#23【ゲスト:Donald Wayne Tackett】U.S. Navy Veteran

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What's up guys, this is IYASASA RADIO by Akane and Minami.

In this radio, we are going to talk about random topics in Okinawan Japanese and English.

はいたい、ぐすーよーちゅーがなびら。イヤササレディオのアカネとミナミーやいびん。

うぬレディオでぐすーよーんかい。イエーイ語とウチナーグチさんにいっぺーうむさるはらしつづけやーりちうむとおいびん。

イエーイ。はいたい。

So, today we invite the guest, Dan-san.

今日は私の義理のお父さん、旦那のお父さんのダンさんを呼んでいます。

He is my father-in-law. He is my husband's dad.

And he is from Tupelo, Mississippi.

And he came to Okinawa in 1969 as a military.

And now he is happily married his wife for 40 years.

Wow, 40 years.

Longer than our life.

Right, so today we want to ask him about his life story.

And I am very interested in his life story.

Hai.

Dan-san, can you say hello to the...

Yes, I am sorry.

MINA-SAN, HAJIMEMASHITE.

HAJIMEMASHITE.

Okay, so first, how you came to Okinawa first?

Okay, and I had a good friend when we went to high school together.

His name was Eddie Sullivan.

We played high school football.

We double dated.

We were really good friends.

When we finished high school, Eddie joined the Air Force.

I joined the Navy.

So we split up.

So in 1969, I left California to go to Vietnam.

On the way to Vietnam, we had to stop in Okinawa to change planes.

So during that time, I had to go to Camp Hanson and then sleep, then come back to Kadena Air

Force Base to catch a plane to Vietnam.

Well, as I was walking out the terminal, I saw a big guy standing there, full military

uniform, helmet, air police, guns, everything.

03:00

And I looked, and I said, that's impressive.

I looked again, and it was Eddie Sullivan.

So I told him what was happening.

He says, okay, I'll take you to Camp Hanson, and then the next day, I'll pick you up and

bring you back to Kadena.

I said, great.

So on the way up to Camp Hanson, which was a long drive back then, he showed me Okinawa.

We stopped at a Japanese restaurant, had dinner, had a good time.

The next day, he came back to Camp Hanson, picked me up.

This is in a police car.

And this time, it's daytime, so we drove the coastline.

I got to see the ocean and see the beaches.

And he told me about how much he loved Okinawa.

How old were you at the time?

I was 19.

Wow, you were young.

So he took me back to Kadena.

I got on the plane and went to Vietnam.

Then I came back to the States after my tour in Vietnam.

Well, at that time, I was suffering from very serious PTSD, but I didn't know that.

I thought I was just a mean drunk.

I thought when I got drinking, I wanted to fight.

I thought that was it.

I didn't realize all the other stuff.

So anyway, after two and a half years, three years in the States, I got in lots of trouble.

And so I had to go to jail.

But the judge said, I'll give you choice.

You can go back in the military or you can go to jail.

I said, I'll go back in the military.

So at that time, when you re-enlisted in the military, you got your choice of where you

wanted to go.

So I remembered Okinawa.

So I said, that's where I want to go, Okinawa.

So I came to Okinawa in 1974.

I spent almost a year here.

And then, I did a good job, in a way.

They gave me a, they let me have four days free time.

In Okinawa.

So I said, what am I going to do for four days?

So I says, I'm going to go to Naha.

So I go out the gate, base gate, and I caught a bus going south.

06:03

So I got on the bus, I asked the driver, he says, Naha?

So I sat down.

So I got almost all the way down to Naha, but I didn't know where to get off.

I didn't know the bus station, I didn't know anything.

So I said, I just stood up on the bus, and I says, does anybody on this bus speak English?

And a little voice came from the back, it says, I speak a little bit.

And it was Hisako.

So we got to talking.

We need to translate in Japanese first.

So.

What was his name, your friend?

Eddie Sullivan.

He joined the Air Force.

Air Force.

09:00

Air Force.

Fire.

Air Force.

Fire.

Yes.

Thank you.

And no weapons?

No guns.

Um...

So, she said, you know, I speak a little bit. So, I walked back and started talking to her,

asking where I could get off on Kokusai-dori. I'd heard about Kokusai-dori.

