When we unloaded in Yokohama we immediately were loaded on 2 1/2 ton trucks and taken to Tamioka, Japan. It is not too far from Yokohama. We spent much of the time training with our gear. The 581st is a "Bastard" outfit in that we are just a company. We are not part of a battalion, regiment, or even a division. We operate by providing communication between Corps, Divisions, different services such as Air Force, Marines, Navy.

Here we practice raising antennas. The masts are in 5-foot sections of rather flimsy pipe and it takes much skill to raise a 55-foot antenna of 11 sections without it turning into and twisted mess.

That is Noll on the sledge driving in the ground stakes. We have been broken down into 5 man teams. My team is designated as EO7. We destroyed a few sledge hammers handles before we got the knack correctly. Hi-Res Pic (108K)