind partition told those who were behind me to break off and leave me unfortunately they went ahead and 9 of them died. the reason I talk about memory failing me is I don’t remember you not that I’m doubting you but can’t remember you please feel free to answer. Floyd Parks
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14 August 2019 at 08:42
Floyd I don’t remember you either was on duty sitting the line was friends with Jim D aries as I was married and he and his wife help me find a place in Libertville near camp Zama. barracks eight I believe cube 3
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14 August 2019 at 09:11
Hello Floyd hope you got my first reply.CT3 Bill Herring help me get out.remember runs to the gedunk and the nite the guys gave Gus an empty bag of chicken.
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31 May 2020 at 18:53
hi Floyd – don verdon was there with me when I chopped the doors down – this is boats (beodine) beaudoin –
just saw this site.
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14 March 2017 at 15:32
Good story. My dad, BMCM Edward L. Nelson, was the fire chief at Kamiseya when that fire occurred. They tried to blame him for it, but he had proof that he had written up that incinerator as unsat prior to the fire and had submitted that report to the CO. Fortunately, he had his own copy of it because they visited the office in the firehouse right after the fire and confiscated the records. If my dad were still alive, I could ask him for all the details, but he passed away in 2007. He told me the whole story about 20 years ago, but I no longer remember the details except him telling me he got a call from one of the NCIS investigators who was a friend of his who told him to get the records from the firehouse because they were looking for someone to blame and he was on the list. It was truly a tragedy. Had they made the corrections my dad had told them to, it would never have happened. He condemned the vent fan in the officer’s club kitchen and they did nothing about it. It caused the O club to burn down, too. Too bad they didn’t give out “I Told You So” medals.
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14 March 2017 at 16:41
Craig I was on duty that nite as a CT sorry to say the Navy always blamed somebody else instead of themselves
Sent from my iPhone
>
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14 March 2017 at 16:49
Worse still, holding the right people responsible for it. My dad took that incident very personally and very hard. He had always been a dedicated Sailor. That was the beginning of the end of his enthusiasm for his career. He retired in 1969 and literally walked away. Picked up his retirement papers and went home. No ceremony, party, anything.
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14 March 2017 at 16:52
Sad ending wish I had meet your dad same thing happened to my dad put in 22 years USN Pearl Harbor survivor
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10 April 2017 at 13:35
Craig – do you have a copy of your dad’s unsat report on the incinerator? I think it should be posted. The opinion on the base was clearly that the incinerator caused the fire. It had already caused one incident, and the wall around the vent pipe had been noted to be hot, at times. I firmly believe that the investigative board was encouraged to determine that the fire was the result of faulty wiring, and to consider any other possible causes as being unlikely.
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10 April 2017 at 01:53
I was present during the fire and was involved in trying to get people out of the building. Although the story above is generally accurate, there are two major errors in it that need to be corrected. The first is that the majority of the bodies were not found at the base of the stairwell leading to the secured positions. They were in front of the double doors which exited to the outside area where the trash had once been stored for pickup by the local (Japanese) garbage collection company. The fact that another CTM and I found TS codeword documents in the trash, one eve watch, is why the incinerator was installed and the Japanese company was no longer allowed access to the tunnel..
Everyone knew about these double doors, which gave access to the outside, and the men went there when the order to evacuate was given. The doors were locked, and they were overcome by smoke. (There was a storage cabinet nearby where protective masks were kept, but these were ABC masks and useless in a fire.) The second error in this account, and a significant one, is that the area in Building 25 was most definitely not a training area for men who did not “know the ropes”. That is total BS. It contained the guard station for the entrance, the CTM workshop, an area for capturing burst transmissions, and other sensitive work areas in the positions on the upper level. These were trained men who worked their shifts at various positions throughout the building. ( One man died of smoke inhalation at his position in one of the upper space positions, because he would not leave.) To say that they did not know the ropes is to insult their training and their performance. They did not die because of a lack of knowledge. They died because a fire started – and I believe it started in an improperly insulated vent from the incinerator – and the exit was locked. I believe CTMC Brown was not stationed at Kami Seya when the fire occurred, and may have written his account from historical records and, perhaps, scuttlebutt. I am sure he meant well, but I am unhappy that he presented those who died as perhaps having caused heir own deaths. That is not the case.
