LP Inscribed by Goro Asahina (Smiley) to Gen. James Chapman, Tachikawa AFB Japan

$

20

Up for sale is a great LP of popular American music played by a post World War II Japanese orchestra and inscribed by the Japanese orchestra leader to a United States Air Force General who was Vice Commander of an Air Division stationed at Tachikawa Air Force Base, outside Tokyo.

Goro Asahina, who went by the nickname "Smiley", was a favorite of officers who frequented the Tachikawa's Officer Club.  At the time he recorded this album, he had been entertaining at Tachikawa for 9 years.  On the front cover of the album, he has written in English:

"To General Chapman and Mrs. Chapman.  Best wishes.  How are you.  Will you take stateside.  Dozo.  Smiley"

(He has also written a series of Japanese characters - oriented vertically - that I cannot interpret.  See closeup photo, #3.)

Note:  The term "dozo" means "please" or "go ahead" is usually spoken to someone when offering food or a gift to that person.

General Chapman would have been Brigadier General James W. Chapman, Jr. (1911 - 2002), who served with distinction, before, during, and after World War II, before his retirement in 1965.  According to his official military biography, he had a 3 year tour of duty in Japan where he commanded the 374th Troop Carrier Wing and then served as Vice Commander of the 315th Air Division at Tachikawa.  This tour of duty could not have taken place prior to 1955 (he was rated as an aircraft commander at the B-47 Advanced Flying School at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas in 1955).  It could not have taken place after 1958 (he assumed command of the 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing (tactical fighter) at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona in January, 1959).  However, the jacket notes also state that, early in 1959, Smiley added a singer named Diana Nakamori to his ensemble.  This would suggest that the record was presented to General Chapman AFTER his tour of duty, perhaps on a return trip to Japan.

Tachikawa Airfield dates to 1922, having been built by the Imperial Guard of Japan for the defense of Tokyo.  The facility was destroyed by Allied bombardment near the end of World War II.  United States forces occupied Tachikawa on September 5, 1945.  It was rebuilt and designated as a transport base.  In 1953, a Douglas C-124 Globemaster Transport plane crashed after takeoff, killing 129 persons, which was - at the time - the deadliest airplane disaster in history.  The field had a short runway (4900 feet), limiting its utility.  In 1957, the United States announced plans to extend the runway into the town of Sunagawa.  This resulted in civil unrest (the Sunagawa Riots, also known as the Sunakawa "Struggle"), and the plan was abandoned (but not until 1968, after years of controversy).  After 1969, the facility was no longer used for air travel (except for light craft), but continued to be used for military housing and its hospital facility.  The US base was closed in 1977 and the land returned to the Japanese government.

According to the jacket notes, the arrangements on this record were done by Bernie Press of Edmonds, Washington.  Major Utley Spencer, who was Club Officer at Tachikawa and was formerly a dance band lead in Memphis, Tennessee, assisted Smiley with the selection of music and musicians and himself played alto saxophone solos on two of the songs.