We are heading to the West Coast for our gathering this year.  Our host hotel in Portland will be the River’s Edge Hotel and Spa, a boutique hotel, located right on the Willamette River 1 ½ miles south of downtown.  The Aquariva restaurant with bar is across the driveway and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with views of the river.  This hotel does not have a complimentary breakfast nor an evening reception.  The ground floor rooms have patios and all the upper floor rooms have balconies to enjoy the scenic city and its surroundings.  Adjacent to the hotel is the riverfront pathway to walk, run, or bike along the water.  Guests have complimentary use of 8 bikes offered to get around and although no larger shuttle is available, there is a Shuttle Car to take up to 5 to your destination.  The streetcar stop is 2 blocks away.  The group tours are being planned as you read this and will be included along with the schedule in the June newsletter.   Check out TravelPortland.com to help decide on things-to-do in your free time.

Note: There is NO state sales tax in Oregon.  This will save us some change on room charges, restaurant tabs, the banquet, tours and any shopping you may feel inclined to undertake. There is still a hotel tax of 15.3% added to our room rate.

0455 SW Hamilton Court
Portland, OR  97239
(503) 802-5800
www.riversedgehotel.com

HOTEL INFORMATION

                        Refrigerator, microwave upon request
                        Hairdryer, safe
                        In room CD players with clock radios
                        All rooms have balconies or patios
                        Complimentary morning newspaper
                        Complimentary high speed internet and wireless access
                        Complimentary in room coffee
                        Complimentary use of 8 bikes
                        Complimentary use of state of the art fitness club open 24 hours
                        The SPA at River’s Edge provides guests with a relaxing, escape option
                        Valet parking $25

RESERVATION INFORMATION

When we contract a hotel for the reunions, we are required to give the amount of rooms we want held in our group room block and we are then obligated to pay for 80% of these rooms regardless of whether or not they are reserved.  For instance, if we are short booking (1) room, then we have to pay  (4) nights rooms charges (for the duration of the reunion) whether or not it is used.  The reunions pay for themselves from the registration fees and donations.  There are usually no reserved funds.  So, this is where it gets tricky.  In our group room block we need to reserve enough rooms for all who would like to come but not too many where we may have to pay for unused rooms.  This year our hotel will allow us to add rooms to our group room block, if necessary, but we can only do this if there is availability.  This is just a little background to enlighten you of how important it is to make your room reservations as early as possible and to make cancellations as soon as you know about them so we can make adjustments if needed.

Group Blocked Rooms

            Check-in Sunday, 9/17, 4pm
            Check-out, Thursday, 9/21, 12 noon
            $159 nightly for standard hillside view room, plus 15.3% hotel tax, $25 ea. for 3^rd & 4^th  person
                You have the option to upgrade your room:  Riverside view $189, Suite: 15% off best available rate
            Reservations:  (503) 802-5800    Group Block:  Navy Squadrons 106/102/14 Association                        
            Request an ADA room when making your reservation if you need one.
            Deadline is August 17, 2017  |  24 hour cancellation policy  

Pre/Post Reunion extended stay

            $159 group rate is available 3 days pre/post reunion dates, 9/14, 9/15, 9/16, 9/21, 9/22, 9/23.
            These dates are not in our room block and subject to availability so reserve early.
            Reservations:  (503) 802-5800    Group Code:  Navy Squadrons 106/102/14 Association             
            Request an ADA room when making your reservation if you need one.
            Deadline is August 17, 2017  |  24 hour cancellation policy

THE SPA

Services:  hot stone massage, deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, prenatal massage, Thai massage,  sports massage,  detoxification wrap,  manicures and pedicures,  body wraps,   body scrubs,  aromatherapy treatments, hydrotherapy treatments,  Ayurvedic treatments,   body treatments, facial treatments, couples treatment rooms. Also available is a hair salon, steam room, sauna, and a spa tub. It is suggested to make reservations prior to your arrival.   (503) 802-5800  

The Last Holdout  

In the Spring of 1974, 2nd Lt. Hiroo Onoda of the Japanese army made world headlines when he emerged from the Philippine jungle after a decades long ordeal. Hunted in turn by American troops, the Philippine army and police, hostile islanders, and eventually successive Japanese search parties, Onoda had skillfully outmaneuvered all his pursuers, convinced that World War II was still being fought and waiting for the day when his fellow soldiers would return victorious.

Hiroo Onoda  walks  down  a slope  as he heads for  a helicopter landing site on Lubang Island in March  1974 for a  flight  to Manila  when he comes out of hiding  in the jungle on the island, Philippines.

Hiroo Onoda,  wearing his  30-year-old  Imperial Army uniform, cap and sword,  salutes to  the Philippine Air Force on  arrival  March 10, 1974  at  a radar site on Lubang Island, Philippines when he comes out of hiding.

The son of a teacher, Onoda worked for a Japanese trading firm in Shanghai after finishing high school in 1939. Three years later, he was drafted and trained at a military academy.   In December 1944, he was sent to Lubang, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Manila  as an intelligence officer.

Before and during the war, Japanese were taught absolute loyalty to the nation and the emperor. Soldiers in the Imperial Army observed a code that said death was preferable to surrender.  Onoda refused to give up, despite at least four searches during which family members appealed to him over loudspeakers and flights dropped leaflets urging him to surrender.  He believed the leaflets to be a ploy from the ememy.