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29 May 2017 at 11:06
I find the above comments truly interesting. I probably know more about that fire and circumstances surrounding it than anyone else. I was the Operations Watch Officer on duty that night when the fire started. I could give a long dissertation on many aspects of it, but classification of much of it prevents me from doing so. I am the last living person to see the men who died in that fire alive. Perhaps it is time for me to write a short book explaining the many aspects of that incident. For now suffice it to say that the men who died that night (many of them personal friends) were all patriotic heroes. They died trying to protect “Information, the unauthorized disclosure of which would cause extremely grave damage to the security of the United States” God bless them! I only wish that Hillary had been so motivated. Anyone wishing to contact me may do so at rmcc@northnet.org or by phone at (518)563-3956. I can tell you things you never dreamed were possible.
Lieutenant Colonel Roger L. Miner USMC Ret.
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28 July 2021 at 20:29
So, you’re the Marine officer I saw scrambling up toward the tunnels from your desk behind the bulkhead across the corridor from the comm center window where I was on duty. I had reported the smell of smoke to a dismissive Chief James Farrell several minutes before I saw you strapping on a .45 (I wondered why you needed it) and running toward the tunnels. A few minutes later, building power went down and emergency lamps came on through smoke. Other shipmates and myself at that time were being overcome by smoke and scrambled out an emergency exit near KW26 banks at rear of crypto center and over the chain-link, barbed-wired topped fence. Ran to front of building to try to help with rescue and saw that at least one young Marine Sgt. had collapsed and died. A seeming inordinate amount of time before fire equipment showed and we began the then-pointless effort of trying to put down flames shooting what seemed a couple hundred feet high. I am now retired after a long journalism career in Rochester NY and see from your area code you must be in Albany area. I hope we can talk. I just began having nightmares about that tragedy and the way the brass shut us down from knowing how it happened — cut us loose with no explanation, let alone any sort of counseling. I know that I have endured mental and physical health effects from that fire and am certain others did as well. The VA is pretty useless, but I have recently needed to seek counseling for unresolved fears — and anger at how we were ignored and treated afterward. — Jack Jones, CT2, 1962-1968. jackjones@frontiernet.net … (585) 694-4113
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28 July 2021 at 21:58
Hi Jack, my name is Dick Holt and I was Net Control supervisor that night. I was CTR1 at the time and after trying to help Sgt. Rodrigues and others, I ended up in Zama hospital from smoke inhalation, along with a few other guys. You are not alone in the effects it had on many of us. I had nightmares for a few years, as well as headaches and a persistent cough. Had several scans, nothing was found and eventually the maladies went away. I hope this finds all who were there that night and are still vertical, doing well. Cheers!
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27 January 2018 at 05:24
I’ve tried to forget that time of tragedy. I arrived when the fire was just about out. Remember too well having the bodies placed on tarps. Compared to the heroic efforts of others my effort paled in comparison. I worked at the DF “rice paddy” site.
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27 January 2018 at 10:45
Hi Roger CTR`2 Don Verdon don’t remember you however I was inspection one sitting the kine when the fire started,Its a nite I will never forget or our fellow shipmates who perished
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27 January 2018 at 13:13
I have just now become aware of this site (although my previous comment is on it) and wish to thank all of you who have contributed your knowledge/ sentiments. It’s been over 52 years since that horrible night but I still live it every day and night. I have personal knowledge of how that fire started, but I recognize that it is very convenient to blame it on an electrical short, so I have never pursued publishing my information because it would only hurt some good people. Fire preparedness in the operations complex was a disaster, both inside the complex and outside i.e., the fire department itself. If you want specifics, try to obtain a copy of the testimony contained in the records of the Court of Inquiry. If anyone wants specifics from me, I would be more than willing to answer any questions, preferably by telephone. (518) 563-3956. Yes, Don, I will also never forget our fellow shipmates who perished, several of which were also personal friends. I had the unenviable task of identifying Sgt. Rodrigues in the morgue at Zama hospital.
