Here I am, Jeff. No I never knew those guys. I was there from 1965 thru 1967 and Naha Air Base judo seemed to be nonexistent at that time. Patrick J Goldsworthy (nidan) was senior student. Once he took, I think, 5 of us to Naha AB to work out. The Okinawan sensei, was very pleased to have us there. He only had a couple of guys attending. He smiled and laughed most of the time and I was impressed with what he taught and how he taught it. There was a karate group on another part of the gym. As I recall the karateka ( GI') kept watching us. You could tell they had not seen judo before. At least not much if any. Goldy had Steve Vorweck and I go thru Nage No Kata before practice broke up and the karate practice seemed to come to a halt to watch. The sensei, who Goldy knew, appeared very please that we had come. At that time Dean Tower was traveling to competitions and I didn't see much of him for awhile.
Judo dojos on Oki at that time seemed to disappear, not completely, but fewer of them operated. I asked Goldy about it and he said the Okinawans were busy working as they needed the money and didn't take time for judo anymore. Don't know if it was the case, but it was hard to find Okinawan dojo. I do remember Kadena was invited to a competition, 5 man teams. We were the only foreigners. Goldy, Willie Peavy, Jerry Kang, myself and Steve Vorweck or Walt Conlon. I enjoyed it, but was disappointed that we only had one match and I was the only one who won. We were each presented with a small towel as a gift, I think; but it could have been a suggestion to clean up our judo before coming back.
Nam was really ratcheting up then. After the 1965 PACAF tourney at Yakota Air Base it was mostly promotion shia at Naha police dojo.
Dave Gorden "If wishes were horses, all beggars would ride".---Frank Osten
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Do you remember any Judo guys from Naha AB?, Like Jim Hatch or Berny Wrye?
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