Comments on: Mystery: Did Black Belt Ever Publish This Article?

By: James Smith

James Smith — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:00:04 +0000

As for NAVMC 1146-A03 manual I discovered that while the techniques contained resemble O’Neill’s ( all strikes , no holds or throws)the manual was originally published in 1957, too early to be the likely source for the missing article. I believe the reviewer’s attendance in O’Neill’s Quantico course was probably the inspiration for the proposed article.

By: James Smith

James Smith — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:53:57 +0000

After more research I believe I was half right. The book review quote O’neill as saying that Kano removed the most effective techniques in order to make Judo a safe sport and that previously defense relied on wrists twistsstricks and kicks — exactly what O’Neill was teaching the Marines. The reviewer believed these methods were easier to learn and more effective.

By: James Smith

James Smith — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:58:20 +0000

I also remember a very critical book review in Black Belt of “Defend Yourself With Judo”. The reviewer’s opinion was that the Judo techniques presented were too complicated and that he preferred the methods currently being taught (1966) by O’Neill to the Marines at Quantico. I suspect that these same methods appeared in USMC/NAVMC 1146A03 and was the basis of the mystery article.

By: Argonautica

Argonautica — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 22:50:46 +0000

Not much to add, but I did hear back from Sifu Kong’s website. They provided me with the response:

Mr. Kong was in Korea serving military duty from 1961 to 1963. Thank you for your inquiry.

Of course, that response just parrots back the line from the website, but at least they responded. Beggars can’t be chooser.

By: Argonautica

Argonautica — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 17:34:59 +0000

Update: A fellow blogger (see http://dancingword.wordpress.com/) recalled reading that Sifu Bucksam Kong had taught U.S. soldiers chinese boxing methods in the 1960s and that the reference could be to him.

Looking at the history section on Sifu’s website, http://www.bucksamkongkungfu.com/hist1.html, it appears a close hit, but ultimately unlikely that it would have been him:

“Sifu Kong started studying martial arts when he was 6 years old in his native Hong Kong. Two years later, he began studying Hung Gar with Lam Jo

In his teenage years, Kong moved to Hawaii with his parents and continued to practice Kung Fu tirelessly. By 1961, he became an American citizen and was drafted into the army where he taught hand to hand combat to U.S. soldiers in Korea.

Returning to civilian life in 1963, Kong opened his first school in Hawaii and became one of the first to teach traditional Kung Fu to non-Chinese practitioners.”

So while it looks like he did teach soldiers in the 1960s, he had been back in Hawaii for four years or so by that point and I’m therefore guessing it was not him. I have an email out to Sifu Kong to verify and will update if/when I receive a response. Great lead, thanks!