Photos from the Spencer Family Album

of MCAS Iwakuni and the Iwakuni area

I am slowly revamping my photo pages, to give them a more album-like quality. The first pages to get done are of the town of Iwakuni:

• Page 1: Iwakuni Castle Photos
• Page 2: Kikko area Shrine Photos
• Page 3: Kintai Bridge Photos
• Page 4: Kikko Park Area Photos
• Page 5: Other Iwakuni Views
• Page 6: Cherry Blossom time at Kintai Bridge and Kikko Park '98
• Cherry Blossoms at Kikko Park '99
• Page 7: Japanese Homes in Iwakuni
• Page 8: Photos on Mt. Shiroyama
• Kintai Bridge in the Snow!
• Chicken Shack Photos- First page
• Chicken Shack Photos- Second page
• Monzen Lotus Fields
• Nishimura Samurai Museum
• Downtown Iwakuni 10/8/2000

MCAS IWAKUNI:

• Wingside BEQ's
  There are several of these barracks buildings, on Northside. This one, with the huge satellite dish, is where you used to turn to go to the End Zone; the athletic field is still down there.
• TLF 444
  The older and smaller of the two Temporary Lodging Facilities, this one is located behind the commissary. There is a midrise being constructed right next to it, in this photo, which is long since finished. This photo was taken from the seawall, which runs along the back of this TLF.
• Back of the SNCO Club
  Club was closed; all clubs are now at the Tri-Mod. Also taken from the seawall.
• Zero Hanger Museum with Cherry Blossoms
  This hanger is the only one left from the days of WWII. Iwakuni was bombed only once, on the day before the war ended; all the other hangers were destroyed, and this one shows damage from the bombing. It is now a museum and houses a reproduction Japanese Zero. The volunteer curator of the museum is Torao "Tiger" Okuda, who has been doing this for more than 15 years. The memorial stone in front is for the 25th anniversary of the Japanese-American Cultural Friendship Association. (4/98)
• Mainside 7-Day Store
  This shows not only the entrance to the 7-Day store, which is on the side of the MCX, but also the ATM for Community Bank. You can get yen as well as American money from this ATM, but you'll pay a fee to use it if your account is with NFCU. If you don't want to pay the fee, walk across the street to the ATM on the OUTSIDE of Crossroads Mall. It also shows the great variety of colors cars here come in... basically white and shades of grey :-) Gotta say this was starting to change about the time we left. In the back is one of several midrises that were constructed at the time.... by now well-lived in, I'm sure!
• Freedom Bridge to Monzen
  The Freedom Bridge crosses the Monzen River, and takes you to Monzen housing and the Monzen Gate. Some of the Monzen townhouses and one of the Monzen midrises can be seen in this photo.
• Armed Forces Network
  The infamous source of radio and TV programming here. They got a new bldg., after we left... never saw it and don't have a photo.
• Auto Hobby Shop
  This new facility is really nice! It would be even better if those who use the shop's tools would be sure to return them, though.
• Girls Scout bowling at the Southside Bowling Center
  The Girl Scouts were pretty active while we were in Iwakuni... here they had a fun day of bowling!
• Medical/Dental Clinic
• BEQ's along the seawall
  Finally got a shot of the barracks row... I know the first two in are H&HS. The first one is right across from the Medical Center.
• Southside Bowling Center
  Actually the entrance to it.. across from the T-Club. (Aren't the steam pipes lovely?!?)
• Main Gym
  This is the fantastic gym complex here... probably the best thing about this base! The indoor pool is on the left, in front; behind that is the gymnasium itself. Off to the right there's Arts & Crafts, ITT, and Gear Issue, among other things!
• Soba Shop
  This little place serves Japanese food on base. Notice the window displaying plastic food representative of the menu items :-) The same thing is done at the restaurants out in town.
• Tomadachi Club
  This is the Enlisted Club, also known as the T-Club. Tomadachi means "friend" in Japanese. Located across from the Southside Bowling Center. Now closed; all clubs are at the Tri-Mod club.
• Community Service Center
  This is the location of the old Family Service Center; all services (incl. the colleges, the library, etc.) have now moved to a new bldg. next door (between here and the Crossroads Mall). In front of the main parade deck, near the Headquarters Bldg.
• Commissary
  Here it is... the infamous MCAS Iwakuni Commissary. Be sure to bring your carts back :-)
• The End Zone Sports Bar
  This WAS our favorite place to get Mongolian BBQ. It was then closed to officers and SNCO's (how rude!), then closed altogether. The atmosphere it offered cannot be duplicated elsewhere... this is a pretty big loss in my opinion :-( There was also a little take-out service located on the outside of the End Zone, called The Home Plate. It was by the Northside athletic field.
• The Headquarters Building
  MCAS Iwakuni's "White House". Rumor has it that the attack on Pearl Harbor was planned in the very room where the CO now has his office. Heard it, don't know if it's true, but it's an interesting piece of trivia if it IS true.
• Marine Corps Exchange
  This is our exchange... the 7-day store is to the right; to the left is the newly remodeled Garden Center (it got a roof, which is a very nice addition).
• Northside Auto Mini-Mall
  Newly built in the summer of '97, there's a gas station, fast food, seven-day store and more. Really very nice.
• Hornet's Nest
  Home of the Single Marine Program, on Northside... there's a bowling alley & weight room. Not sure what else. These guys have it made in the shade here!
• JR train on bridge
  Crossing the Monzen River, headed SW (toward Yanai); taken from the seawall, near MC Perry Elementary School.
• MC Perry Elementary School
  Main building of the Elementary, here.
• MC Perry High School
  Main building of the High School.
• 360 on the Seawall
  On Thanksgiving morning, 1996, I took a walk on the seawall. I took a series of photos from the seawall, near the end of the runway. I notice that, in scanning them in, I missed the edge of Penney Lake and duplicated the sun's reflection, which I'll fix later. But, since the seawall is being reconstructed, I thought this photo-collage might prove nostalgic at some point :-)
• Our street in Northside Townhouses
  This is pretty much what you get, if you get a townhouse. You can have pets in these. In Monzen, you get a fenced yard. Here in Northside, some townhouses have fences, some don't. We didn't, so we had to build our own to keep our dog in. They are 2-stories, no garage, one parking space for 3-bdrms, two parking spaces for 4-bdrms. (Apr. '97)
  
