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© KYODOMetal bottle falls from U.S. Marine Osprey onto residence in Okinawa
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Desert Tortoise
The homes and farms were there before the airfield. The US took the land from its owners during WWII to build that airfield and has never returned it to them. The area was mixed agriculture, homes and businesses before the invasion. Ginowan City was badly damaged during the invasion.
Desert Tortoise
In the heat and humidity of that region you fly with the doors and windows open or you roast. They are not air conditioned. Sometimes crew will sit on an open ramp attached to the deck with a gunner's belt.
Someone in the crew goofed up and will certainly hear about it loud and clear. The aircraft commander will likely get his or her butt chewed too simply because as the aircraft commander they are responsible for the conduct of the flight. Not the first time and probably not the last. Aviation writ large has an acronym for it, TFOA for Things Falling Off Aircraft. I still laugh thinking about the Maintenance Chief who had to fetch a panel that fell from one of his squadrons S-3 Vikings into the yard of a swanky waterfront mansion in a wealthy gated community in Coronado right in front of the cameras of every TV station in Southern California. Every station had a mic shoved under his chin as he loaded the errant panel into the back of the Navy pick up and got the heck out of there.
the_sicilian
Accident? Of course. No Marine would get into a Osprey and say to his fellow Marines, "Watch this".
Of course investigate it. See if it was a lose item or a careless placement. Whatever. But this is not the end of the world. UCMJ will take care of this.
ReasonandWisdomNippon
This looks like an accident and not on purpose.... Still not happy about it.
Best approach is to contribute more to our defense and think about making adjustments to the constitution. We should continue our alliance and relations with U.S.A. But make sure we can protect, defend our interest, a relationship that's more equal and not one sided. It will also benefit America by having a stronger ally in the region, instead of a weak Pacifist country waiting to be rescued.
englisc aspyrgend
So you have an existing military airfield, which the local government then allows companies to build housing right up to the edge (wonder who got paid for that), people are foolish enough to buy a house with an airfield right next door and then they start complaining about aircraft overflying their property?
Hmmm, I smell fish, who will profit from the newly released land if the base is vacated?
J.T.K.K.H.
How about we (American Miltary) leave Japan all around. Then China or maybe North Korea with their missile shooting over jp can over run jp. Then there would be no more jp. # 2. I’d like to see proof that it was actually a canteen that fell out. Could have been anything. Base is in a residential area. I highly doubt that it fell from a aircraft and landed on someone’s lawn. Lawn?!? Really?!?! Lol if it really happened as they say then soldiers need to be more careful. But don’t get all bent outta shape about spilled milk. My opinion, n I’m ride’n wit it. A couple of bad apples in the bunch. Doesn’t mean we all mess up. To my jp citizens. You should be glad that a strong nations military has your countries back. If not. It’s a whole different story here in jp
Richard Gallagher
As the saying goes, the only thing dumber than a marine grunt, is a marine officer.
As for water bottles, they aren't personal items, but issued.
Interestingly is the play, citing the incident: this is why we (USA) want to move the base. Moving the base would destroy a beautiful and fragile area.
Fact is, the marines are irrelevant. Their 'mission' is amphibious landings - which no longer exist. The base should be shutdown and closed. It serves no actual purpose - especially for Okinawa. It's a boondoggle paid for by Japanese citizens and American taxpayers.
ian
I'm expecting you to, doesn't strike as having any sense.
What you saw was just a bottle that didn't hit anything
It's not just about things falling but the reason/s.
Carelessness, stupidity, neglect, whatever it was that could as easily have caused something more significant/dangerous.
Thunderbird2
Those Ospreys are worse than knackered old transit vans, things falling out of them and bits falling off onto the houses below. Do the crews not know how to stow things away? Or keep doors and hatches shut? Doesn't take much effort... or is that not the marine way? Hoorah!
RegBilk
ianToday 04:23 pm JST
I'm willing to gamble.
According to voiceof, we've been waiting 56 years; yet since then, no injuries from falling whatevers:
voiceofokinawaToday 03:25 pm JST
*"Fresh in our memory is the crush death in 1965 of a school girl by a trailer falling from an aircraft by parachute." Accidents that occurred 56 years ago thus remain vivid among us to this day.*
WA4TKG
To be Correct, nothing should FALL from ANY Aircraft, whether it took off from Futenma, Kadena or Naha. Now, that being said, Let Ye’ Who’s Birds don’t lose Feathers cast the first stone.
ian
Yup let's wait until someone gets hurt before doing anything
FireyRei
Okinawa, Osprey: whatever happens is irrelevant, Okinawans want it banned.
voiceofokinawa
RegBilk,
Memories are kept refreshed if similar incidents/accidents recur constantly. That's the reason why I said in my post of Nov. 25 12:16 pm JST that: "Fresh in our memory is the crush death in 1965 of a school girl by a trailer falling from an aircraft by parachute." Accidents that occurred 56 years ago thus remain vivid among us to this day.
snowymountainhell
Another incident. Thankfully, no one was hurt. -
ian
Seems someone can't hold a drink
Aaron J
This is front page news for sure.
RegBilk
voiceofokinawaToday 12:16 pm JST
No. But as you admit there is litter in Naha, which is an intentional act of disposing of waste. With the Osprey incident, that was an accident, so henceforth, not littering.
How many car accidents on Okinawa involve only Japanese, and how many involve military members? The numbers are not even close to each other.
