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Member Introduction

Bill Monks

Registered
29 Jul 2003
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My name is Bill. I窶冦 and old man of 77. I spent most of my life working for Citibank. In Greenwich Village in NY City. I have a wife Dorothy, 7 children and 17 grandchildren. I participated with a small group of US Marines in the occupation of Chichi Jima in Oct of 1945. You fellows certainly know how to build a fort. I have always wished to return there. While stationed on your beautiful Chichi I had the pleasure of watching the frolicking of your whales. I now spend my time writing short stories.
Thank you for your invitation to join your forum.:)
 
Hello Bill. Welcome aboard !

You've seen Japan in a period most people on this forum will never know (me included). Where is Chichi Jima exactly ? Is that an island in the Ryukyu (that is, Okinawa) ?

I guess there weren't any Citibank branches in Japan while you were there. Now it's the most famous foreign bank in the country.

Maciamo
 
Welcome to the forum, Bill! How impressive. You have such a big family! You must be very proud.

My grandfather was in the Army and stationed in the Philippines during the war and my other "adopted" grandfather was in the Marines, but I'm not sure which division he was in. Chichi Jima sounds kind of familiar. I do know he was in the Pacific around Japan and he was in mainland Japan at some point, because I remember him showing me pictures he had taken from either Hiroshima or Nagasaki after the bombs were dropped.

Anyway, it's great to have you here. Look forward to hearing more from you!
 
Maciamo

Chichi Jima is located in the center of the Bonin Island chain at about 27 degrees North and 142 degrees East. Chichi Jima is about 500 miles South of Japan and 850 miles North of Guam. The chain consists of three main islands and extends North and South for about 60 miles. The largest island of the group is the southernmost and is called Haha Jima and the most northern of the group is Muko Jima. Besides these main islands there are numerous smaller ones

During the war it was considered the most fortified island in the world, (Gibraltar of the Pacific). The Japanese had spent thirty years building an awesome fortification and did not waste a minute.

After a group of us toured the island we all agreed if the whole six divisions of the Marine Corps had attacked Chichi it would have remained impregnable.

Fortunately we had chosen to by pass Chichi and land on Iwo Jima. Even knowing the formidable defense the Japanese put up on Iwo Jima the choice of Iwo was a wise decision.

After the fortification was removed Chichi Jima due to its surrounding fantastic marine life became a world famous national park. It became a popular skin-diving vacation spot and also attracts a great deal of whale watchers from distant lands.
 
Greetings and welcome Mr. Monks. Nice to have you onboard and I look forward to you sharing your insights with the rest of us.
:)
 
Wow your the 1st elder that i've seen use a computer! :p Well, Welcome and nice to meet you Bill Monks!_! 🙂
 
Konnichiwa Bill Monks-san!

Hi Bill, welcome and Hajimemashite. Please enjoy the forum!
🙂

NANGI
 
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