We stopped at a restaurant for lunch and then continued on to the Tsurugoaka Hachiman Shrine, which is a collection of ancient
Japanese buildings set among beautiful gardens and trees. We toured the shrines and gardens and I was thankful that Uriko told
me all about the history there. She was very knowlegeable and she told me many things about Japanese history. We had a wonderful
time and I knew we were falling in love.

It was getting late afternoon, we walked back to the train station and took the train back to Yokosuka. When we arrived we had
dinner, and then it was time for her to go back to Tokyo. We walked to the depot and kissed and said goodnight. We both were
so happy with our day together and talked a lot. She said she would see me again on Thursday evening because she had to take
exams at college. Andt then, her train was about to leave and we said goodbye. I could hardly wait to see her again.

For several weeks we spent many happy times together and became lovers and we became very close to each other. The time
approached when my ship would leave port again on Sunday December 2, my division had planned an early Christmas Party for
December 1, at a clubhouse we chipped in for and rented. I invited Uriko to the party, and all of us had a great time. We drank,
partied, danced, sang Christmas carols and had a festive time. Some of my friends had dates, and some were stag, so the three gitls
there danced with all the guys. Some of my mates kept asking who my pretty girlfriend was, and how I got such a nice girl, I told them.
Eat your hearts out guys, some guys have it, and some don’t”. We had a gift exchange, and most of the guys gave goofy or gag gifts.
I had a very nice gift for Uriko, I bought her an expensive coat because her coat was worn and thin, I also gave her a card with Y3000
yen inside. Uriko surprised me by giving me a custom made coffee mug with a picture of my ship on it and “ Coffman” spelled in old
German letters in gold. We were both very pleased with our gifts. Uriko said she had never had such a beautiful gift in her life, and she
would treasure it forever.

When the party ended we walked to the train depot. We were so very happy together, but now we would not see each other for a
month, and there was a sadness in her eyes. I told her I would write to her often and the time would go by quickly, and we would see
each other again soon. We embraced and kissed, and then she said, “ Oh Lee, I am so lucky to find you, you are such a nice man.
And I love you so much.” I could see tears starting to form in her eyes, and I told her not to cry and not to worry. She said she would try
to stay composed and calm and not worry. She boarded the train and was soon gone. I too felt sad, but I knew we would be together
in a month and that would go by quickly.

The next morning our ship sailed away amidst a foggy and dreary day. Hah, that suited my mood perfectly. I missed Uriko and I was
anxious to be back with her.

For the next four weeks our ship went on patrol and visited other ports, the last one was Hong Kong. Finally we arrived back in
Yokosuka. I had written to Uriko that I was coming back, but that was probably not necessary because all the people in Japanese
ports were well aware of the arrivals of US navy ships, because their livelyhood depended on that.

When our ship docked I went to the Grand shima and Uriko was there waiting for me, we didn’t kiss because that was against the
rules at her work. But we spent the next two weeks together as much as we could. On the last day my ship was in port, Uriko
invited me to meet her parents. I was privileged to be able to meet them and I said I would love to go with her. We took the train to
Tokyo and then a streetcar to her parent’s home. They lived in a modest neat house with a garden in front, we went to the front door
and her parents came to greet us. They were very cordial and were glad that I had come. We all bowed to each other, and then we
left our shoes by the front door, her parents smiled at this and were pleased I knew the proper Japanese customs. We had a very
nice luncheon and I ate using chopsticks, her mother smiled and was pleased.

Uriko translated our conversation and I learned many things about their life, and I told them about my life. Her father was pleased
that I was a sailor, he was in the navy too during the war. It was time for us to go, at our parting her father said, “ You are a fine man
and I respect you, and it has been a pleasure to have you in our home, Please come and visit again soon.” I replied, “ You are a fine
man and I also respect you. I thank you for inviting me into your home. Arigato guzaimas (thank you very much).” Her parents smiled
at this and shook my hand. Uriko and I bowed and left.

On the train going back to yokosuka, Uriko and I held each other close and talked. She said, “ My parents like you a lot and that
makes me very happy.’ I said they were wonderful people and I was pleased that I met them. All too soon we arrived in Yokosuka,
the night had turned cold and drizzly. We walked slowly to the main gate of the Navy base, both of us felt sad we would not see
each other until next year, but we were looking forward till the next time I came back. We came to the gate and Uriko embraced
me and we kissed, she said, “ Lee do not forget me. I love you so much and I don’t know how I will bear not seeing you. I told her,
I love you Uriko and I will be lost without seeing you for so long. I will write to you all the time, and please write back to me.
She promised she would write and stay in touch. I still had Y10,000, and I would not be needing it for a long time, so I gave it to
her and I wanted her to have it to help her parents. She said, “ Oh Lee, you are such a kind wonderful man. Please come back to me.
I told her I would be back, and then we kissed one last time and I walked through the gate, I looked back and she was standing,
wearing her new coat I had given to her, waving and smiling. I turned and headed for my ship, I felt very sad.

The next morning on February 25, 1955 The USS Helena set sail on a cold and rainy day. I stood at the rail and watched the
shoreline of Yokosuka fade into the distance shrouded by mist. My mood was as somber as the weather, I missed Uriko with a heavy
heart, but at least we would be writing to each other and we would be together again before a year was up. I entertained thoughts
of marrying her, but we would have to see about that when we met again.

The ship made good headway and we arrived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on March 1, and we spent 5 days there and then headed to
Long Beach, California, arriving home on March 12. I had written a letter to Uriko almost every day, and I received two letters from
her. It cheered me up getting news from her. My Mom and Dad were so happy to see me when they met the ship as it docked, it was
wonderful to be home!

