Camp Kuwae - Research Request

RAFINCO's Stan Gilaspie provided us this request from a member concerning Camp Kuwae, Okinawa.  Hopefully there are some RAFINO members who can pitch in with recollections, memories, names, places, etc.

Here is the request:

RAFINCO                                                                                                                                     4 July, 2015

I'VE BEEN WORKING ON MY ARTICLE ABOUT THE DEMISE OF CAMP KUWAE OKINAWA MOST OF THE DAY. BEING THE FOURTH OF JULY, IT SEEM'S THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO. I KNOW I HAVE WRITTEN YOU IN THE PAST, BUT I'M GETTING CLOSER TO THE DEMISE OF CAMP KUWAE. I DO KNOW NOW THAT THE US ARMY FINANCE SERVICE CENTER THAT WAS LOCATED AT CAMP KUWAE OKINAWA MOVED TO MAKIMINATO IN THE EARLY PART OF 1977. Up to speed, below.

I'm writing an article about the History and Functions of the US ARMY Finance Service Center that was located at Camp Kue/Kuwae which was in Okinawa during the Vietnam War. Most people don't know it, but this was the bank for the U. S. Military during the Vietnam War. This is the ARMY Finance Office that took care of ALL the dispersing operations in the far east at the time, with the help of the U. S. Air Force at Kadena Air Base.

We made monthly Money Runs to the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco and back to Camp Kue. We would then make Money Runs to Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and sometimes to the mainland Japan, with the US Dollars we got from the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco. Supporting the PX, Clubs, Classified Missions, Contractors exc. At any given time we had over 250 MILLION US Dollars in our vault at Camp Kue.

My job was to pay the off island ARMY Personnel. Taiwan, Philippines and Guam. Later I PCS to Taiwan.

1971-73.

I'm looking for the closing/demise date of the ARMY Finance Service Center at Camp Kuwae/Kue. Colonel Edward Dowdy says Camp Kuwae moved to Makiminato in early 1977, but he doesn't remember the date. I've been researching Stars and Stripes for help, but there isn't anything there about the demise of the US ARMY Finance Office located at Camp Kuwae.

I have a great story to tell if I can just get the facts together. Thinking that some retired RAFINCO Members might just remember things that will help me with my article. Or, better yet they might just remember names of Finance Personnel exc. from that time frame in Okinawa? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT RAFINCO CAN PUT INTO A NEWS LETTER TO HELP SAVE THE MEMORIES OF CAMP KUWAE?

I have did my home work thus far finding a retired Colonel that was stationed on Okinawa in 1946. I also have many photo's of Camp Kue and many photo's of US Dollars so high you needed a ladder to get the dollars down off the shelves. It will be a great article if I can just put the finishes on the article.

In closing, I want to "Thank You" for your service to the United States. I know what families give up doing this honorable deed.

Sincerely;

Craig J. Gockel

25160 West 63rd St.

Shawnee, Kansas 66226                    e-mail me @                             cgockel@kc.rr.com