MCAS Iwakuni

The following account is from W.C. "Bob" Fails who served with VMA-251 in 1956 - 1957. He states, "Among the memories I am writing up for my great, great grandchildren that I will never meet, there are several involving VMA-251 at Iwakuni in the late summer and winter of 1957. All are exactly as I remember them with no elaboration."

But first I had to undergo an initiation rite that was the answer to a problem that had plagued Marines (and others) stationed overseas in populated areas. There were always one or two men who, in an effort to cloak themselves with a blanket of self denial purity would write home to their wives about the temptations of flesh that they had successfully fought off and then, to enhance their self righteousness, name a squadron mate who had fallen victim to the temptations. This assertion may, or may not, have been true. But the damage was done when the gossip got back to the wife of the unfortunate Marine that he was not being especially "pure."

But VMA-251 (and I suppose other units) had devised a program to prevent this tattle-tale maneuver from ever occurring.

The officers of the squadron claimed as their own, The Log Cabin bar -- known to the Americans exclusively as "Abe’s House." One of the more demonstrative of the hostesses was "Tiger." Small even for a Japanese of the time and not particularly attractive. Her trade mark was a wardrobe of outfits in leopard skin patterns. She never-the-less possessed a exuberant personality and extremely high energy.

Each married "new guy" officer was escorted to Abe’s House by the squadron officers. As the evening wore on and the time for closing came closer, the commanding officer would have a special squadron check-in sheet for the new guy handed to Tiger.

The instructions were quite simple: You could not fly until she had signed the special check-in sheet. She would not sign it until the morning after you spent a night with her. Whether there was sex involved was strictly between her and you (and she would make no extra effort to force the issue.) The cost of a night with Tiger was paid for by the other officers of the squadron.

Thus, the check-in sheet, with her signature, proved that you had spent all night with a hostess from The Log Cabin and only you and her knew for sure if you had broken your wedding vows.

And VMA-251 never had a problem with gossip mongers writing to their wives about how pure they were compared to others.

Bob Fails, VMA-251