**** MY T V EXPERIENCES IN JAPAN * by ANN RANDALL-- FLORIDA

27.

I was in Japan as a part of the U.S.Air Force team and was stationed in Ashiya, in Kyusu, the southernmost island of the chain.

old--a veteran of 17 was over and I had a

The year was 1953, and I was 20 years

combat air missions. The Korean War year and a half to spend in Japan.

Now that the war was over we all had much more free time and 3-day passes and leaves became more common. I had a steady girl friend, like most of the others, and we spent most of my free time together. Chieko did not know of my transvestic tendencies for the first few months of our re- lationship. In fact, with the war and flying I had almost forgotten about it myself, except now with more leisure time and seeing more silks and laces about it all came back. I had seen the female impersonators on the Kabuki Stage and in cabarets and had also noticed that these people walked the streets in costume and in female street clothes

at will. One day I asked Chieko about it.

"They are professional entertainers, and some boy-sans just like to wear girls clothes" she said matter of factly. "Isn't there a law against this, I queried:

"Oh, no... they harm noone, and the professional people are held in high esteem."

I was elated, here was a country that would not rid- icule a transvestite and excitement pulsed through my veins. I had to tell Chieko about my desires, and as I did I could see that she was not fully convinced that I was not joking,

woman.

"I'm serious, Chieko, I like to dress and act like a

I have done it many times before in the States and with your help I would like to do so her in Japan."

For some reason this intrigued her and she agreed to see how I looked and acted. In the U.S.A. I would not be