Yeah. So, I wanted to go to Kokusai-dori. Mm-hmm. And also Naminoe. Naminoe? Back then, it was a big

difference. It's like Matsuyama. Yeah. It was like Matsuyama then. Naminoe? Yeah, Naminoe was like Matsuyama.

Like how? It was the red light district. Okay. I get it. I'm a sailor. Okay. So, anyway, Hisako took me to

12:00

Kokusai-dori. Yeah. So, I said, okay, thank you. Let's have dinner. So, we went to Kobe Beef Steak.

You asked her out. Yeah. So, the Kobe Beef restaurant was on Heiwa-dori. Mm-hmm. So,

when we finished dinner, she says, I want to take you someplace. She took me into Heiwa-dori. Yeah.

And she introduced me to her mother. Her mother had a little shop there selling military stuff.

Mm-hmm. Military gear. Mm-hmm. So, she introduced me and everything. I said, hi, you know, all that kind of stuff.

Hisako went home. I went to Kokusai-dori party. Yeah. I partied for two days. Kokusai-dori and Naminoe. Yeah.

Then I go back. Well. Which base were you in at that time? At that time, I was at Camp Hansen.

No, no, I was at Camp Schwab. Camp Schwab. Yeah. Hinoko. Hinoko. Hinoko. So, it was a long bus ride.

So, anyway, she introduced me to her mother and showed me her little shop and stuff. She went home.

So, I go back and I go back to the States again. Mm-hmm. You know, this is 74. In 1978, I came back

and I was stationed at Camp Kinzer. Kinzer. Four years later. Four years later. Okay.

And my friend, we had, I had a roommate. He wanted to go buy some military, what they call tiger shorts, what we wore in Vietnam.

Very special shorts. He says, you know where I can buy some? And I remembered this little shop.

She had tiger shorts. Mm-hmm. So, I said, yeah, I know a place. So, we walked from Kinzer down to

Hawaii Dory. So, I'm trying to find this shop, you know. It's been four years, but we walked

right up on it and who was sitting at the counter? His uncle. His uncle. Oh, yeah.

He has a big old set up. What? It's like a movie. Yeah, it was. And so, anyway, this was 78.

So, we. Also, I can translate in Japanese. Yeah.

15:08

So, I can translate in Japanese. Yeah.

What was the name of the short again? Tiger shorts.

I can't. You guys are destiny. That's exactly right. Yeah. So, we started dating.

And then, we decided to move in together.

So, I says, you know, I don't have much money, you know. And I know you don't. You just got out of

college, you know. What are we going to do? And she says, I'll find us a place. I said, okay.

So, she found us an apartment over here. So, we moved in together.

So, after there for a couple of months, I was short on money. I didn't have no money.

So, I says, you know, what are we going to do? Because we don't have no money to pay the rent.

She says, don't worry about it. I own the apartment.

So, anyway, I made friends with our father and mother.

And so, we decided to get married. So, we got married in 1981.

How old were you?

I don't know, 40. No, 20.

How long have you guys been dating? We were dating two and a half years.

And, well, two, we dated a year. And then, a year and a half, we moved in the apartment.

So, we got married, and we knew we had to go back to the States for three years. Then, we could come back.

Well, during that period, she wanted to learn to speak English better. She could speak pretty good English.

She wanted to speak English better.

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How did she learn English before she met you?

High school.

She's a very smart woman.

Yeah, she told me about it because she went to...

So, she wanted to learn to speak English.

So, all of our conversations were in English. Our little TV was American Station.

And, she learned English pretty good, but I didn't learn any Japanese. I didn't learn none.

So, we go to the States, and we were in Gulfport, Mississippi.

And, she went to one of the junior colleges there. She got her GED. She learned to play the guitar,

and she learned to play the organ, all in three years.

Wow!

Yeah.

So, anyway, we came back in 1985, April 1st, April Fool's Day.

Came back to Okinawa, and I've been here ever since.

After that, we lived in the U.S. together for about a year and a half.

After that, we had to go to the U.S. for three years.

Why did you have to go to the U.S.?

Every...

You stay overseas for one to two years.

Oh, okay.

Then, you go back to the States for three years. Then, you come back overseas.

I could have gone to the Philippines. I could have gone to Italy.

I could have gone to England, but I decided to come back to Okinawa.

I have some good stories about that time in Gulfport, too.

But, anyway, that's what happened in 1985. We came back.

21:03

I've heard about you guys a little bit before, but it's the first time I knew the details.

