 Roy Gettz |
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 Roy Gettz |
Roy Gettz |
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Roy Gettz |
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Roy Gettz -asachitoseassn@att.net -3091 Blackbird Ct, Melbourne, FL 32935 -321-259-7039
David Shaner the son of Stanley Shaner , now
deceased, Chitose 57/64, has been appointed to be the ASA Chitose Brats
Coordinator by president Andy Goodrich. David and his wife Kim live in Delray
Beach, Florida. A Chitose Brat is any child of a member assigned to or attached
to ASA Chitose who accompanied their parents at Chitose. Chitose Brats are
eligible to be associate members of the Association and can be active or
inactive depending on their dues status (dues are currently $5.00 a year). They
are eligible for all the benefits of the association except that they can not
hold elective office of the association. They will be carried on the roster as a
separate section. Our current roster of the Chitose Brats is included in this
newsletter. It would be appreciated if all who had Children review this list and
send corrections or additions to Roy Gettz who maintains the roster. It is hoped
that in the future our newsletter will have at least 1 page devoted to the
Chitose Brats. Any input for the Brats Page should be sent to David Shaner at
9774 Savona Winds Dr, Delray Beach, FL 33446-9762, e-mail at shanerdmshanerdm@yahoo.com
David (Mike ) Shaner the Chitose Brats coordinator for the
ASA Chitose Association has set up a website at http://chitosebrats.org/ for the
Brats. The site is in the development stage and all are encouraged to take a
look. The Chitose Brats are eligible to be associate members of the association
either active (dues paying) or inactive members and will be carried on a roster
separate from our regular members. They will be eligible for all the benefits of
the organization except voting. These benefits include receiving the newsletter
(which will include a Brats section until they are organized to the point of
putting out their own newsletter) and attending the reunions which we hope will
become a family affair for them. For our regular Chitose members who had
children at Chitose please pass this on to them and have them contact Mike at:
By Phone: 561-865-1248 or 561-504-2902
The following was submitted
by David Shaner
As a dependent, I lived in Chitose 1 for 6 years (1957 to 1964). I returned to Chitose, accompanied by my wife, this past May with friends from the ASA Chitose association. This was the first time I had seen the place where I had grown up, since 1964. Needless to say the memories started pouring out of the hidden recesses of my mind and literally burst out of me in many ways. Of course, the city and camps had changed in so many ways that most of what I remembered was gone and would remain only a memory. But those things that remained made my trip there a very wonderful experience.
I moved to Chitose from Tokyo in 1957, and our first year
we lived off camp, in a converted duplex about 1/2 a mile away from Chitose 1
and right next to the Chitose river. I was shocked, overwhelmed and exceedingly
delighted to discover that that house still stood and, indeed was inhabited. It
had been converted back to a duplex but there it stood. Remarkably enough, was
the fact, that in spite of all the changes, I was able to walk from the Airport
Hotel directly to that house, as if it were yesterday.
My six days in
Chitose were equally filled with wonder and discovery of those sites I
remembered so well, that were still around. I was even able to climb Mt.
Tarumae, with my wife, which I last climbed in 1963 as a 16 year old. The 20
members of the association who traveled with us were wonderful and truly made
the trip a great one. I fondly remember them all. Sheila McCann, always ready to
get us to and from everywhere, she was like a special aunt; Dick and Mary Ott,
our special newspaper deliverers; everyone touching our lives in special ways.
Our Japanese hosts were also wonderful, especially Ben Saka, who I know is in
all of our prayers. So many of them Knew my father and could tell me stories of
their relationships. The Chitose reunion trip and the stay in Tokyo have truly
been one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. As a result, I have been
in contact and even had dinner with several “Chitose Brats” and we all agree to
continue to communicate and meet and to try to find all the Chitose Brats. Our
plans are to develop a web site and eventually, become part of the ASA Chitose
organization. We would love to have all ASA Chitose members provide us with
information on former Chitose Brats through their parents. Please feel free to
contact me at shanerdmshanerdm@yahoo.com with any
information.