This Ominous Feeling (ghosts)

[Grumpy]

In the post yesterday about Gettysburg, KYFANATIC mentioned “this ominous feeling I got while walking the Battlefield areas near a hill.” I had that same feeling while visiting Gettysburg and several other battlefields I have visited in my travels.

The first time I had it was on my first overseas tour on Okinawa. Anyone who has read anything about the War in the Pacific knows what a horrendous battle took place on Okinawa. However, before I got to Okinawa, everything I had read and seen was about the American side of the battle. Soon after my arrival, I became interested in the local people (outside of the bars) and their culture. Since I had joined the Army with the intention of learning about other places and other cultures I started studying Japanese and I found that I could learn more about the people if I went to remote villages –away from the bars and regular GI hangouts.

Since I had arrived there in early 1957, the war was still vivid in the memories of most of the locals. Not only that, but there were still many physical ruminants left to be seen, i.e., intact and destroyed fortifications, scared landscapes, wrecked ships on the beaches and in the water, as well as many monuments and plaques dedicated on the sites of various battles.

To make a long story short, I repeatedly heard stories about the ghosts of the Japanese soldiers that committed suicide by jumping off the Shuri Cliffs on the South end of the Island. When I visited the area I had heard about, I soon understood why there were “ghost stories’ about the place. The first place I visited was at the top of the cliffs and the nearby, mostly destroyed, Shuri Castle. I didn’t feel anything at that time, except awe that soldiers, American and Japanese, had fought in such a place.

Then, I went to the base of the cliffs and that is when I got that “ominous feeling” that those Japanese soldiers were still walking around that area and trying to get back home. I can’t really explain it, except to say I just had a feeling that hundreds of souls were still there.

Another place on Okinawa where I had “that feeling” was on Yon Tan Airfield towards the Western middle part of the Island. Yon Tan had been one of the two main Japanese airfields. The story was that these airfields were connected by tunnels which were believed to be heavily mined and booby-trapped and well defended by Japanese soldiers and airmen.

Rather than trying to clear the tunnels, the American Marines simply concreted in all the entrances they could find, leaving the Japanese defenders to die of starvation, suicide or whatever. Most Okinawans would not go onto the old airfield area because of the ghosts there. Since Yon Tan was just up the hill from my base, I visited there several times. During a couple of my early visits I had that “ominous feeling” that the Japanese soldiers were walking around under the ground where I stood.

There are a couple more places on Okinawa where I got “that feeling” but I will leave it there. Anyhow, besides those already mentioned, I have had “that feeling” several other places, including at Pearl Harbor, Loc Ninh, Viet Nam, and Andersonville, South Carolina.

I cannot explain “that feeling” except to say that, in varying degrees, it was a feeling that a dead person or people were in the area and wanted me to know it. For me, it has always come in or around military settings and the “ghosts” were military people. However, I am sure that many non-military people have had the same feelings and even with ghosts that were not military. There are too many ghost stories to not believe in them.

World military history is replete with stories of soldiers and sailors that were visited by ghosts, apparitions, and premonitions before during and/or after battle. Years ago, I had a book with over a hundred examples of such visitations. I wish I still had it because right now, I don’t remember any of them. Now, I am not saying I am in that category, but I do believe it happens.

The ancients believed in ghosts, gods, and things that go bump in the night and they saw them frequently. For the most part, modern peoples don’t believe in ghosts and most of us don’t ever see them. I firmly believe that today there are just as many ghosts, gods, and things that go bump in the night as there ever were, and maybe more than before, but they don’t come to people that don’t believe in them.

That is my experiences and opinions for whatever they are worth.

Grumpy

[mhall]

I think if one believes in the after life and I do then you have to beleive in Ghosts or Spirits. As some pass on to go meet their maker whomever that may be, hopefully God. There are some lost souls that don't quite make it over for awhile, Purgatory whatever you want to call it I suppose.

For me it's a very real thing and I buy into 100%, I however have never really had any type of weird experience to share.

[kyfanatic]

I grew up in an old Plantation house that was huge,we had a fair sized family 5 brothers and 1 sister,and there was always cousins or friends spending the night.We jokingly said the place was haunted although none of us believed that,at least I didn't even though windows and doors would mysteriously open or close,objects would be moved overnight,and you could hear footsteps on the stairs and hallways at times.
I did have a strange experience when I was 16,my grandfather who lived in Lee County,Virginia across from Harlan County,Ky came to me in a dream and patted me on the head like he always did,called me by name,and told me everything would be allright.The next day coming home from school I found out he had died that night,which was sort of weird.Anyway I was always a skeptic until my wifes father died a few days before Christmas 2 years ago,I was in the process of building my house at the time and we had already sold and had to vacate the old house,so not being finished,we moved into the basement of the new house while I worked on the upstairs.
As far as I know there were never any deaths on my farm and definately not in the new house,unless some Pioneer or Indian was slain here.Strange things started happening after my Father-In-Laws funeral.One day while sitting on the computer in the basement,my son and I heard the Garage door open and close,the door to the house from the garage open and close,and footsteps across the floor to the kitchen,which was unfinished ,but had drywall,stove and refridgerator in it.WE thought my wife had returned from shopping and went upstairs,but nobody was there! Then numerous things started happening,we would all be gone and come home to find two lab pups I kept outside inside the locked basement.My herd/bird dog always greets people at the front door with a toy in his mouth and I awoke during the night several times to find him standing in the livingroom,wagging his tail,with a toy looking at nothing.Lights would mysteriously be turned on when we came home and they had been turned off,my wife always left the coffee filters on a countertop and they somehow ended up in a cabinet every night when we woke up,too many things to go on,but one night I woke up and thought I saw him looking into our bedroom from the hallway.The kids started getting scared and I finally had enough called him by name and said if you don't go on to where ever you're supposed to go,then I'm calling a priest to exorcise this place.
Right after that it stopped and nothing has happened since,but I think I'm a believer now.

[mhall]

Cool stories Glenn, I enjoyed reading them. I don't doubt you for a minute either bro.

[kyfanatic]

If any of you guys ever get up my way,especially between now and halloween,you might take time one evening to visit Rohs Opera House in Cynthiana,Ky about 14 miles from where I live. The have a very interesting Ghost Walk through Cynthiana and a tour of their building which by all accounts is haunted.Cynthiana has a very rich history with lots of Civil War events happening here including being captured by John Hunt Morgan who supposedly buried his Loot near here when under attack by Federal Troops.The stash has never been found,The old stone Harrison County jail is in the tour,along with several other interesting buildings and stories.They have some strange videos/pictures of the old Opera House and EVP recordings to boot.Besides the south fork of the Licking is close by and decent smallmouth fishing.Here's a link about Rohs Opera House,Scroll down to see story and pics

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme2/fr...ialevents.html