In_japan
Accident happens, but as a responsible person/ military/ marine they should know that that bottle will be more than enough to kill someone from certain height. It was fortunate that nobody got hurt. Okinawa is not a warzone or desert area, It's a city. You guys should be more careful.
voiceofokinawa
RegBilk,
Littering in public places is of course prohibited by law here. And you dare say that since litters are found here and there in the back streets of Naha, the crew of Ospreys and CH helicopters are free to throw litter from the sky. There's no law to deal with U.S. offenders, though.
How many times has this kind of incidents (something falling from the sky) happened before? Countless times if you take into consideration cases that had occurred before the pre-reversion days.
Fresh in our memory is the crush death in 1965 of a school girl by a trailer falling down from an aircraft by parachute.
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
Japanese self defense plane parts of the cockpit flew off and they still haven't found it.
Japan surrendered its country after being defeated from a war it started and the USA military will never leave Japan.
Japan stole the Ryukyus and named them Okinawa and continues to treat the native population disrespectfully.
Atleast it wasn't a ceramic cylinder filled with infected fleas like the imperial Japanese army used over Nanjing.
It was just a waterbottle and no need to get too excited about it.
RegBilk
FYIToday 10:21 am JST
Good idea.
アーメドToday 10:49 am JST
Actually, no.
JimToday 11:12 am JST
That is the home for many American military members.
ebisenToday 11:29 am JST
But it didn't.
ebisen
wayan ubud:
Really? It it would have fallen on your head you would have made a mountain out of a big bump and one hell of a headache, I presume...
Jim
American military should just go home! Japan should arm it’s own military and they can create one of the best military forces in the world with all the cash that they are wasting on paying The US for their presences in Japan!
Johnken6
LDP looked up and thought it was a gift from the gods..
アーメド
@RegBilk
Thankfully, it wasn't a Chinese or North Korean missile that landed in front of the guy's door.
It would make sense if you stopped your sentence right here.
That is something that doesn't need to be worried about.
I think you meant to say this instead of that. Also you wouldn't be saying that if that bottle fell in your property whilst your kids are playing outside. It's metal and from that height can weigh a lot.
Rob
The US military has a history of treating foreign soil as their dumping grounds.
shogun36
Isn’t that the plot to the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy?
smithinjapan
No reports of injuries, no reports of property damage, but heaps of people immediately calling for the US forces to leave so they can rush into the arms of China.
voiceofokinawa: "Looks like a crew member felt free to throw the litter out of the Osprey window carelessly. That's what the U.S. base issue is."
Proof? All we have proof of is your extreme bias.
"Do you really think it is making a mountain out of a mole hill?"
Absolutely. And as to the "occur repeatedly", when was the last time it happened? And before you go looking up parts falling from planes in Japan, don't forget to specify "US military" in the search window or you'll find hundreds of JAL and ANA-related articles, and also don't forget to throw in the part where the military threw it off the plane intentionally.
ian
I'm glad it didn't hit anybody.
But if it did, I hope it would be one of those who say it's ok so there would be no additional problem
ian
Seems there's no doubt
Ritz
Sounds like the plot of the classic movie “the gods must be crazy”
BeerDeliveryGuy
Some jarhead forgot to dummy cord their thermos while in an open doors flight. That’s gonna be a month with a “pet rock.”
Those who know will get it.
OssanAmerica
Nothing should "fall out" of any US military aircraft , whether it's a craft component, someone's M4 or a water bottle. As stupid as it sounds it needs to be invesigated, first to determine if it is actually from the aircraft, and two, if so, what idiot dropped it.
RegBilk
A stainless steel water bottle fell from a U.S. Marine Osprey aircraft onto the premises of a residence in Okinawa Prefecture, but there were no reports of injuries or property damage, local authorities said Wednesday.
Sounds suspicious. Evidence other than a stainless steel water bottle that could have come from anywhere?
Sven AsaiToday 08:26 am JST
Exactly. Great point.
voiceofokinawaToday 08:07 am JST
Japanese don't litter? Stroll through some of the back streets of Kokusai-dori.
How many times has this happened before?
Sven Asai
Is there video footage or something really identifying the bottle being one from an airbase there? Anyone who lives there and has unlimited hate on those bases, forces or helicopters could easily buy such a bottle, decorate it with some ‘identifying’ things, something in English, with Stars and Stripes, a phantasy name print Sgt. Miller or so, and then maltreat the bottle with a hammer or throw it somewhere else from a higher roof, and then whenever it fits, complain about such an ‘incident’. Personally I have it with probabilities, you know, and I believe the former ones, with those helicopter parts or window parts etc. with those really unique to Ospreys material, but here, a bottle forgotten on the helicopter? Come on, I doubt a bit, that they are allowed to take personal things into hangar and workplace , but are ordered having to drink or eat inside, at a cafeteria or so.
voiceofokinawa
Looks like a crew member felt free to throw the litter out of the Osprey window carelessly. That's what the U.S. base issue is.
wayan Ubud,
Do you really think it is making a mountain out of a mole hill? If such incidents occur repeatedly?
Meiyouwenti
The canteen dropped from an aircraft could have hit and killed someone. Of course the US forces expressed regrets and promised a thorough investigation but no American will ever get disciplined or punished for this.
WA4TKG
I live directly in the flight pattern of Heavy Lift Navy Helicopters, I put a freakin’ strobe on the roof…if one of these guys dropped something here, someone’s gunna’die.
RegBilk
"It should not have happened, as (incidents like this) make people in the area worried," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference Wednesday.
Thankfully, it wasn't a Chinese or North Korean missile that landed in front of the guy's door. That is something that doesn't need to be worried about.
wayan Ubud
making a mountain out of a mole hill