March 20, 1971: Evenings at the Officers' Club
	January 17-29, 1971: My First Trip to Japan
	Return to the Index for 1971

The Officers' Club often has shows of various kinds on weekends (since, particularly in the winter, there is not much else to do). Often these shows are sponsored by the USO who may bring American groups that tour overseas bases to Camp Howze. Sometimes, the acts are Korean groups who have learned the type of music or other performances that American soldiers like to see and hear.

Tonight we have a rather typical Korean band here to play American songs and sing them in a distinctly Korean accent and with distinctly Korean intonation. I brought the camera I'd gotten in Japan a month ago to tonight's performance and, as long as I was able, I took candid pictures of the show and many of my friends. These pictures will mean little to anyone but me or the other people who appear in the pictures. Many of them are a little silly; they got sillier as the typical evening progressed and more alcohol was transferred from the bottles behind the bar into the bodies of the attendees. Anyway, for my record more than anyone else's, here are the pictures that I took that evening (that turned out decent; there were a number that didn't):

Tonight's show is by a Korean "girl group" (duh) and they did a lot of singing and dancing.

I did a closeup from pretty far back of a couple of the members of the group.

The Band Performing

An Extreme Closeup of One of the Singers

This is Warrant Officer Curtis getting a drink at the bar.

This is a picture of (front to rear) Captain Klein, Captain Halligan, and Warrant Officer Hicks at the bar.

Left-Hand Title

(Picture at left) Of course this is one of the members of Korean troupe dancing at the show.       (Picture at right) Here is one of the members of the Korean show troupe dancing with one of the Supply officers.

Right-Hand title

Here are Captain Haywood and Warrant Officer Jasick goofing off at the Officer's Club.

Some of the officers spent more time at the Club than the others, and this guy, one of the Majors from over in G4 (Supply), was almost a permanent fixture. With drinks costing just a quarter or less, at least it wasn't too expensive.

Here is 2LT Ed Haywood, one of my best friends, goofing off at the club. Some guys drank more than others, and Ed more than most.

Our ever-popular waitress, Miss Kye, giving me a stern look (or what passes for her most stern expression).

I guess I should comment on that last picture. Miss Kye, who actually came from a nearby village, had what was, by Korean standards, a respectable job. She would not have been particularly concerned if any of her family knew what her job was, as it was totally aboveboard and paid quite well, by Korean standards. Other girls, who might engage in less "respectable" pursuits, but who might earn more money offering their services to servicemen, would definitely not want their families to know much about their activities. It was understood that photographing these women and girls "at work" was ill-mannered, and so the unwritten rule was not to photograph them on the street or at their places of work. Miss Kye didn't particularly like having her picture taken (as many of us don't), but doing so wasn't forbidden or even a breach of etiquette.

Here is Mr. Jones at the bar in the Officer's Club.

WO Jasick had learned just today that his request for extended leave back to the US for the birth of his first child had been approved; that's the paper he is holding up.

Mr Jones works at the Finance Office. When I arrived, he was LTC Fuentes' Executive Officer. Now he fills the same role for Major Henderson. I have become the Disbursing Officer on the departure of Pete Cannon, who I understand is now traveling through the Far East on his way home to Hawaii.

Let me finish up this evening with a couple pictures featuring Ed Haywood. In the picture at left, he seems to be trying to divine the future by looking into his glass of bourbon and soda. And below, he, and one of his close friends, WO Jasick, are goofing off- as they did frequently.

Actually, this would be the last time (last Saturday night, actually) that Ed and Mr. Jasick would clown it up at the Club. Jasick will be leaving next week for the States, and, by the time he returns, Ed will have rotated back to the States himself- to Chicago, as it happens.

NOTE:
In another of those oddities that I didn't know at the time, I would see Ed again in the States when, about two years hence, I, myself, will move to Chicago to work at Continental Bank. There, I will track Ed down at the Hugh Leather Company, and I will get a chance to meet his wife and baby up in Evanston. That story will be coming up in this photo album.

You can use the links below to continue to another photo album page.

***************************************************************************

	March 20, 1971: Evenings at the Officers' Club
	January 17-29, 1971: My First Trip to Japan
	Return to the Index for 1971