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    Any GMIC members in Yokohama?


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    Posted

    I have a US Navy medal awarded to a sailor who died in Yokohama in the 1890's and is buried in the The Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery. I would like to find someone who lives in the area and might be able to try to find his grave and get a photo for me. According to the cemetery website they are open during the summer and apparently have a good record of the various burials over the years. I'd be happy to offer reimbursement for any expenses, and even pay for a snack at the local fried noodle stand. :D

    Drop me a PM if you might be able to help.

    Thanks,

    FireMedals

    • 3 months later...
    Posted

    My father is buried there. I go there at least once every three months. If you want I could browse around for you. George

    George,

    First, welcome to the GMIC. Hope you'll find it as good a resource for collecting as I have.

    Thanks for replying to my message. I appreciate your offer. The man I am looking for is James Nelson, a US Navy sailor who died in Yokohama while on shore leave, in I think 1896. On his paperwork it is noted he was buried in the foreign cemetery in Yokohama. He was sleeping in a house when the flame on a gas lamp went out and the gas suffocated him in his sleep.

    Unfortunately I am in the middle of trying to sell a house and move to a smaller one, and almost everything I own is in boxes, including most of my medal collection. I'm sorry I can't give a specific date of death, but I will try to locate the medal and his paperwork and send you anything I can find that may be of help.

    I appreciate anything you might be able to provide.

    Regards,

    FireMedals

    Posted (edited)

    Hi Firemedals,

    Thank you for the welcome, found this place by accident - certainly looking forward to any discourse related to Japanese militaria. Not an expert but very fascinated with the field.

    Firstly, I should say that my handle for EBAY is NAHAMASURFER. I do not want to give the impression that I am just lurking around - being sneaky or anything and do not have an ulterior motive. Just looking for truth/knowledge/insight.

    Good stuff for the name - James Nelson. I will defintely find it for you. I often stroll around and read tombstones. The only possible problem I can think of is legibility - depends on what the original stone was - I have seen some made from what looks like calcite. If there is a problem, I will ask the keeper there should be a record. Again, here I am not sure that the information is available to the public - but there should not be a problem. If you could give me some time, I sure would like to find the tombstone on my own. I have pretty much covered the entire area. Most of the older stones tend to be lumbed together by nationality or religion. This may take several months, but I will get the job done one way or another. Just to confirm, all you need is a picture of the stone?

    Regards,

    George Haynes

    Nahamasurfer

    Edited by JGUNTAI
    • 2 years later...
    Posted

    I also have an uncle buried in this cemetery in 1911. He was a US sailor who was murdered while on shore leave. Someone I contacted in Japan said that the graves older than 1923 were destroyed in the Kanto earthquake, but obviously not all of them were. I even have his grave number 2175.

    • 1 month later...
    Posted

    Hello. I am a new member currently residing in Tokyo. Very nice stories I have read so far. Is everything okay? Like Japan been hit by earthquake or earthquakes?

    Posted

    Hzenba,

    Welcome to the Forum. It's nice of you to ask if all is well here after all your country has gone through in the last year. I lived in Japan for a while in 1970, one of the best times of my life. I hope all is well with you.

    What is your collecting interests?

    FireMedals

    Posted

    Many thanks for your post addressed direct to me. Also I am very well, thank you. My interests are m any, starting from UN medal and so on... Were you at Japan for? military purposes, business, or perhaps school? I was at International school in Tokyo. A priest from France taught me English when I was very small, before attending Int'l school. Well, he, this priest was one of the pilot shot down at Tokyo, I believe. And as far as I'm told, he was rescued by my grandfather who was police officer. He came back after WW2. As far as I know, he went back to France again right after I graduated high school.

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