Yokosuka, Japan-The Harbor

YOKOSUKA: The Harbor

One of the first pictures taken after US Occupation forces arrived in Yokosuka.
Azuma Island is the land mass in background, left.

Adm. Perry Monument, Yokosuka Harbor from RTO and Water Taxi dock, 1957.
This picture was taken from the same area as the photo above, except from ground level.
Anchored next to Azuma is the USS Dixie (AD-14)

This is the scene that greeted the occupation forces in 1945.
Picture the following scenario, Capt. Queeg, speaking:
"You there, sailor, yes you. I want that barge right there, and I want
it now. No, you idiot. I want that one, the one moored to the dock."

Photo by John Hughes
Taken from the FAY boat pool, the most impressive sight is the giant hammerhead crane. Built in 1935, it was the largest crane in the world until 1960. With a lifting capacity of 350 tons, it was used by the Japanese during WWII to mount 16" and 18" battleship gun turrets. It was taken down in 2001.

From R-L, at the Piedmont pier: Hamul (AD-20), Kidd (DD-661), Wedderburn (DD-684), HMAS Anzac (D59) outboard and HMAS Tobruk (D37) inboard. Last is a self-propelled oil, gas or water carrier.

Panorama of Yokosuka harbor from Azuma Island, summer, 1957.
Photo by John Hughes

Yokosuka harbor from RTO station, summer, 1958.
Photo by Derick S. Hartshorn

On the other side of Azuma is the Japanese MSDF navy base. Close by Azuma is the home port to the Japanese whaling fleet. Here is a panorama showing the Tonan Maru leaving for the Antarctic Ocean. Accompanying her would be a dozen smaller whale killers.

What can't be seen are the hundreds of family and friends who came to the dock to say goodbye to their sons, husbands and brothers. The ship was festooned with colorful banners and brass bands showed up to play martial music. The ships in the picture are the same ship, the Tonan Maru. The whaling ships spent five months at sea during the whaling season. They would catch 3-4 whales and would process them on the trip home. As a footnote, I had the opportunity to eat whale steak. It is 100% lean and tastes like London broil. The cost in 1958 was about 12¢ a pound. The Japanese diet became accustomed to the availability of whale meat because of the low cost and the opportunity to supplant their mainly fish diet. Commercial whaling operations which began about AD 800, ended in 1986.

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