Lieutenant Colonel Roger Miner, USMC Ret.
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28 January 2018 at 02:16
Ok, I give up. What does “sitting the kine” mean?
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28 January 2018 at 10:48
sorry age has kicked in I was sitting the line ops in the tunnel
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8 March 2018 at 16:40
I learned of the fire in 1984 when I was stationed at the generator plant next to the tunnel. One Friday night at the club an old Senior Chief CT who was waiting for his retirement papers told me the tragic tale over several beers and a pack of cigarettes. He was stationed there at the time. Later I asked several people about it few seem to know that a fire even occurred.
After I retired I worked for PW Atsugi, occasionally I would visit Kami Seya because Atsugi PW still officially controlled it even though it was abandoned. Nature has slowly reclaimed the land and the buildings, the noise and bustle of activity is gone but the ghosts are still there, standing watch, I felt the same chill at Kami Seya as I did when I went back to a ship where my shipmates and friends
died in a fire.
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8 March 2018 at 17:42
Before they closed KS there was a memorial up by the main admin building. I believe the moved it to FL when the place closed. One person who died was in a secured space above the main entry spaces; he was told to leave but he refused. He would not abandon his station. Everyone else died when they were overcome by smoke at a locked exit.
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8 March 2018 at 20:21
I don’t remember the plaque but it could have been put up after I left. I enjoyed Kami Seya and the people, Our CMC BUCM Smith had forty two years service, WW2, Korea, Vietnam. He was straight and tough when needed but he took care of his men. No one gave him any nonsense and no one whined about him conducting official business after 1300 from his stool in club. Same with the chief Corpsman he had more Bronze stars and purple hearts than you could shake a stick at, when a doctor at Atsugi made the wrong call on me, he stepped in and saved my life and then he dressed down the doctor like a recruit. After I recovered he made me buy him a case beer and bottle scotch.
He said I owed him because my illness happened outside of sickcall hours.
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19 April 2018 at 07:07
I fought that Dreadful fire that morning. I had just gotten off duty. I have no doubts that the fire began in the classified burn area.
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24 September 2018 at 12:12
I reported aboard two days after the fire. My first day there I was told to go to a building for a refresher course in my primary MOS. Had no more than walked into the building when we were taken to the tunnel. It was still smoldering. We were assigned to pick up any classified material and put it into bags for disposal. Our cleanup crew was given the authority to look around at all the debris from the fire. I witnessed marks made by people trying to dig their way out from the inside of the locked doors. It was a scene I wish I could forget.
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11 December 2018 at 05:15
Was off duty and had come in for my pay check when I saw all the reporters outside the main gate. They had us all send telegrams home to tell our folks we were ok. Talked to some of the guys who were there and said the smoke was so thick you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. One of the guys on duty had put the headlight on his motorcycle pointing toward the tunnel entrance so that people could see the way out. It was a very sad day for everyone.
D. Noble AG2
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11 December 2018 at 15:10
Doug, I appreciated your comments on the fire. I was still in the hospital at Zama that morning. Came pretty close to checking out. One of these days I’ll write a few words of what I remember about a LOT of things. You may not remember me. I was a Marine Corps Captain who stood a lot of watches as Operations Watch Officer when not traveling around the world on NSG detachments. And I was the OWO on duty when the fire started. I was pulled out of the building twice that night. Two of you squids obviously saved my life when I was pulled out the last time. Anyway, the memories are very difficult for me. Paul Rodrigues was a personal as well as professional friend and I had to identify his body the next morning at the morgue at Zama.
Thank you for your service. Stay tuned. I may send more to Station Hypo.
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11 December 2018 at 17:17
Sir – When or if you decide to comment about the night of the Kamiseya fire, Station HYPO will be honored to post them.
Sincerely,
Mario
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11 December 2018 at 17:22
Interesting… I may have been one of the guys who pulled you out. I did that for a number of guys until my mask failed – remember that they only had masks for chem exposure, not smoke and large particulates, so they all clogged up when they were used for the fire, Then someone pulled me out. After I recovered I drove an ambulance to Zama – or was it Atsugi?
