Some Photos and a Short Tribute to Ernie Pyle

His tour in Okinawa Lasted 18 Days

In the Ryukyu Islands people don't call it World War II.

They don't call it the War of the Pacific, either.

It is simply called the Okinawa Senso.  The Okinawa War.

The battle began April 1, 1945.

The photo above shows the Ernie Pyle Memorial Stone on Ie Jima.

Ernie was respected by the Army, Navy and Marines because he walked with them.

He walked the walk and, talked the talk.  He was a war correspondent.

He traveled and reported the war through Africa, Europe and the Pacific.

Ernie was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for correspondence in 1944.

He died on Ie Jima August 18, 1945.

Yesterday, at Peace Memorial Park, I searched for Ernie Pyle's name on the walls.

Over 240,000 names are inscribed there, from victims of all nations.

We couldn't locate Ernie and almost gave up.

Then Doc Graff got the idea to do a computerized search.  And, it paid off.

Pyle Ernest T, was engraved amongst the American civilians killed in the battle of Okinawa.

Anyone wearing a uniform and going into combat should read his writings.

The leaders of the world's countries, before sending young men to war, should read them, too.

The Indiana University School of Journalism can tell you more about Ernie Pyle than I can.

That's where I found a photo of Ernie on patrol with Marines in Okinawa.

Look at this column Ernie Pyle wrote and let it soak-in.  It's the best tribute I can give him.

The God-Damned Infantry

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2013 Kin Town Mud Festival (たんぼフエスヌ) Okinawa, Japan

Good Clean Fun for Golden Week

 

The Tambo Fest (たんぼフエスヌ) or, Mud Festival, is one of my favorite events of the year.

There are lots of things going on, like, live music, dancing, games of chance and food to eat.

All the stuff you'd see at any other festival on the island, they have at this one.

 

Only in Kin Town We Have Lots More

Tambo, is the Japanese word for rice field.

Some kind farmers decorate the place and, flood it for us.

Mostly kids but, anyone else, can join in and stir things up.

Play ball, ride a bike or.....

.....go diving, if you like.

The Mud Festival takes place Friday May 3, 2013 at Nature Mirai in Kin Town Okinawa.

It starts at 9AM and goes until 6PM.

It's a good idea to bring a towel and change of clothes but, you don't have to...

.....if you are one of those city people that doesn't know how to have real fun !

Related Post: Mud Festival in Okinawa

Wildlife Photos: White-cheeked Startling (Sturnus cineraceus)

Photos from Ie Jima, Okinawa, Japan

   

Fairly popular in China, Japan and Korea, we don't see these birds on the island of Okinawa. 

 Map It Okinawa spotted them and told me some yellow-billed birds were at the village office.

So, when he said he wanted to go explore, somewhere else, I told him to leave me behind.

Wild stuff takes priority, with me, every time.

 There's a saying photographers have. "The lens you leave at home will be the one you need."

It's true.

Not planning on shooting any critters, I left the Sigma 50-500 behind.

 All these shots were made with a Pentax 18-250mm.

When I don't know what kind of bird it is, I take plenty of shots, from all angles.

None of these photos will go anywhere in a contest.

But, they gave me enough information to have the bird experts give me a positive ID.

The Stumus cineraceus is also called a Grey Startling.

In Japanese it would be Mukudori: ムクドリ(椋鳥).

Friends over at Wikipedia say these birds inspired some Pokemon stuff.

Not really up to date on the pop-culture scene, I have to take their word for it.

The closest thing, I do, related to pop-cult, is open an occasional bottle.  POP.

 After all the crowds leave Ie Jima's Lily Festival, I may hop a boat going back over there.

Next time, I'll bring the right lens and shoot an award-winning photo of this bird.

Museum Photo: Ryukyu Islands License Plate a Classic

This photo was taken in a museum on Ie Jima, an Okinawa island, not far from here.

It sure makes a person miss the good old days.  Don't it ?

It may vary where you come from but, a feller would have to go to prison in my hometown.

It's probably against the law to make your own license plates these days.

That's what's wrong with the world.  Too many governments got involved.  Huh ?





15 Hibiscus Photos from Ie Island in Okinawa

Fifteen Favorite Flower Pictures

 

In all fairness, I have to give Map It Okinawa Dude credit for this idea.

Going to Ie Jima to explore the island and checkout the lilies was the original plan.

The great outdoors is where we usually can be found hanging out not, in greenhouses.

These hibiscus flowers are too pretty to describe so, I'll just ramble about how we got there.

The trip to the island was a three day event.

Camping on a beach overnight and in a cave entrance the second evening, is what happened.

Like islands everywhere, the weather can get wet, at times.

So, we got plenty of experience, building campfires with rain-soaked wood.

On the last morning of the trip, the plan was to get photos of the lilies.

But we didn't think it would be a good idea to take the photos in the rain.  Duh.

One of the travel brochures had this Hibiscus Park listed in it.

A quick look around the outside grounds was enough for me. It must be off-season, I thought.

Very few flowers were blooming so, I packed away the cameras and headed back out the gate.

Back in the vehicle, I was chugging iced coffee, smoking and wondering.

"What's taking Map It so long?"

In about six hours, we had to be on the boat or, make camp another night.

Sleeping in caves on rainy nights isn't that much fun.

Why else do you think so many people started building houses ?

Twenty minutes must have gone by, when I decided, it was time to find Map It Dude.

Halfway down the park trail, I spotted him.  He was all excited, motioning me to bring the cameras.

 It got me thinking, he must have inhaled something bad at the campfire.

Who wants to walk around in the rain shooting the dozen, or so, hibiscus flowers we spotted ?

 Now, I'm saying, "Dude, we have important stuff to do.  Let's get out of here."

He started telling me, I had to see what he found in the greenhouse.

There are over 1,000 different kinds of hibiscus plants in that place !

So, if anyone goes to the Lily Festival, and it starts raining, here's what they should do.

Checkout the Hibiscus Garden