By Thomas G. Sanders

I joined the Naval reserve at 17 and went to boot camp and CT school before I went on two years active duty. My assignment was Kamiseya, Japan. I arrived in September 1964. Later the Navy solicited volunteers for the Naval Security Detachment on Kyushu and I volunteered, which is why I wasn’t at Kamiseya during the fire. I left for my new assignment two months before the fire and I took Scott’s death very personal when I heard about the fire. I was still assigned to Kami but worked in southern Japan. I worked with the men that died and were injured but Scott (“Red”) was special to me in ways different than most of his friends.

Image: All photos this page courtesy John Pappone
Three pictures of Gregory Scott “Red” Williams
(December 1945 – September 1965)
at Kamiseya prior to the fire.
John Pappone is also pictured (left) in the upper left featued image.

Most people liked “Red.” (I think all people liked him). He got along very well with everyone and I never saw him angry, maybe just a little upset. Scott was the one that befriended me when I first arrived in Japan. The other person must have been John Pappone. I think John was Scott’s best friend, but Scott had many friends.

I drank more before I was 21 than I have since. The reason I am saying this is it seems like until I started hanging out with Scott, the only thing I did was to drink and listen to music. I did this on most of my off time like most of the other teenagers.

When I went with Scott, we would do things constructive like sight seeing or going to one of the local beaches. I just remember Scott being in control and although I do remember him drinking, he seemed not to overdo it. We did go to the Zebra Club in Yokohama and down to China town, but I remember him sipping his drink while I would be slamming mine down.

I really bonded with Scott for some reason. We were friends, there was no doubt in my mind about this, but something seemed to be different. Scott was not only my friend, but I also looked up to him and would have followed him anywhere. It seemed he had a lot of leadership ability and would probably have been an Admiral someday if that was what he had chosen. (I later found out from his sister, Valery, he was Senior Class President and took great pride in his grades – he was also a member of his high school track team). CTs are intelligent people. Scott seemed more intelligent than all but a couple of people I came in contact with in Japan.

I felt like Scott was my brother and we had a spiritual bond. I made this statement to Valery and she knew what it meant. I told her when I left the United States I left “Jesus” there also. I grew up a Southern Baptist and the existence of Jesus was never a point of contention for me.

I really felt a brotherly love for Scott and felt bonded with him for life. I am convinced he was no Saint but was one of the best people I met in my life or will ever meet. He was a natural leader and was most trustworthy. He approached me on two or more occasions; we had some pretty lengthy talks on Christianity. I knew he was a Christian. I am not sure whether he had these conversations with other people but we talked about Christianity in depth and he had a great deal of knowledge. With his intelligence, his knowledge astounded me. I guess he needed to talk to someone.

I have more to tell. He had a Japanese girlfriend he was in love with. She was quiet but I don’t think she was intimidated by anyone. She would talk and like Scott, seemed to have a lot of confidence. I just wanted to throw that in because many times when I was with Scott, she was there.

Here is something that is very spiritual. When I found out about the fire and heard Scott was dead, a picture was ingrained in my head of Scott dressed in a choir robe. That was burned into my head 39 1/2 years ago and is as clear today as it was then. I was very upset and hurt about the whole event because I worked with those guys and I couldn’t believe any of them were dead.

The death of Scott was different. It hurt so bad I can’t describe it. I still have this picture in my head as I write this to you. One of my best friends is a minister and when I told him this story he said I experienced a vision. He told me there is no doubt in his mind that I had a vision and Scott made it to heaven.

A lot of good people died in the Kamiseya fire, but I know of no one better than my friend Scott “Red” Williams.

Source: US NCVA Special Publication, Kamiseya 40th Anniversary Fire Memorial