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9 February 2019 at 23:34
Very good writing, I was off duty in the barracks but we all went down to assist, I served there from 1964-1966. Jerry Hillge
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21 February 2019 at 17:13
I was NCO (HFDF Net Control) Supervisor that night and I must say it was the toughest mid watch of my life. We were at the far end of the tunnel and, without warning, smoke started to invade the spaces and a guy with a gas mask on was running through the tunnel shouting for everyone to get out. I had just enough time to shift control of the net. I recall ordering my guys out and feeling our way through the tunnel toward an exit. We are all creatures of habit and we learned only one way in the tunnel and one way out. Fire drills and evacuation plans were not regular practices prior to the fire. I agree with most of the previous posts – there was no designated training section. I, along with several others, including Cpt. Miner, was transferred to Camp Zama for smoke inhalation. To add more drama to that time frame, my wife was already in Camp Zama, having delivered our daughter who was born on 9/16/65. My wife recalls a Chaplain approaching her and started by saying “Mrs Holt, as you know by now, there was an explosion and fire last night and your husband was on duty……..and the rest trailed off as she passed out. I had nightmares for many years and age has caused many memories to fade but that night remains intact.
Dick Holt, CTRCS USN (R)
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21 February 2019 at 18:01
Indeed Dick. Those of us who where there will never forget I was on duty that nite CTR2 Don Verdon sitting the line when smoke began to enter Thanks to CTR 2 Jim D Aries and CT Bill Herring I got out At that time I was a Seaman made E5 in 67.
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21 February 2019 at 22:40
CTRCS Holt (ret) – Thank you for your comments and for your service!
Sincerely,
Mario
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3 June 2019 at 10:37
Does anyone know where the records of the Naval Court of Inquiry for the fire are kept and if they are available for review?
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4 June 2019 at 14:26
I would also like to obtain a copy of the court of inquiry proceedings since my testimony is a large part of the proceedings. I’m willing to pay for the copy and I understand that it is expensive. I would like to review my testimony and that of others before making a substantial statement on a lot of things associated with it. I believe that I know more about the events of that horrible night than anyone. However, I’m old, my memory isn’t what it used to be, and I’m not as concerned as I was about revealing a lot of stuff associated with things that led up to that terrible tragedy.
Mario, do you have any contacts in DOD that could help me in obtaining that copy? I know it’s available and should be unclassified as great pains were taken to ensure that. Again, as I mentioned in a previous submission, my tel.
number is (518) 563-3956.
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6 June 2019 at 15:37
I had gotten off the eve watch in the keypunch section in building 25. Went to mid-rats then hit the rack. Next thing I remember was the MA (I believe his last name “Tardy” ) shaking my rack telling me and others we were needed down at the tunnel that there was a fire. As I recall, I was 3rd on a hose going up the port ladder (however, it’s been 54 years my memory fades. I believe there was a 2nd class “Boats” on the nozzle. I may be totally wrong, a lot happened in a short period of time.
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28 December 2019 at 19:18
My name if Richard Miller CTM2 and I was the lead for the maintenance group on the second watch the night of the fire. Left the facility at about mid night and the next morning came to work with to see the results of the fire. When our group left the night before we had no indication of the impending disaster. I will never forget that experience.
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28 December 2019 at 20:15
Hey, Rick Miller – I remember you! I was on the mid watch – with Dennis Gerfen
– when the incinerator blew. You were good friends with Dennis and Phyllis, right? Dennis died about a year ago. I still believe that the Navy pulled a major coverup about the fire and said it was all because of the old electrical wiring. I think that is total BS, and they did not want to blame it on an improprtly insulated/installed incinerator that vented up through an interior wall and not directly to the outside.
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23 September 2020 at 23:28
Sorry, my memory ain’t what it used to be, but I’m sure we knew each other. Today is the 23rd of Sept 2020 and I just now found this web sight again and was reliving those days and nights. Hope this finds you doing well.
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24 September 2020 at 18:10
Rick – would you drop an email into my inbox so I could write directly to you?
Fred
fred.ames@gmail.com
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17 February 2020 at 03:00
I was TAD at sea that night and when NDT stopped broadcasting the I brancher and I looked at each other wondering what happened. I searched and couldn’t find NDT. I beleive it was later that day we found out in the regular sked.
