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In May 1958 I transferred from HQ ASAPAC, "Oji Campu," in Tokyo to JCRC-J (an ASA communications center) at North Camp Drake on the northwest border of the city. For anyone who served in the army there or in its successor unit USASACU-J, this thread is for you. If you have any stories or photos to add, please contact me and I'll be glad to put them on this thread. Click here for my personal story about life in JCRC-J. The photo above is of the "Little Pentagon," a building that housed our operations, among other things.
The organization was actually formed a month earlier, in April 1958, at "Oji Campu." At that time it consisted of exactly three people: Major Edward Meares, 1st Lieutenant Edwin Hutchins, and PFC Me. We had desk space in the personnel office next to the headquarters building. They planned, I typed.
In May, sections of the Communications Center at Oji were reassigned to North Camp Drake, as HQ ASAPAC was moving to Hawaii. For technical reasons part of its mission had to remain in the Tokyo region, thus the creation of JCRC-J.
The Joint Communications Relay Center - Japan (JCRC-J) was originally to be a joint venture with the Air Force Security Service and the Naval Security Group, both of which were also affiliated with the NSA. This never worked out very well, although we did at times have some Air Force and Naval personnel. A year or so after I left in late 1959 the name changed as they finally realized that the fly-boys and sailors had departed for good. The new name was ASA Communications Unit - Japan, or USASACU-J.
When we first moved to Drake, we had no billets of our own and were housed with another army outfit, ACRAPAC (Army Command Reconnaissance Activity Pacific) (upper right corner on photo above, behind the motor pool, seen from the 3rd floor of our new quarters). This was a disaster, and we quickly moved into a modern building that was previously used by counterintelligence.
The new home (photo, above) was much better suited to our needs as our operations went on every day, around the clock.
Just for laughs, here's a view of how we lived in those luxurious surroundings. Well, not everyday — just weekends.
And here's a corner of the room I shared with one or two other guys. The stereo is mine, as is the shirt hanging on the right.
This is another scene from the 3rd floor of our living quarters. It wasn't far to the movies.
This is me in the entrance hall of our building, taking a picture. I had hair then.
And here is a photo of a highly contrived scene that I took to decorate our annual report. The girls are from our office.
This was my bunk at JCRC-J. I think the guy on the left was named Paul, and the other one might be my roomate Boylan.
CLICK HERE for Page 2, views of Asaka, the village just outside North Camp Drake. AND HERE for Page 3, a new map of North Camp Drake. AND HERE for Page 4, photos of the guys at JCRC frolicking.
And please, if you have anything to add, Contact Me.
And for memories of "Oji Campu" CLICK HERE.
Interested in photography? Check out my "Assisting Avedon" blog.
SO, just what Little Adventure am I up to now in 2013? Why, just the most challenging one of them all! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT.
I was at USAG North Camp Drake from '65-'67 MOS 72B tape ape. I have pictures and stories to exchange.
Posted by: ROGER GLUBKA | August 11, 2015 at 04:58 PM
I was reassigned to the 249th in April '68- jan '70 after recovering from eye injury In Vietnam with 101st ABN (combat medic) worked on ward 999 a&b
I also DJ'd at a club down in Shinjuku midnite - 6 am
Posted by: W J Johnson | August 24, 2015 at 05:13 AM
Camp Drake mid 67/ sept 69 worked ortho sp/5 Grant,Herny Beaver, Greg Gannon,Harold Kelly Sgt Berry and others if any one interested contact David Tila @ dt1ad328@att.net
Posted by: DAVID TILA | October 11, 2015 at 03:17 PM
Hey, we seem to have a 249th/ Camp Drake thing going here! If people would like to reconnect I could try to serve as a clearinghouse, at least until it becomes too much. Email me at . I was there from 12/'66 to 01/'69, worked surgery a lot but was an orthopedic tech and later the NCOIC of the orthopedic clinic.
Man, that was the most demanding, most intense time of my entire life.
Posted by: Mark Koons | January 24, 2016 at 08:14 PM
With ASACUJ SUCKS from Jan 62 toApril 64. com center trick 2 the whole time. In contact with many trick mates. We had big reunion in Orlando 2005 Facebook is Marshall Howard and email hprough@tampabay.rr.com
Posted by: Howard Prough | February 01, 2016 at 10:30 PM