A small Japanese marketplace, 1959: My uncle Eugene, known as Commander Hurn in the Navy, was in charge of finances of a navy base in Japan, and had to learn to speak Japanese.

That's why he understoodd what the men said behind him in the marketplace. One man laughed, turning to the other.

"Look at the Yankee Devil," he said quietly, "and the red socks he wears."

Commander Hurn stiffened, and turned slowly, all dignity, to glare down from his 5' 11" height at the shorter men.

"Those are not my socks," he said slowly, in Japanese. "That is my underwear. And therefore it is not your concern."

The Japanese embarass easily. The men blanched, glanced at each other, and scurried away in different directions.