July 1st 2010

Today in Okinawa Thursday July 1st (June 30th here) Miss Devil Dog received her rank advancement to Lance Corporal.

Lance Corporal (LCpl) is the third (E-3) enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Private First Class and below Corporal. It is not a non-commissioned officer rank. In the Marine Corps, to call a lance corporal "Corporal" is considered disrespectful to both ranks.
The Marines are the only component of the U.S. Armed Forces to have Lance Corporals. A Lance Corporal relies upon a composite score to be promoted to a Corporal.
From the earliest years of the Corps, the ranks of lance corporal and lance sergeant were in common usage. As the rank structure became more firmly defined, the rank of lance sergeant fell out of use. Lance corporals served in the Corps into the 1930s but this unofficial rank became redundant when the rank of private first class was established in 1917. The lance corporal fell out of usage prior to World War II, before it was permanently established in the sweeping rank restructuring of 1958

a little info for you .. mom's so proud :)

few and far between

a view from the castle

Miss Marine finally sent a few pix but she is only in one of them.

I don't really know the particulars.

She went on a 'tour' I guess of a castle in Okinawa.

The Nakagusku Castle

Nakagusuku Castle is one of the castles, which were built across Okinawa during the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The independent kingdom had existed for several centuries prior to becoming a Japanese prefecture in 1879.

Only ruins remain of the Nakagusuku Castle today, but these are well preserved, and the castle's division into multiple citadels can still clearly be recognized. There are also nice views of the surrounding area and Nakagusuku Bay from the castle.

The legendary Ryukyuan commander, Gosamaru, built the fortress in the early 15th century to defend against attacks from the east by Lord Amawari of Katsuren Castle. The six courtyards of this fortress with stacked stone walls make it a prime example of a gusuku.

NAKAGUSUKU CASTLE
The Story of Gosamaru
Gosamaru was born in 1394 at Yamada Castle in Onna. He fought in the battles of Hashi against Hokuzan. In 1426 he built Zakimi Castle on the Yomitan Peninsula to defend against any invasions from the north. Later on, realizing the ambitions of Amawari, Lord of Katsuren, he began to build Nakagusuku Castle to defend Shuri from that direction. King Sho Taikyu chose Gosamaru's daughter as his wife.
Gosamaru also opened Nagahama Port in Yomitan for trade with Southeast Asia and other countries. Nakagusuku, which means "Central Castle" was begun in 1441and took ten years to build. When it was finished, Amawari, who was married to King Sho Tasikyu's daughter, told the king that Gosamaru was really planning to invade Shuri and become king himself. He advised the king to send a spy, who would see soldiers training day and night.
The king did find this and sent Amawari as head of his army to defeat Gosamaru. The good lord, on August 15th, 1558, during a moon-viewing party, saw the king's army coming. Refusing to fight them he opened his castle and then killed himself.
Amawari took the head of Gosamaru to the king. A note had been placed in the dead lord's mouth, swearing his loyalty. Realizing that he had been tricked, the king sent his army to defeat Amawari. The Crown Prince of Okinawa later took the title "Prince of Nakagusuku" and, in respect, no other person with "Naka" as part of their name ever used the same character to write it.
Gosamaru was interred in the first "turtle back" tomb on Okinawa.


posted by her mom