Joe Glockner who hosts the website with an extensive collection of CT related material provided the below memories of that night.

Let me first caveat this by saying the following remarks come from a memory that is just about 35 years old (of the happening).

Yes, I was stationed at USNSGA Kamiseya, Japan during the fire at the “tunnel work site area.” I arrived at Kamiseya, in February 1965 and was living on-base in the barracks at the time of the fire.

I had just come off of the Eve-Watch on September 23, 1965; and, was asleep in the barracks (across from the chow-hall), when at about 3:30 a.m. September 24, 1965, the Master-at-Arms woke up all of us – saying that the “tunnel is on fire.” The guys on the Mid-Watch were the ones involved in the fire-at-the-tunnel.

All of us immediately got up and, since there wasn’t a bus available to take all of us down to the tunnel (which we would normally be shuttled to the tunnel by a bus), we all started walking.

After arriving in the area, we could see the “wooden two-story building”, that was our normal entranceway into the “tunnel,” was FULLY involved with a fire, that was causing the front of the wooden building to cave-in!

We were told that LTjg Moody had taken some of the guys “back-into” the building to fight the fire. Apparently, “all” of the guys had exited the building completely – but a bit later, LTjg Moody got some of the guys to go back in.

As we know now-a-days, once you get out of a fire, you do not go back. But, at the time, natural instinct kicked in and the guys headed into the burning building in an effort to put out the fire. Regretfully, the “smoke” got to all of them – and they perished! Their escape routes were now “blocked” by the wooden building falling completely down – under the intense heat of the fire.

In those days, “fire drills” were never done. But, subsequent to “The Kamiseya Fire,” all commands “did” have fire-drills!!

As we stood there in the early morning darkness and then a bit later – in the early morning dawn, it was very apparent to all of us, that “no one” could withstand the smoke and heat of the fire. For the next few days, even with the NHK (Japanese television station) helicopter hovering overhead, all of us sifted through the remains of the burnt-out wooden building – looking for and collecting anything that was classified; and, the darkest part – looking for an partial remains (body parts) of our guys!

Days later, once the burned-out building was taken care of and moved out of our way, all of us went back into the tunnel itself and started the arduous task of trying to “clean-up” the severe smoke damage to all of the equipment in the “tunnel”. The “tunnel” itself was not really hurt by the “fire;” but, the smoke had done it’s toll on the equipment. Good ol’ 409-type of cleaner took off most of the remnants of the smoke damage.

On the 27th of September 1965, we had a Memorial Service for all of the fallen shipmates (Navymen and Marines). The “In Memory” leaflet that you saw on my website is the leaflet I still have to this day. I scanned it so I could put it up on my website, to keep them in our memories.

Since I have never done an article like this before, please let me know if this is what you were thinking of.

From an E-mail exchange dated 11 January 2000

Joe,

Thanks so much for setting pen to paper, so to speak, about the fire. I can tell that even after 35 years there’s a great deal of pain. George Morton who was, I think an “R” brancher was there at the same time. He recounted much the same story as did Bernie Ferrara.

Question: As you remember it, all the guys were outside the building but some went back in to fight the fire – I presume that was before the fire department arrived -is that correct? I’m asking just so I have it clear in my mind the chain of events.

Question: Do you remember hearing what the cause of the fire was? I have a copy of the KAMISEYAN edition that dealt with the fire as well as the memorial service. If you don’t have a copy of that edition I’d be happy to send you one.

I’m sure you know about the large metal plaque that was cast which commemorates the fellows that were killed. Even as late as 1994 – the last year that there was an NSGA at Kami Seya we held a memorial service in their honor. That memorial plaque is now at the museum at Corry Station it hangs just outside the entrance.

Thanks again for your help – it was just what I was looking for.

– – – – – – – – – – –

As I remember the events Jay, ALL of the personnel were totally clear of the work areas/ building and were outside of the wooden building. Then, Ltjg Moody got 10 of the guys to go in with him to fight the fire – and I recall that this was before the firefighting equipment arrived.

There were 12 people who perished – but only 11 of them died “in the fire” – one of the other people (I believe it was SGT Paul Rodrigues USMC) died in the hospital.

To my recollection, the “incinerator” where we burned the “burn-bags” full of classified

materials, was located in the “wooden” building and I think that the cause of the fire was associated with that area of the building. But, only the official report could tell you for sure.

Yes, I would love to receive a copy of that KAMISEYAN edition.

Thank you for offering it!!

Excellent on the Memorial Plaque!! It is so good to know that the guys’ memory did not fade over time!

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