• Two midrises through the cherry blossoms
  These 2 midrise housing units are near the front gate; there are more of these buildings elsewhere on base. You can't have pets in these homes. This view is from in front of the base chapel. (1rst week of April, '97)
  
• New Northside 2-Bdrm Townhouses
  These are the new townhouses, just before they opened to new tenants, as seen from my daughter's bedroom window. (June '97)
  
• Bachelor Officers Quarters, Northside
  The dog and I walked past these quarters all the time, so I got a photo. (Nov. '97)
  
• The new Kintai Inn
  On the right is the Kintai Inn, completed this summer. On the left is the Iwakuni House. Sounds like lots of folks who came here in the past, stayed in the Iwakuni House for awhile (like we stayed in the TLF). Well, it's closed now... torn down to the ground... a thing of the past. Behind, in between the two buildings, you can see the Sakura Theater. (Nov. '97)
  
• Temporary Lodging Facility 1188
  The TLF where we spent the first 4 months and 1 week in Iwakuni. This photo was taken during our first snow here. (Dec. 1, 1996)
  
• Reproduction Japanese Zero
  The Zero was taken out of it's hanger the day before Friendship Day. I'm glad I got this picture, then, because the next day there were people climbing all over it and you couldn't see it! (May '97)
  
• Crossroads Mall on Opening Day
  Located at the "crossroads" (a horrible intersection, where I'm surprised there aren't more accidents than there are), across from the Fire Station, the Commissary and the Exchange, this new mall was very crowded with curious and desparate shoppers at it's Grand Opening, and has been busy ever since! The food court is especially popular! (July 3, '97)
  
• The Sakura
  The movie theater on base. The name means "cherry blossom", and this photo was taken at cherry blossom time, the first week of April '97... at the time, my scanner was giving me problems, and I didn't get this up.
  
