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history, Inspiration, Japan, Lt. Col. Eugene J. McNamara, message in a bottle, military, News, Stars and Stripes, Yokohama
Military Message in a Bottle From 1948 Discovered in Japanese Hotel
According to an article published by Stars and Stripes on June 15th, 2017, a 70 year old message in a bottle has been discovered in the Hotel New Grand in Japan’s Yokohama Harbor during renovations. The message dates to the years after the war when the US occupied Japan. Now, the hotel is searching for McNamara’s surviving descendants, if he has any, to connect them with this piece of their family history. As a military message in a bottle from the era of post – World War II, this bottled note is especially intriguing.
Whiskey bottle with McNamara’s name on the front, and his business card within. Photo credit: Erik Slavin / Stars and Stripes.
The front of the business card simply lists McNamara’s name and rank. The brief note written on the back of the business card is pretty straightforward:
Lived at Grand Hotel Yokohama from 1946-1948 Room 316-317.
And yet, simple as the note is, it reveals a whole world. As Erik Slavin, author of the Stars and Stripes article, points out, “McNamara’s next door neighbor in Room 315 was Gen. Douglas MacArthur, supreme commander of Allied powers and de facto ruler of Japan shortly after the war.”
The Hotel New Grand in Yokohama Harbor. Photo credit: Erik Slavin / Stars and Stripes.
Slavin goes on to explain that “McNamara was an infantry officer working at the Second Major Port headquarters at Shinko Pier, which is now the site of the city’s Red Brick Warehouse shopping area. McNamara would have helped manage a vast amount of cargo and personnel coming into the port.”
Perhaps the most impressive thing about this military message in a bottle was how it was concealed: In a wooden ceiling 20 feet above the floor. Wild!
The 20 foot high ceiling inside the Hotel New Grand in Yokohama Harbor where Lt. Col. Eugene J. McNamara hid a message in a bottle in the 1940s. Photo Credit: Erik Slavin / Stars and Stripes.
Messages in Bottles, Used as Time Capsules, Are Found in Old Buildings
Of course, old buildings around the world are often renovated or torn down, and it’s always interesting to discover the secrets concealed in their walls. The phrase “If these walls could talk” comes to mind. Messages in bottles are one way people have given walls the ability to do just that!
There was this story, about a century old message in a bottle, discovered under the floorboards of a house in Connecticut, USA.
Then there was this story about an 87 year old message in a bottle miraculously found in the rubble of a building that had been torn down in Indiana, USA. I was honored to help find the living relatives of the author 🙂
This 50 year old message in a bottle survived being jackhammered out of a slab of concrete in Australia.
And recently, this 83 year old message in a bottle was found in the walls of an old building in Edinburgh, Scotland. Then, a 90 year old local man saw it and realized it was from his father.
Can We Find Eugene McNamara?
All of this gives me hope that we can find the living relatives of Lt. Col. Eugene J. McNamara–we’ve done it before! Besides–it is a military message in a bottle after all, and the military keeps all kinds of records, right?
So my question is: Can you help? Do you know how to find information on this man and his family? Maybe you know his children or grandchildren? If not, you can always help by sharing this story!
Help spread the word, and I’m sure we can find McNamara’s descendants! Cheers! 🙂
***If you liked this story, click here to visit (and “like”) my Facebook for more message in a bottle stories! You can even help solve them!
Yokohama City today. Photo credit: Wikipedia user Antomattei.
I purchased a wwi officers ring and wwii medal (for military merit) both in the name of Eugene J Mcnamara. The wwi ring is gold (US Officers Corps) dated 1917 and inscribed “Lt. Eugene J. McNamara 8/15/17”. I wonder if this is the same man? Maybe between wars he was promoted to Lt. Col.?
I apologize, for taking so long to respond.
I did some searching on the Eugene John McNamara (1896-1957) that was suggested by the original poster. I found that he was married, but couldn’t find any children with that wife. I found that he had brothers and a sister, but can’t find where they had any children either. A commenter named “Colin L. McIntosh” stated that he had a first wife named “Helen T. Tribow” and they had sons.
I did find where a Eugene John and Helen (Tribou) McNamara were married (and divorced) and had children, Eugene John Jr. and Robert King McNamara. I can’t say for certain that it is the same Eugene though. But here is Robert McNamara’s obit, maybe the blogger can contact the family and get confirmation that it is or is not the same Eugene?
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailyherald/obituary.aspx?n=robert-k-mcnamara&pid=456662&fhid=2069
Thanks for the reply. As I said I lived and worked in the New Grand Hotel Yokohama Japan, in those days from 1947 to July 1950. The hotel was controlled by two sections. I was a member of the staff of the Eight Army Officers Club, I had control of the bars, there were three in the hotel, and all other logistics. Major Richard T. Knowles was the custodian; he was later replaced with a Major Rabb. The billeting section was controlled by Major Ellison under Yokohama Command. My duties were totally with the club management I had nothing to do with the billeting office. When the occupation of Japan first started Gen MacArthur lived in, if my memory serves me correctly, room 315 but he was only there for a very short time, a month or so, while they were fixing up a place in Tokyo. He left before the end of the year which was 1945. During my stay at the New Grand a Mrs. Luella Eppely lived in Room 315 and Major General Rider lived in the room next to hers. (I will be 93 years old my next birthday but my memory is still fairly good.) Most of the permanent residents that were billeted there were full Colonels or Generals during my stay. I knew a lot of people but I have no knowledge of a LT. Col. Eugene J, McNamara. When the Korean War started in June 1950, The Eight Army Deployed to Korea I went with it. In 1960 I visited the New Grand for a couple of weeks as a guest of the Nomora Family who were the Owners.
Sorry I cannot help
Best Regards
Floyd Blue
_____
Thanks, Floyd! And thanks, too, for your service. This information is helpful in any case, and I really appreciate you taking the time to write it down for me and anyone else interested in this story. You might be interested in Mr. Bloomfield’s response below, too.
I remember the New Grand Hotel, in Yokohama, Japan, I lived and worked there from November 1947 until Mid July 1950, I was a member of the Staff of the Eight Army Officers Club, and Bar Manager among other things. I have no knowledge of this particular officer you mention. Major Richard Knowles was the Club Custodian and later replaced by Major Robb as I recall. The Korean war started in June 1950 most of us went to Korea at that time. A Lt. Col Bennett was the Club Custodian at the time I deployed to Korea. July 1950.
I don’t know if this is the right man, but the name, rank, wars served in, and time frame are all about right… Does anyone know how to find further information about a particular grave at Arlington? https://cs.billiongraves.com/grave/Eugene-John-McNamara/10351969
Lt Col Eugene John McNamara, 1896-1957 was the second husband of my wife’s Aunt, Ada Ethyl Irene Schofield. No children. He did serve in Japan after WWII and could well be this person. My research indicates that his first wife was Helen T Tribow from Dixon, Illinois. They had two sons, Steven John (deceased) and ??. Also 3 brothers and a sister in Kentucky. I can find no record of any children for them however.
Colin
Wow, Colin! Thanks for the info! Hopefully this can help us follow the trail a bit further… I’ll update this post if any further information is discovered, or any connections made. Thank you again for sharing.