Japan Guide Ted
National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter
Archives 01
An old soldier’s sentimental journey
Requirements
Name: Captain Kirk
Email:
Subject: Request for Volunteer Guide Service
Message:
Please forgive this request not meeting your preferred 2 months advance notice. I just recently discovered the availability of voluntary guides, and am hoping that there is someone in your organization who will be able to accompany myself and family around the Musashino and Tachikawa areas on xxxxxxxx 2019.
We will be attempting to reacquaint ourselves with the areas that we lived in while I was stationed in Japan 1970 -1973. I was in the U.S. Air Force at the time and my oldest son was born in the Tachikawa Air Base Hospital in 1972.
I was first stationed at Fuchu air station and we lived in the Green Park housing area which was located in Musashino city. Green Park housing was a huge apartment building. I cannot find it on a map and am assuming that it has been demolished. The rail station that we used most often was Mitaka Station.
During the latter part of my tour in Japan, I worked at Tachikawa Air Base and we lived on the Tachikawa Air Base. I see from the Google map that about one third of the former airbase is now called JGSDF Camp Tachikawa and the other two thirds has been converted into a nice park called Showa Kinen Park.
We are looking forward to revisiting these areas, now 46 years later, and a guide who could help us with translation for directions, etc. would be greatly appreciated. There will be 4 of us-myself and my wife, and my son and his wife.
Again, I apologize for not contacting you 2 months in advance. Sincerely, Kirk
※Google map and other pictures are copied from wikipedia Japan and other web sites.
The comments in blue are written by Ted.
The Green Park Musashino
Wikipedia and Mushachino city archive
This area belonged to Nakajima Aircraft until 1945.
It was provided for US forces ‘Green Park” during Post War period.
A big baseball stadium was built there in 1951, however it was closed in 1959.
Below is Green Park Baseball Stadium in 1951.
Because of Korean War in 1950 Tachikawa Base and Fuchu Base were required to expand. USAF looked for a housing facility some convenient places commuting to Tachikawa and Fuchu.
Green Park Housing facility was built in 1953. This included Residential area, Firefighting brigade and American School. 650 families (2300 persons) moved into Green Park. There was everything such as Cinema, Barber and Restaurant so that these people could live in Little America.
The result of US military facilities downsizing, these facility were consolidated to Tachikawa and Yokota Airbases, and Green Park was returned to Japan.(1971-1973)
Green Park facilities were dismantled in 1977, and then had been left as public space.
Musashino Central Park ( by Tokyo Metropolitan Government) was made there in 1989.
Below is Green Park in 1971
Green Park was located slightly north of Mitaka Station.
Google Map Today
Tachikawa Airbase
Google Map Today
Tachikawa Airbase just before it was returned to Japan in 1974.
航空写真に見る1974年撮影の立川飛行場付近。全面返還前。右端の黒くなっている辺りが現立川飛行場の滑走路である。国土交通省 国土画像情報（カラー空中写真）を基に作成
JGSDF Camp Tachikawa and Showa Kinen Park in 1989
航空写真に見る1989年撮影の立川飛行場付近。全面返還後。国土交通省 国土画像情報（カラー空中写真）を基に作成
米軍府中基地跡 ex Fuchu USAF Airbase
http://www.funkygoods.com/hai/ft/ft.html
府中基地は１９３９年に旧帝国陸軍燃料廠として設置された。その名の通り、戦時における航空燃料、自動車燃料の備蓄基地として設置されたようである。終戦後は米軍の管理下に置かれ、極東第五空軍司令部と在日米軍司令部が設置される。現在、府中の森公園に隣接する航空自衛隊府中基地は、米軍により接収された土地の一部を返還して設置されたものだ。
Fuchu base was built as Japan Army’s fuel warehouse in 1939.
その後、１９６４年に開催された東京オリンピックに合わせ、東京代々木にあった米軍住宅、通称ワシントンハイツの代替地として、関東村とここ府中基地が利用されることになる。１９７３年には、通信施設を除く基地全体が米軍より返還され、府中の森公園や生涯学習センター等の各種施設が建設された。しかし、公園北側には、まだ撤去されていない米軍住宅跡と通信施設が、半ば廃墟と化して放置されている。
The Washington House located at Yoyogi where US forces residential facilities were deployed, was relocated to Kanto Mura and Fuchu Air base in 1964.
Several Facilities for Tokyo Olympic replaced the Washington House area.
Almost all area, except Antenna facility was returned to Japan in 1973.
However the returned peripheral facilities in Fuchu Airbase are still remained ruins
(as of 2003 April)
京王帝都京王線府中駅の北側、府中清瀬線（小金井街道）を北上すると、府中の森公園が右側に見えてくる。その先の公園北側は、フェンスで囲まれた中に雑木林が広がっており、中に入ることができない。敷地内には所々に低層住宅の廃墟が点在している。フェンスには「国有地につき侵入を禁ず。関東財務局立川出張所」という看板が架かっており、厳しい。ここが、かつて旧帝国陸軍燃料廠として設置され、終戦後は米軍が司令部を置いた府中基地の、通信施設と米軍住宅の跡である。
American School was established for the families lived in Kanto Mura.
It is still existed.
Photos below were taken in 2003
I drive around there recently (August 2019) and found the ruins are still remained.
However more houses have been around the base and trees has grown very tall, so that only little part of antenna can be seen.
2019年8月現在、この地域は国有地として鉄条網フェンス内で保存されているが、内部樹木の成長繁茂と周辺部の住宅化で、わずかにアンテナの一部を見ることができるだけとなっている。
Tour on xxxx 2019.