Now, I feel like your relationship with Hisako-san and then...

What do you call it? This bond?

Family bond is very strong, and I'm so happy to be in your family.

Thank you very much. We're happy to have you, too.

You're a welcome addition. Norman's a very lucky boy.

Yeah, he's really nice.

Norman is the best.

That's his mother teaching him, not me.

But, yeah, that's why. In 1985, I came back. I was working in the military at Camp Courtney.

Agina. And we decided to move to Ikejima. So, we moved to Ikejima and had a little apartment there.

You know, it was really nice, really super nice. Had my little boat there. It was nice.

I'd go scuba diving, skin diving, fishing. It was great for five years.

Why did you go to Ikejima?

Because when we were dating...

Oh.

She took me to Ikejima.

Yeah.

That's where her ancestors are from. Her father was from Ikejima.

So, she would stay at her cousin's house. I went to the beach, and I had a hammock.

And I slept in this hammock for two or three days.

And the fishermen would come by and give me fish. The farmers would come by and give me vegetables.

Oh, that's cool.

And I just lived on the beach in a hammock. It was great.

Yeah.

Then, once we got married, we decided to move there permanently.

And then, you know, her father got sick and stuff, so we had to come back.

But, yeah, that's how it happened.

How long did you live in Ikejima?

Almost five years.

Five years? Cool.

We had a beautiful apartment up on... I don't know if you know Ikejima, but...

I've been there before.

It's beautiful.

Yeah.

Yeah, we had an apartment way up on top. We could overlook the whole island.

Oh, nice. It's like Okinawa, slow life.

It's on the map, but...

It's on the map, right?

You can go by car.

Yeah, this was before the bridge.

24:01

Wow, so you guys have to...

Her uncle, her uncle had the ferry boat from the mainland to Ikejima.

So every time you go, you have to take a boat.

Yeah.

You can go by car, right?

Yeah, now they got a bridge.

I'm going to translate in Japanese.

So, after that, she came back to Japan and lived in Ikejima with her husband for five years.

And Ikejima is where Hisako's grandparents, I think?

Ancestors?

Yeah, her father was a mayor of Ikejima.

I mean, her uncle, her uncle, the one that had the ferry boat.

And then after he retired, his son took over and he was the mayor.

That's the reason they treated me so nice.

Did they welcome you as a, you know...

Is there any struggle or conflict to be an international couple?

No, never had any problem, never.

Because I'm not the type of guy to take that.

I'm not that type of guy.

You say something about her, you say something about me, you got trouble.

And everybody knows that.

There's never, never, ever anything.

And I was the only American on Ikejima for five years.

Special.

Yeah, everybody knew me.

Now we are recording this radio at Dan-san's room, aka men's cave.

Vintage American style.

There's nothing feminine in this room.

Nothing feminine?

Nothing feminine.

27:00

Oh, yes.

What I thought it was really interesting that you guys having a separate room,

like a Dan-san's room and Hisako's room, right?

But every night you guys spend the time together.

But at the same time, you guys can enjoy yourself,

like your hobby and her hobby separately.

Yeah.

Does it make you guys, you know, to have a better relationship,

to maintain a better relationship?

I don't know.

All I know is we don't have any problem.

I don't know how it would be if we only had one room or, you know,

shared one room.

I don't know because we've always done this.

The first floor is a house in Okinawa.

There are tatami mats and Buddha statues.

There are Hisako's favorite furniture,

pictures and dolls.

There are a lot of plants.

It's a very at-home Japanese house.

And when you go up to the second floor,

all the furniture is American.

There is a fan on the ceiling.

Ceiling fans.

And the TV is all connected to American TV.

Oh, this is also connected.

Yes.

And there is a vintage clock.

I have a satellite on top so I can watch American TV.

Oh, okay.

Cool.

And there are pictures from the past,

military-designed books and so on.

It was very interesting.

And I really like the fact that there are two cultures

in one house.

It's like Hisako and Dan.

I really like it.

It's very kind.

When we eat together,

we celebrate together.

Sometimes we eat American,

sometimes we eat Japanese.

We do both, right?

Japanese New Year's Day,

Obon,

Okinawa CME,

American Thanksgiving,

Halloween,

4th of July.

We do that too.

On the 4th of July,

we went on base and we watched the show

and fireworks and that kind of stuff.

We do exactly both culture events.

Together?

Yeah.

That's what I like.

