MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Bats cracked and dirt flew as Marines from Combat Service Support Detachment 36 and the Provost Marshal’s Office met members of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force in softball action Saturday afternoon. But was anyone keeping score?
“Nah,” said Cpl. Stan Smith, PMO senior customs inspector, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. “It was all for fun. We know they beat our tails fair and square.”
Despite the unofficial route, the Japanese expressed the utmost enthusiasm for their Marine associates.
“Our relationship began four years ago,” said Capt. Teru Katayama, JGSDF 46th infantry regiment commander. “We have done training together, so this is a process of understanding each other.”
Katayama said he would like to continue to hold sporting events like this, giving the rest of the 46th a chance to stomp the Marines.
“We hope in the future we can do something like this again,” affirmed Capt. Michael F. Mastria, CSSD-36 executive officer. “We would like to involve our families as well. This is just an initial icebreaker to build some camaraderie. I hope these relationships will last.”
Mastria and team stuck to a solid formula for building those relationships: baseball.
“We do bilateral training, so it’s good to meet each other socially and know each other in something other than a military setting,” said Lt. Col. James Gannon, CSSD-36 commanding officer. “We have some fun, and it’s good team building.”
Though competition and team building occurred, fun was the bottom line, according to Gannon.
“It’s just some fun Saturday afternoon softball,” he said.
“It’s all about the camaraderie between the JGSDF and the United States Marines stationed in Iwakuni,” Smith echoed. “These guys are going to go home and tell everyone how they stomped the Marines in softball.”
But does the score really matter in a game where prizes were awarded for the team clowns?
Smith, who exchanged competitive banter with the Japanese throughout the game, was chosen as the funniest American player.
“It was a good time had by all,” summed Smith.
“I really look forward to doing something like this again.”