Most other Japanese soldiers surrendered when U.S. troops landed on Lubang in February 1945, though hundreds remained missing for years after the war.  As Onoda struggled to feed himself, his mission became one of survival.  He stole rice and bananas from local people down the hill, and killed about three cows a year to make dried beef, triggering occasional skirmishes.

The turning point came on Feb. 20, 1974, when he met a young globe-trotter, Norio Suzuki, who ventured to Lubang in pursuit of Onoda.  Suzuki quietly pitched camp in lonely jungle clearings and waited. "Oi," Onoda eventually called out, and eventually began speaking with him.  Upon his return  to Japan, he contacted the government, which located Onoda's superior — Maj. Yoshimi Taniguchi — and flew him to Lubang to deliver his surrender order reversing his 1945 orders to stay behind and spy on American troops.

Twenty-nine years after WWII ended, Hiroo Onoda, the last Japanese straggler, emerged from hiding in the Philippines jungle and surrendered.   Onoda formally surrendered on Lubang Island in the Philippines to President Ferdinand Marcos in March 1974, on his 52nd birthday. Onoda came out of hiding, erect but emaciated, wearing his 30-year-old imperial army uniform (patched many times over), and with his cap and sword, all still in good condition.  His dedication to a cause allows a rare glimpse of the invincible spirit of the human being, and his ingenuity in adapting to primitive surroundings is a statement on man's resourcefulness

Onoda and another World War II holdout, Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi, who emerged from the jungle in 1972, received massive heroes' welcomes upon returning home.  After the initial sensation of his return home wore off, Onoda bought a ranch in Brazil and raised cattle. He later was head of a children's survival school in northern Japan.   He showed a great zeal for making up for years lost.

Onoda said,  "I don't consider those 30 years a waste of time.  Without that experience, I wouldn't have my life today.  I do everything twice as fast so I can make up for the 30 years.  I wish someone could eat and sleep for me so I can work 24 hours a day."

Hiroo Osoda died in 2014 at the age of 91.  He authored a book, “No Surrender:  My Thirty-Year War”.

Hiroo Onoda holds a picture of himself, taken when he came out of hiding from the jungle during a news conference in May 1996 upon arrival in Manila, Philippines.

SCUTTLEBUTT

Jack Reinhardt - I am Ben Stakemiller’s nephew.  Ben (106) flew a PBY and Privateer in the War and he told me a lot of stories about his experiences.  Ben passed away about 20 year ago and he has one surviving daughter Janice.  He had a son Ben but his son also passed away.  He was the co-pilot on the lost privateer operating out of San Diego around 1942 – 43.  The plane went down in the Gulf of California and he and the crew were stranded on an island for several weeks.  God bless all of you guys and thank you for your service for this great country.

Marcia Campbell, daughter of James M. Patterson (106) – My name is Marcia Campbell and I am the daughter of James M. Patterson.  He served in Navy VPB 106 squadron and attended a few of the reunions years ago.  I am sorry to let you know that my father passed away on 11/14/14.  Please forgive my delay in notifying you.  Dad was so proud of his time of service and spoke of it often once his grandsons were old enough to hear his stories.  I was amazed as they were stories I had never heard until an adult and mother.  Through his declining years I read to him the newsletter and he always enjoyed it.  As time went on I believe I began to enjoy it more.  I would love to continue to receive the Newsletter.  Please let me know what I need to pay to continue to receive it.  I am attaching a photo of Dad from several years ago with a copy of a poem he wrote while serving (see page 7).  I don’t know why it has taken me so long to finally send this e-mail, maybe one last thing to let go of made me stall.  I decided Veterans Day was my dead line.  Thank you so much for all you and the other volunteers do….. I know that it meant a lot to my Dad.  As life and memory ebbed away Dad continued to speak of his buddies in the war with fond memories.

Hal Fisher (106) – I am writing to thank you for all the things you have done for us guys in VPB-106.  I am the last one left in crew #8 after losing Todd Mabry a few months back.  I am not in touch with any of the others that’s living.  I will be 91 this month, still with the softball club (Kids & Kubs).  I have been with them for 16 years.  It’s the oldest softball club in the world.  I have enclosed a copy for you.  I want to thank you again for what you have done.

Lisa Kirk, daughter of Bob Kirk (102) – Earlier in 2016, Dad had mentioned he wanted to take the train from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon.  So in October, daughters (Lisa and Diana) with their spouses (David and Ken), and cousins (Shelly and Dirt) headed out from San Diego and drove to Lake Havasu City to hooked up with Steve and Vicki Theroux (son of Marvin Theroux/106)  to accompany Dad on our Grand Canyon journey.  The train ride in itself was fun and the Canyon changes constantly with the sun’s lighting  throughout the day.  If you haven’t been, treat yourself to something stunning.  Simple amazing!  

*  Please send in your scuttlebutt to Lisa Kirk.  Contact information is on last page of newsletter.
** I do not have any more Personal Stories submitted. This newsletter will be the last one featuring Personal Stories unless I receive more in the future.  This makes me very sad! 

SQUADRON WEBSITES

                        http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/          VPB-106 & VPB-102/14

     https://members.tripod.com/~vpb_102                        VPB-102/14

 http://www.vpb106.com                                                   VPB-106

 http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/archive/            VB-106

          Harold Warnimont’s (102) movie film during his tour is on You Tube

      VP/VPB-102 Video, From Crew #9, July 44- May 45, HW ...

                     Also, check out these websites for information on our squadrons and members:

    www.VPNavy.org                 www.NavyLog.org

YOUR VOLUNTEERS