581st Radio Relay Company
in Japan (1950)

The 581st Sig RR Trains in Japan

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 were quartered at a former Japanese Seaplane base there. 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 Armies, Corps, Divisions, different services such as Air Force, Marines, Navy, and different country's service groups.

It takes 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. the coordinated effort of about 5 men to raise an antenna. We didn't succeed the first few times. We have been broken down into 5 man teams. My team is designated as EO7. We were to stay together for the next year or more. Each of us is a highly trained Radio Repair Specialist. After we arrive in Korea we have little physical contact with other 581st teams.