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14 April 2020 at 22:30
I was supervising the midnight shift at Hakata when I rcvd a tty that Kami was down due to fire. Section 1 was on watch in Kami, and that was my old watch section. I had recently transferred down, along with CT2 Baker and CT3 Hix. We were all in section 1 at Kami. Such a tragedy like never before for us. I remember Archie Garafola was on a 90 day involuntary extension at the time. R I P Shipmates, we will be together again one day.
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16 July 2020 at 18:17
Sammy: I am CT3 Taylor. I was B shift at Hakata and went rod the end of June in 65. I remember Hix and a few others there. Gregory Scott Williams was my best friend. named my first son after him.I was also good friends with Wayne Tower. I recieved news of the fire a few days after from Williams sister and the details she related is nothing like what I have read in these posts I was at Kami about a year before I transferred to Hakata. I was wondering if anyone remembers Victor D Robinson who was at Kami at the of the fire. .go with God. Thank you for your service
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29 July 2021 at 02:14
Hakata was one fine duty station. How about Grimes, Swann, John Baker, ‘Tiny” Dreitzer to name a few…Had pulled many a liberty with Gregory Scott, super nice guy. Archie Garafalo was on a 3 month involuntary extension or he would have been discharged and gone. Mosst all the section 1 was top drawer for sure.I can’t remember Victor but at 77 yrs now I can’t remember lots..lol…God Bless and thank you for your service as well.
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23 September 2020 at 23:14
I was just reviewing other comments rags the Kamiseya fire and was again reminded of that terrible night/day. The LT that died was my division officer and we were all struck by his loss. Years later after leaving the Navy, I was working for a Government contractor and was required to take a polygraph for a program. During the poly I was chatting with the government official administrating the test and was surprised to find he was one of the investigators from DC. We chatted about the fire, but both felt a terrible loss of friends and brothers. May we never forget the cost of freedom.
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13 November 2020 at 23:16
THE FIRE STARTED BECAUSE THE INCINERATOR IN THE TUNNEL WAS OVERLOADED WITH BURNBAGS AND IGNITED THE CHEMICALS IN THE PHOTO LAB LOCATED UPSTAIRS AND AGAINST THE FLU PIPE WALL. PREVIOUSLY THE BAGS WERE BURNED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING AT ANOTHER LOCATION. SO SOME DUMB ASS DECIDED TO USE THE INCINERATOR IN THE TUNNEL. PROBABLY NOT CHECKING IT FOR SAFETY REASONS AND NOT TELLING THE SAILORS TO USE A FEW BAGS AT A TIME. WHEN THE FIRE STARTED IN THE PHOTO LAB IT STARTED TO BLOW THE SMOKE THROUGHOUT THE TUNNEL BY THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. OFF CAUSE NO ONE KNEW HOW TO SHUT OFF THE AC. WHEN THE ELECTRICITY WENT OFF THE EMERGENCY BATTLE LANTERNS DIDNT WORK AT LEAST IN THE AREA WHERE THE R BRANCH SAILORS WORKED. THEY DID NOT WORK IN THE HALLWAY EXITING THE BUILDING. WHEN EXITING THE BUILDING BEFORE THE METAL GATE THERE WAS A SET OF WOODEN DOUBLE DOORS TO EXIT THE BUILDING. CONSTRUCTION WAS BEING DONE AND THE DEBREE WAS PILED UP IN FRONT OF THESE DOORS TO BE CLEARED THE NEXT DAY. BODIES OF THE SAILORS WHO DIED WERE PILED UP IN THIS AREA BECAUSE THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL BLOCKED THE EXIT. THEY COULD NOT SEE AND PROBABLY OVERCOME BY SMOKE. SAILORS BODIES WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE OPEN DOORS AND THE WALL. THEY COULDNT SEE TO GO AROUND THE DOORS TO THE HALLWAY. WHEN WE STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE SGT RODRIQUEZ AND I WENT TO SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. WE TRIPPED BY THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND THE SMOKE WAS REALLY GETTING THICK. WE WENT INTO THE BATHROOM BY THE WINDOW TO BREATHE FRESH AIR. SGT RODRIQUEZ SAID HE WAS GOING BACK