Mercy « Union Street

Okinawa, before I could remember » Mercy

Mercy Elementary School, c 1970?

My mother taught 2nd grade at this old school, set up and run by the Department of Defense at Camp Mercy, Okinawa. I remember walking to school as a kid, occasionally through barbed wire during late-Vietnam War protests.

17 Responses

on July 5, 2009 at 3:01 am | Reply Terry Macute

I attend Mercy Elem two different times, three grades 2nd, 5th and half of sixth before going stateside, late sixties early seventies. Soon as I saw the picture, I started remembering the layout of the school. It looks like this photo is taken at/near/close by the kindergarden where my little sister went. To the right was a big open grassy area with the gym in the back next to the highway. I also remember the big playground area on the north-side? Please print more.
on July 6, 2009 at 7:36 pm | Reply Andrew

Terry, I think you’re right about the position from which this photo was taken. I’m slowly going through more photos and will post them when I get the chance.
on July 14, 2009 at 11:33 am | Reply Bob Eustaquio

Do you remember the dog pound that was there at Mercy?
Would you believe there was even a hospital there. I should know because I was born in it! The fact that it became a dogpound and disappeared seems cosmically unsurprising.
on July 15, 2009 at 4:41 am | Reply Terry Macute

Hey Andrew, I had Ms? Betty Shim……..? for 2nd grade and Miss Enzie for 5th and 6th. Do you remember either of these teachers? After Mercy, I went to Machinato/Naha Elem, then Eisenhower Elem before going back to Mercy. (random order memory) I also went to Christ the King at Ginowan City? for kindergarten and 1st grade. Alot of time in those buses. I remember driving over “sweet river” twice a day when I went to Mach/Naha and Eisenhower. Oh by the way, can you post any class pictures you might have?
on July 17, 2009 at 4:05 pm | Reply Andrew

Hi Terry,

Unfortunately I don’t remember them…I think I went a few years after you, from K – 4; my 1st grade teacher was Ms. Long, my 2nd grade teacher was Ms. Drennan, and 4th grade teacher Mr. Spokas (I’m drawing a blank on 3rd grade). I went to Makiminato (earlier Machinato) for 5-7. Naha Air Station was turned over to the Japanese Self Defense Forces by the time that happened.

The ’sweet river’ if I recall was Aja River, and it was a euphemism – it was anything but sweet, given all the sewage dumped into it.

I don’t have any class pictures, or really any significantly different pictures of Mercy. I’ll have to see the next time I’m in Okinawa whether my parents still have extra hanging about in their storage.
on July 24, 2009 at 3:11 am | Reply Terry Macute

Hey Andrew,

I think there was a small px on the same block? as the kindergarden, sort of parallel with the quonset hut classrooms? I remember my father on the weekends would take me there in the morning for a donut. Then we would go further down to the sea wall where I would tease those puffer(fugu) fish with my fishing pole. I also remember the most amazing moonset/rise? just above the horizon of the ocean.
I have never been back but will someday. My mom is Okinawan and I lived the first eleven years of my life there.
I tell people that growing up there was like being on one huge military base. We used to go to a zenzai place in Ginowan City. I think it was close to christ the king international school and the southern entrance to mcas. Anyways it was the best zenzai.
- on August 29, 2009 at 7:24 am | Reply Derek
  
  I remember a laundromat on the same side of Camp Mercy Elementary School. It had a soda and candy vending machine along with a cigarette machine too. Like you said, there’s a small PX (Shopette) with a single self-service gas pump.
on August 11, 2009 at 12:13 am | Reply Jim LeVangie

I was stationed on Oki 3 times–2 USAF & the last tour was Army. I do remember Camp Mercy very well. Does anyone remember nearby Camp Boone ? It was very similar to Camp Mercy but used by the Army for various support activities. RASP academy was there too.
Over my 3 times on the island I watched it change quite a lot, mostly to the good. I left the last time just prior to the Japanese ordering the switch to the wrong side of the road. Glad I missed that. I never attended school on Oki, but my daughter did (born Camp Kue 1966)–she attended M&K elementry just inside Kadena AB gate 3, and then Zukeran elementry (74–77) We do miss the island, JimL
- on August 18, 2009 at 3:28 pm | Reply R. Colby
  
  Jim LeVangie –
  
  I recall Camp Boone very well. I went to kindergarden there. My dad was director of the Camp Boone Auto and Boat Shop on a hill overlooking Highway 1. He built his sailboat there. You can see some pictures here: http://rcolby.com/ido.html
- on August 19, 2009 at 6:04 pm | Reply Andrew
  
  I’m afraid I don’t remember where Camp Boone was, exactly, though I do remember the name. On my last visit, I learned that the Camp Kue hospital is being relocated (I’m not sure to where). Zukeran Elementary is still there and doesn’t appear to have changed much in the last 20 or 30 years.
on August 19, 2009 at 7:27 pm | Reply R Colby

Andrew -

Camp Boone was almost exactly one mile south of Jimmy’s Bakery on the west side of highway 1. The “Sweet River” described the southern edge of Camp Boone. I recall the Auto/Boat shop on the high point of the camp, the kindergarden was just northwest of that, and there was a gun club shooting range on the East China Sea beach side. A truck-driving road course was also on the camp… a perfect place to race go-karts! I don’t recall any buildings other than quonset huts and some large shed-type structures. It was a very small place, really.
on August 26, 2009 at 10:43 pm | Reply Mike

Thanks for the photograph. I too went to Mercy Elementary School, and my first grade teacher’s name was Miss Chan – I still have the class picture. I was born at Camp Kue army hospital, and I understand that the hospital is no longer there or has been moved. Please, if you have any more photographs…
Thanks,
on August 27, 2009 at 9:16 pm | Reply Andrew

Hi Mike (and all who are interested) – Camp Kue (now Camp Lester) is still there, although now split in half with the other part returned to Okinawa; the hospital remains but is due to be moved soon, from what I understand. It has to be positively ancient by now.

Unfortunately the other photos I have are pretty degraded, and at the moment, not even available to me. But I’ll post more if something pops up.

I find it interesting that we all seem to remember our teachers…I had Ms. Kagimoto (Kindergarten), Ms. Long (1st grade), Ms. Drennan (2nd), Ms. Lew (?) for 3rd, and Mr. Spokas for fourth. And then I had to go Makiminato for middle school.
on October 24, 2009 at 12:26 am | Reply Terry Giles

WOW! I can’t believe I came across this site!!! I too went to Camp Boone and had Ms. Kagimoto or was it Koyanagi(1967) for kindergarten. I can’t recall any other teacher. Also went to Sukeran elementary (now called Zukeran?), but don’t remember any teachers. We left after 4th grade, and I’ve only gone back to visit relatives once (about 20 years ago); it looks a lot like Hawaii now. If anyone has photos to post, that would be awesome!!!
on October 24, 2009 at 7:51 pm | Reply Andrew

Hi Terry,

Thanks for stopping by. You and I had the same kindergarten teacher (Ms. Kagimoto), though this was at Camp Mercy a some years later. We’ll try to post more photos later at some point.
on October 24, 2009 at 9:24 pm | Reply Bev Fisher Bothwell

My Mom taught school at Camp Boone I recall the Kagimoto name I just did some photos on facebook of kindergarten

I grad Kubasaki 1970
on November 13, 2009 at 10:34 pm | Reply Kevin Treon

For some reason, thought I’d search Camp Boone. I went there in ‘68? Then to Machinato I think I was there for maybe K-2 I have some pics that I can dig out and send to you.