Tokyo, Japan, July 24, 1964: Young guests and visitors drink at chat in the cocktail lounge of the Sanno Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. The Sanno Hotel was once the most famous and prominent building on Sotobori-dori, a wide, busy boulevard that winds through the scenic heart of Tokyo. Serving as a transient billeting facility for field grade officers and their families in 1964, the American military was not always welcome at the Sanno. The building - built in 1932 - was once the spawning nest for " ni-ni-roku" (2-2-6), the February 26, 1936 military revolt that shook Japan but failed to overthrow the government. The New Sanno Hotel opened in 1983, replacing the old facility which was demolished. META TAGS: hospitality industry; Sanno Hotel; military life; Military history;

Guests drink and chat in the cocktail lounge of the Sanno Hotel in Tokyo, 1964

Tokyo, Japan, July 24, 1964: Young guests and visitors drink and chat in the cocktail lounge of the Sanno Hotel in Tokyo, Japan.

From the Archives: Stripes Man on Scene in Saigon

When the Presidential Palace in Saigon was bombed Tuesday. Pacific Stars and Stripes Photographer M/Sgt. Al Chang was in the street near the palace preparing for a photographic assignment. This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Mar. 1, 1962. It is republished unedited in its original form.

Saigon, South Vietnam, Feb. 27, 1962: A tank can be seen moving toward the Presidential Palace in Saigon, a Jeep already standing in front of the palace gates, as smoke and flames billow out of the west wing of the palace after it was hit during the Feb. 27, 1962 surprise strafing-bombing attack. The attack -- carried out by two dissenting Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots -- killed three and wounded 30. Stars and Stripes photographer Al Chang - in Saigon on another assignment that day - happened to be near the presidential palace early morning and rushed to the scene to document it. Although his original negatives are not in Stars and Stripes' archives, we do have three of the six original photo prints of the images that ran in the paper. The prints were created by Stars and Stripes Pacific's photo department at the time to run in the print newspaper and are often the only images we have of much of Pacific Stars and Stripes' news photography from the years prior to 1964 as the vast majority of pre-1964 Stars and Stripes Pacific negatives and slides were unwittingly destroyed by poor temporary storage in 1963. Check out the images of the other two prints found, as well as the original published photo spread here. Looking for more Stars and Stripes’ coverage of the early days of the US involvement in Vietnam? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes’ historic newspaper archive! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/ META TAGS: Pacific; South Vietnam; Vietnam War; attack; bombing; Independence Palace bombing

Presidential Palace in Saigon in flames, 1962

Saigon, South Vietnam, Feb. 27, 1962: A tank can be seen moving toward the Presidential Palace in Saigon, and a Jeep already is standing in front of the palace gates, as smoke and flames billow out of the west wing of the palace after it was hit during the Feb. 27, 1962, surprise strafing-bombing attack.

Sergeant First Class Freeman Tuberville, who serves with the 760th Field Artillery Battalion, B Battery, measures the firing range for the cannon behind him, assisted by an unknown Black soldier. Looking for Stars and Stripes’ historic coverage? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes’ historic newspaper archive! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/ META TAGS: Army; Air Force; military family; way of life; military life; artillery; African-American; firing range; cannon

Measuring the firing range, 1955

Darmstadt, Germany, July 7, 1955: Sgt. 1st Class Freeman Tuberville, left, who serves with the 760th Field Artillery Battalion, B Battery, measures the firing range for the cannon behind him, assisted by an unknown soldier.

97th General Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany, Feb. 1, 1957: Unidentified nurse feeds a premature baby in its incubator at the 97th General Hospital Maternity Ward in Frankfurt, Germany. Read the 1957 article and see additional photos here. https://www.stripes.com/history/2023-04-11/usareur-hospitals-baby-care-9761289.html META TAGS: military medical; fixed medical treatment facility; way of life; hospital; pregnancy; maternity; health service support; military family; health care;

97th General Hospital Maternity Ward in Germany, 1957

97th General Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany, Feb. 1, 1957: Unidentified nurse feeds a premature baby in its incubator at the 97th General Hospital Maternity Ward in Frankfurt, Germany.

Pvt. Foster Stevens in his Marine uniform.

A century later, a taped message solves the mystery of a WWI doughboy’s death

Foster Stevens was killed nine days before the Nov. 11, 1918, armistice that ended World War I. Now his family knows about the man who was with him when he died.

Seoul, South Korea, May 23, 1955: Singer and actress Debbie Reynolds performs before some 5,000 U.S. Army Korea soldiers who jammed the baseball field at the Seoul Military Post. Miss Reynolds was one of the acts of the "Johnny Grant Galaxy" show. Disc jockey Johhny Grant and his troup's week-long tour includes stops in both South Korea as well as Japan. Looking for Stars and Stripes’ historic coverage? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes’ historic newspaper archive! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/ META TAGS: Pacific; Korea; actor; celebrity; entertainment; musician; singer; performance; servicemembers; Army; soldiers; Chuck Taylor; audience

Debbie Reynolds wows crowd in Seoul, 1955

Seoul, South Korea, May 23, 1955: Singer and actress Debbie Reynolds performs before some 5,000 U.S. Army Korea soldiers who jammed the baseball field at the Seoul Military Post.

Crew photo for the Heaven Can Wait bomber in Papua New Guinea.

Remains of 21-year-old WWII aviator recovered from sunken bomber

Divers examining the wreckage of the B-24 bomber “Heaven Can Wait” recovered bones of 2nd Lt. Thomas V. Kelly Jr., and his Army Air Forces ring.