TO TELL THE CHIEF HOW BAD IT WAS. HE NEVER MADE IT OUT ALIVE. WHEN THEY BROUGHT HIS BODY OUT THEY WERE GIVING HIM CPR. I WENT WITH HIM TO THE HOSPITAL IN THE AMBULANCE. THE METAL GATE GOT HOT AND THE STAIRCASE COLLAPSED. SOME OF THE SAILORS WERE FOUND IN THIS AREA. CT3 ARCHIE GARAFOLA WAS FOUND HERE. ARCHIE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE DISCHARGED THREE MONTHS PRIOR BUT HIS ENLISTMENT WAS EXTENDED 90 DAYS BECAUSE OF THE START OF VIETNAM. HIS GIRLFRIEND WAS NOBIE WHOS FATHER OWNED THE GREEN HOUSE OUTSIDE THE BASE. HER FATHER DID NOT WANT HER TO MARRY A SAILOR SO SHE LIVED WITH ME AND MY WIFE IN LEOPOLDV ILLE OFF BASE. SHE MARRIED ANOTHER SAILOR AND LIVES IN KENT WASHINGTON. I WENT TO SEE ARCHIE GARAFOLAS PARENTS AFTER I WAS DISCHARGED. THE NAVY TOOK NO BLAME FOR THIS DISASTER . GAVE SOME BULLSHIT STORY HOW IT OCCURED.
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14 November 2020 at 20:06
James – I would like to talk to you about your Kamiseya Fire comment. Can you please email me at mario.vulcano62@gmail.com ?
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15 November 2020 at 16:47
MARIO THIS IS FROM JAMES DARIES I WROTE THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE FIRE. MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS JANGIE@OPTONLINE.NET
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15 November 2020 at 21:12
James, I was at Kami 65 – 68. I worked, at the time of the fire, in the TBird spaces adjacent to the photo lab. Wilfred Cordell was on watch the night of the fire and lost his life. I would have been coming on the Eve Watch. I spent some time at the Greenhouse. I became friendly with Mamasan and Papasan. Later in my career, in 1975, I was on the USS Kitty Hawk and we were in Yokosuka during a Westpac. I headed to Kami Seya and stopped at the Greenhouse, only it wasn’t the Greenhouse, it was a small fast food noodle shop. But Mamasan and Papasan still owned it and lived in the back. When Mamasan saw me she “Snydersan, Snydersan, how are you”. I was invited into their home and sat and had lunch. Papasan had a beautiful garden with many Bonsai Trees. I asked about Nobiko and they told me she had married a Postal Clerk in Yokohama. They called her and I talked with her but she said she did not remember me. I stopped again at the Greenhouse in 1978 as I was TAD and had reason to be at Kami, although the mission was entirely different. But Mamasan and Papasan were still there. We talked again. I was to be at Kami for 2 months and Mamasan offered me a place to stay (I was in the old Officers Quarters on base). She showed me a beautiful Japanese style house she said she had built for Nobiko, but Nobiko, and her husband did not want to stay there. I told her thank you but no. I didn’t see them after that. I returned to the USA and retired.
The first thing I heard about the fire’s origin had to do with the PhotoShop and chemicals. But not clear on the incinerator aspect. I do know that in the TBird spaces off to the left of the main passageway coming from the entrance there was a door that could not be opened because it was locked and no one knew where the key was. Whether or not it would have offered a way out at the time had it been recognized as a fire exit I do not know, But if it were the sailors who had to go all the way to the front entrance to get out could have certainly taken a turn and headed through the Tbird spaces and out the door before getting to the main entrance.
CTTC William R. Snyder CTTC USN (Ret)
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4 February 2021 at 21:29
I was a kid living on the base the night of the fire. My dad was Louis J. Gower. He was a BM1 or 2 I believe who worked in the fire department. We lived right next to the Captain’s quarters on the corner of the base facing the fire right next to the rice paddies. We could see the fire from our quarters that night. That was a tragic night.
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13 March 2021 at 22:38
Somebody’s Google Translate does not work very well, at all!
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