That's so cute.

Yeah.

So,

I think it was good

30:01

that I could speak English

and it was good

that I was from Okinawa.

Yeah.

That's amazing.

Do you have any advice

for international couples

or any

older couples

to have good relationship

together?

Patience.

Why is that?

Well,

sometimes Hisako

makes me mad.

She does things that I don't like.

But,

the next day, it's over.

It's over.

You know.

Okay, it's Hisako, that's her.

Yeah.

Switch.

Switch and patience

are important.

In Japan,

in one house,

the couple lives together

and that's normal,

but if one of them

retires and has too much time,

they might

ruin

their own lifestyle.

But,

even if they get old,

they have their own life

and they respect

their culture.

So,

even though there is a distance,

it's important

to take time

for both of them.

Okay.

I'm the problem.

You want to hear about Hisako's

time in America?

Yeah.

I want to hear about it.

We went to a small town

in southern Mississippi

on the Gulf Coast,

called Gulfport.

I was working there

with a bunch of Marines.

Well, in the daytime,

she didn't have nothing to do

except go to college.

That's all she had to do.

And so, she got a bicycle

and she would ride her little bicycle

from our house to the college

and back.

So, I told her, I said,

this is southern Mississippi.

This is Rednecks.

And she said, I'm okay, okay.

So, my boss

was the

chief of police

for Gulfport, Mississippi.

His boss

was the sheriff

33:01

of this county

and I was their friend.

So, I told them

about me being worried about my wife

riding her bicycle.

He said, don't worry.

We'll take care of it.

So, he says, let's me and you and your wife

go to dinner.

I said, okay.

So, he comes in a

police car.

His driver was decked out

all police uniform, gun,

everything.

So, we take off

and we go

way out into the swamp.

We go up

to the old house.

Inside that house

was a bunch of good old

boys. You know what good old boys are?

Rednecks.

They don't like anybody.

If you're not from the south,

they'll kill you.

So,

we, the

policeman walked first.

I walked and then my wife

walked, Hisako walked,

and then the sheriff walked.

We walked up to the front of everybody.

Everybody was having dinner.

He says, listen.

He says, this is my friend.

This is his wife.

Nobody

messes with her.

So, from then on,

there was no more problems.

Then we left

and went to dinner.

So, now

Hisako-san and Dan-san

talked about when they were in America.

But

Hisako-san always

rode a little bicycle.

Yeah, it was a bicycle.

He always rode a bicycle to and from town.

Mississippi

downtown area.

Yeah, well,

this is back in the sticks.

Very small

town. Very, very small.

Mississippi

was not

safe.

So,

I told them it was dangerous.

But they said it was OK.

So,

I asked my friend

to protect me.

How do you say

redneck in Japanese?

They all hunt.

They all carry guns.

How do you say

the bad guys

in the South?

The farmers

in the South of Mississippi

don't accept

foreigners.

Oh, lower middle class.

Low.

Chuka-ryu

Yankee

36:00

American Yankees

All they want to do is drink and fight.

And that's the way I was

when I was 18, 19 years old.

And when I came back from Vietnam

the same thing.

All they want to do is drink and fight.

Drink and fight.

So,

I told them

to protect me

with the police

in my hometown.

So,

they protected me

from the Yankees

in the South.

When was it?

1400's,

1500's

Japan took over Okinawa.

Ok?

So,

Okinawa had kings

and they had samurai.

The Japan,

Japanese

fired all the samurai

that became ronin.

They didn't have any master.

They were just roaming around.

They did nothing.

So, this one guy

we don't even know his name

he ended up

on Ikejima somehow.

He met a woman

over there, an older woman

real old

and her name was Uehara.

Uehara

She adopted him

and that's how

the Uehara's became

on Ikejima.

Amazing.

Yeah.

I didn't know that.

That's how it happened.

That's how we got to Ikejima.

True.

Because I thought Uehara

is not that

popular in Ikejima

I thought so.

There was one

over there, some old woman

she adopted this guy.

We have

an interesting history.

So that's it all for today.

We asked him about

his life story so far

and how

he met

Hisako-san in Okinawa

39:01

and how to

maintain their healthy

relationship

as a good couple.

Dan-san's

life story in Okinawa

and Hisako-san's

life story in Okinawa

we got to hear today.

I hope it was

a good advice for you.

Yes.

See you guys

next time.

Bye.

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