The Okinawa We Lost

Green recruit PFC Timothy Cole is fresh off the boat in the GI paradise of Okinawa. Looking for adventure, the “cherry boy-san” finds his first true love – a beautiful Okinawan nightclub hostess called Kimiko.

It’s the spring of 1963 and the subtropical island is still under U.S. military governance. Tensions simmer beneath the surface, and as the young Marine’s romance with Kimiko takes an unexpected turn, he finds himself embroiled in a wider drama. Both Cole and Kimiko will have to make difficult choices that test their loyalties. 

The Okinawa We Lost is a time capsule of GI life in 1960s Japan; all the sights, sounds, and experiences come alive in note-perfect detail. Hail a s’koshi cab and head to the A-1 Bathhouse for a dollar-fifty scrubbing and massage, and then hit the bars on B.C. Street for an ice-cold Orion or two. 

 

The authenticity of this moving tale is unmistakable; The Okinawa We Lost could have been written only by someone who lived the story, and it's little surprise to learn that it's based on real events from the author's time as a young Marine serving on Okinawa in the early 1960s.