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by C. Bartyzal, J. Beetar & Ĝ. Starling
copyright 2006
by Ĝan Ŭesli Starling
Sea stories, like all good legends, are based upon fact...however remote from the teller’s own experience. They tend to grow slightly with the retelling since any teller worth listening to, unwilling to subract from the tale, unconsciously fills in memory gaps as he himself would like to have heard them. Here is one such, very excellent example. The version I heard circa 1975 was identical to Joe Beetar’s version, as below...
by Joe Beetar
I served in Yokosuka between Feb. '62 and Feb. '64. The Great Train Robbery was, and is, one of the greatest Mineman sea stories ever. While there, I became aware that one of the Minemen I served with was involved. About two years ago, I became aware that another Minemen I served with was also involved. I don't remember who the third one was.
Sometime in the 50s, three Bakashima [translates to "Crazy Island" (aka Azuma Island)] sailors went on liberty to either Tokyo or Yokohama. Tokyo was about one hour from Yokosuka and Yokohama was about half that. The train station was about a ten-minute walk from the main gate.
Thoroughly inebriated, our three "Sailors of the Year" boarded a train back to Yokosuka. Whether they boarded in Tokyo or Yokohama, they decided to take over the train in Yokohama. The motorman may have gone to take a leak (I'm not sure) and they proceeded to occupy his compartment and hijack the train.
There were other passengers aboard - most of whom were Japanese Nationals. These guys blew through every station between Yokohama and Yokosuka. But they were quasi-smart. There were contingents of Japanese policemen and Shore Patrol waiting for them at the Yokosuka station - the last stop on that line. Anticipating just such a maneuver, our guys stopped the train of terrified Japanese about a quarter-mile from the station and hopped off. They then ran (the back way) to the base. Miraculously, there were no accidents or arrests.
by Cliff Bartyzal
It all started when the train was parked and not due to depart. The train operator got scared and got off the train as we were pushing him to leave ahead of schedule. With only us drunken kids onboard we decide to run it on our own well somehow we made it to Yokohama. I remember the bell ringing and it bothered us and we finally realized I was...standing on the switch! Ha, ha! We were the only people onboard: Bartyzal, Bondick, Tapscott...if others, I don’t recall.
In 1949 when you got out of a school the higher the grade the higher the choice for duty station. [Still true in 1975 — ĜŬS] Being well in the bottom of the class, Billy Case and I ended up in Japan. Not too bad for a couple of dummies. There were more I just dont recall their names.
Photo on left: among the MN’s are Barfield, Collins, Bernard. The solder is my brother.Can anybody help name the rest? Photo at right depicts CWO Hendricks & Leading Chief Smoot at Bldg E17 in Yokosuka.