• Officer's Club
  Across the street from the Kintai Inn. (Nov. '97)
  
• Staff NCO Club
  Located behind the commissary/exchange complex, near Freedom Bridge (the bridge to Monzen)
  
• Marine Memorial Chapel
  The base chapel was located near the front gate. It has now been torn down, and they are supposed to be building a new chapel... haven't heard when it's supposed to be done. They offer worship services for many faiths (not Episcopal, although there is a Liturgical service). They also have many Outreach programs, Fellowship opportunities and Religious education groups. (July '97)
  
• Midrise and new construction
  From in front of MC Perry, this photo shows the current mid-rise, behind the commissary, and the new construction beside it. There are 3 44-unit midrises, being constructed around the base.
  
  HOMESCHOOL GROUP'S TOUR OF THE JMSDF:
  
• Homeschoolers inside the US-1A Seaplane
  Some of the homeschoolers here, and one mom, tour the inside of the Air Rescue Squadron's Amphibian plane.
  
• John talks to some of the US-1A crew
  This plane is used for Search and Rescue, and Evacuation/Medical Service. It has a 12-man crew.
  
• Here's the US-1A from the outside
  There's a small group of homeschoolers waiting below the wing, too. This plane is pretty big, huh? It's 109 ft. 9 in. long, with a wing span of 108 ft. 9 in.; it weighs 51,400 lbs, empty! But it can still take off smoothly, on land or on the open sea!
  
• JMSDF Helicopter Simulator
  We got to tour the HM-111 Squadron's simulator area. The kids got to ride in the simulator 5 at a time, and one lucky kid of the 5 got to operate the simulator (John was NOT one of the lucky ones, but he got over it). According to their literature, these MH-53E Sikorsky helicopters are used for Mine Countermeasures, including minesweeping, floating mine destruction, channel marking and even surface towing. They can also be used for movement of cargo, equipment or passengers.
  
• Monitors for the Simulator
  This is where the JMSDF guys monitor the "path" of the flight simulator. There were a few suppressed giggles at the paths taken by some of the kids :-)
  
• Matt and John look at the helicopters
  We had lunch at the JMSDF mess hall, then awaited transportation back to the US side of the base. This was an interesting tour, and I'm glad we had the chance to see the Japanese side of this base, close up.
  
  IWAKUNI AREA:
  The main gate area (which is a good example of why I think Iwakuni is ugly!):
  
• Mama-san's veggie stand
  Just outside the main gate, on the left. Lot's of folks buy their fresh fruits and veggies here.
• The road to the main gate of MCAS Iwakuni
  This is how visitors, newcomers and everyone else get welcomed to MCAS Iwakuni... on a road filled with clothing businesses spilling out onto the street, and cars parked in the roadway. These stores are amazing; they are selling $600 pairs of jeans, as well as similarly overpriced jackets, shirts, etc. They seem to aim their merchandise at Americans, but I can't imagine WHO is stupid enough to pay those prices, when you can either buy at the exchange, or go to a Japanese store in town!!! Anyway, this is the "Little Calcutta" area of Iwakuni.
• 4 Corners intersection
  Taken standing in front of Sako's and looking toward downtown. Due to the position of the sun on this day, I didn't take any photos in the other direction.
• Yellow Sign and California chicken restaurants
  These two popular little places are side by side, on the right between 4 Corners and 3 Corners. They sure don't look like much, but I gotta say, the food is great!
• 3 Corners intersection
  Taken standing in front of the Japanese Post Office, and looking toward downtown.
  
  

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