I had a 30 day leave coming and it was great to be home and see family and old friends. The first week I was home I recieved one
letter from Uriko. My Mom asked who Uriko was, and she wondered if I had married a Japanese girl. I told her no, that Uriko was
just a close friend. I didn’t tell her how much I loved Uriko, that would come out later.

After my leave was over I returned to my ship, it was April 12th by then, and in a way it was good to be back aboard. I was sort of
unhappy though because I had not received any more mail from Uriko in over 3 weeks, and no more letters came from her in the
month of May. I was afraid that I might have to face the fact that maybe she had changed her mind about me, and couldn’t stand
to wait that long, and no longer wanted to be involved with our relationship. I loved her and I wanted to find out what was happening.
But, I would have to wait until my next cruise to Japan.

RETURN TO JAPAN

On January 20, 1955 the USS Helena again made port in Yokosuka, Japan. It was very cold in Japan this time and snow banks lined
the streets, and occasionally snow flakes drifted down on us. I was so axious to get ashore and to meet Uriko again, I was very
nervous and my heart was racing. Finally at 1600 (4 pm) Liberty call was granted and I left the ship. I walked the six or seven blocks
to the Grand Shima and when I got there, I was shocked ! There was only the charred burned out shell of the building standing. I was
taken aback and puzzled and I didn’t know what to do next. There must be somebody I could talk to and find out what happened.
Then I thought of the Grand Cherry Ballroom just down the street, maybe somebody there could tell me what happened. I walked to
the Grand Cherry Ballroom and went inside.

I sat down at one of the tables and ordered Akadama rice wine, Uriko’s favorite drink. There were many sailors there and the ballroom
was doing a brisk business, and the dance floor was full of dancing couples. When the band took a break everyone returned to their
tables, and I recognized one of the girls walking toward me, her name was Meiko. I went over to her and said, “ Hello Meiko, do you
remember me?” She replied, “ Oh yes Lee, I remember you very well. Nice to see you again. She called over another girl friend that I
remembered, her name was Mitchiko, the two had worked with Uriko at the Grand Shima. Now my hopes were raised that maybe Uriko
was working here with them again.

We all sat down at a table and we talked about old times, and they remembered me well because Uriko had talked about me often.
Finally, I asked them what had happened to the Grand Shima. They said that a fire had started in the kitchen last April and it spread
rapidly throughout the building, and everyone had to flee for their lives. Everyone who worked there were out of work then, some
were hired to work at the Grand Cherry and other places. I asked if Uriko was working here with them. They didn’t answer right away,
they looked at each other and I could see tears starting to form in their eyes. Meiko held my hand and looked into my eyes, and I
sensed what she was about to say, and I knew it was not good news. Meiko finally said, “ Lee, on the night of the fire everyone fled
the building safely, including Uriko. But then Uriko insisted on going back inside to get the coat that you gave her, it was just inside
the entrance door. We all pleaded with her not to go back inside, we even tried to grab her and hold her back, but she went in anyway.
We all waited anxiously for her to come back out, but she never made it, Uriko was the only person to perish in the fire.
Oh Lee, I am so sorry!

I was shocked and overwhelmed with sadness at this terrible news and tears welled up in my eyes, we all hugged each other and cried
together, and the girls tenderly consoled me. Mitchiko said, “ Uriko loved you Lee, she was so proud of her coat and she talked about you
all the time. She was always talking about when you would return”. This made me feel even more terrible and I cried openly. The band
started playing again and the girls said they had to get back to work, they said goodbye and then kissed me on the cheek. I told them
goodbye and maybe I would come back and we could talk some more.

I could not stay there any longer, I had to get away from the ballroom because it reminded me of Uriko. I slowly walked back to the ship
in a tear blurred sorrowful daze. I cried and did not remember where I was going, all I could think of was Uriko, how much I loved her,
and the great pain in my heart. I thought of the wonderful times we had together, the love we had shared---and now it was all gone!
Oh why? Why had this happened? I had never known such sorrow in my life!

When I got back to the ship, I went to Radio Room 2 where the ET crew hung out, and many of them were there. Girardo said, Hey
Coffman you look terrible, are you okay? I replied, “ I just got some very bad news and I am sad guy right now. I can’t bear to talk about
it right now”. There were tears in my eyes, and some of the guys said it might be better to be a man and get it off of my chest. So, I told
them about Uriko and what had happened at the Grand Shima, and they were shocked by the bad news. They remembered Uriko from
the ship’s party last December, and they all knew she was my steady girl friend. They all consoled me and were very supportive for me.

The next day some of my crew mates urged me to go on liberty with them and lighten up. I didn’t want to, but they ordered me to. We all
went to the EM Club, had a few beers and played some pool. I did feel a little better being with them, but I didn’t want to go where Uriko
and I had been or anywhere near the Grand Cherry Ballroom. After a while I went back to my ship. Losing Uriko was a terrible emotional
blow to me and it sobered and matured me, I no longer felt care-free like a man having good times. I missed Uriko with an awful pain and a
big hole in my heart, our love and friendship and the promise of things to come that shall never be. It took me many months to get over
losing her and grieving her loss, and I am sad about that to this day.

On Friday January 25, 1956 the ship left the port of Yokosuka on a cold and rainy morning. I remember the last time I left this port, I had said
goodbye to Uriko on a day just like this and she and I were planning on my return. So many things had happened in the last year, and now
with the loss of Uriko, it was like ending a chapter in my life. This was the last trip I ever made to Japan.

Sayonara Mon Amour------ Goodbye My Love

Coffman Index

CA-75

Home