DON NAGLE'S SENIOR DAN'S
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

The Don Nagle AOKAINC, 805 Broadway Bayonne, was honored by one of the martial arts icons our time.
Grandmaster Gary Alexander founder of the IAMA, International Association of Martial Arts, held their annual HALL OF FAME AWARDS dinner at the Forge, in Woodbridge New Jersey.
The following martial arts masters were inducted
Hanshi Ernie Temple, 9th Dan ISSHINRYU, Hanshi Ralph D. Passero, 9th Dan, President of the AOKAINC, were awarded the 2006 IAMA American Martial Artists Patriots Award, Larry Thunderfoot Cureton, 7th Dan, a profession Kickboxing/Fullcontact Karate Champion, was awarded the 2006 Full Contact Karate Champion Award, Grandmaster Vincent Marchetti, 10th Dan, a Master of Judo, Jujitsu, and Grappling, Trainer of the Military Special Ops, and FBI, and SWAT teams was awarded the
Police Tactical Defense Instructor Award. Grandmaster Ralph Chirico, 10th Dan, an original student of Grandmaster Don Nagle was awarded Grandmaster of the Year Award.


Pictured in photo, left to right Hanshi Ralph D. Passero 9thDan
Hanshi Ernie Temple 9th Dan
Grandmaster Ralph Chirico, 10th Dan
Grandmaster Vincent Marchetti, 10th Dan
Master Larry Thunderfoot Cureton, 7th Dan

IN MEMORIAM - Steven Harry Armstrong

IN MEMORIAM
Steven Harry Armstrong
1931-2006

Steve Armstrong was born in Guymon, Oklahoma, September 22, 1931. He began studying Karate at 16 years of age. Armstrong grew up in Texas where he says he was, "A fair to middlin boxer."

Armstrong began his career in karate at a dojo near a train station in Kobe, Japan, in 1948. In 1949 he had to take time to travel to China. After training for about a year in Japan he earned a black belt in karate. Armstrong had spent about a year and a half
in the Orient.

After a 30 day leave, he found himself once again back in Japan. This time he was stationed at the Marine Barracks in Yokohama, Japan. Again he started his studies in Karate, but this time, he was required to begin anew as a white belt as this was different from his original style of Karate. He continued to study Karate in the area and achieved Black Belt status in this new discipline. Then one day in July, 1950, his outfit left for the Korean War.

After having served in Korea, Sensei Armstrong returned to the USA to be stationed at the world famous Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., where he found himself on the Presidential Honor Guard for President Truman. During these years he continued his studies in Karate on his own. Finally, he decided to leave the Service to go to college at the University of Texas.

After leaving college, Armstrong re-enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1959. This time he was stationed on the Japanese island of Okinawa where he met a man that would change his life: Master Tatsuo Shimabukuro, Founder of Isshinryu Karate. Although already a Black Belt in two different styles of Karate, Goju Ryu and Shorin Ryu, Armstrong was again required to start as a white belt.

Sensei Armstrong has stated that while under the tutelage of Master Shimabukuro: "This is where I started learning Karate and what it is all about. My other instructors were good, but I wasn't a good student. Karate was only a method of fighting for me, until I met Shimabuku."

In 1960, Master Shimabuku, Harold Mitchum, Steve Armstrong, and several others formed the American-Okinawan Karate Association (AOKA). Harold Mitchum was the first AOKA president and Steve Armstrong and Ralph Bove were association officers.

Upon returning to the United States in 1961 Armstrong established a dojo in Tacoma Washington. He eventually expanded into several locations, including a few of the Colleges and Universities in Washington state.

Sensei Armstrong became one of the leading instructors in Isshinryu karate in the USA.

In 1966 Tatsuo Shimabukuro made his 2nd and last trip to the United States, spending time with Steve Armstrong in Tacoma, Washington; Harold Long in Knoxville, Tennessee; and Don Nagle in Jersey City, New Jersey. At this time, all three were promoted to 8th Dan by Master Shimabuku. At Armstrong's dojo the famous 1966 film was made with Sensei Shimabukuro demonstrating all Isshinryu kata.

He was inducted in the Isshinryu Hall of Fame in 1985.

In 1986 Dutch sensei Fred van de Vijver studied under Steve Armstrong and together they founded the NIKA (Netherlands Isshinryu Karate Association).

In 1988 Sensei Armstrong visited the Netherlands and the EIKA (European Isshinryu Karate Association) was founded. That way creating a strong foothold for Isshinryu in Europe.

The last years of his life he was treated in Washington Veterans Hospital.

Sensei Steve Armstrong passed away on November 15th, 2006.

Master Steve Armstrong-Isshinryu Legend

America's Sensei, My Sensei,
Isshin Ryu Sensei Steven Harry Armstrong
Passes Away—November 15, 2006.

(taken from Michael E. Odell's web site)

"The Lord preserve thy going out,
The Lord preserve thy coming in.
God send His angels round about
To keep thy soul from every sin;
And when thy going out is done,
And when thy coming in is o'er
When in death's darkness all alone,
Thy feet can come and go no more,
The Lord preserve thy going out
From this dark world of grief and sin,
While angels standing round about,
Sing, ‘God preserve thy coming in.'"
________ St. Augustine

Many teachers I may have, yes, but only one Sensei,
my Sensei, Steven Harry Armstrong.
Michael E. Odell - Senior Student

For Steve Armstrong's bio please visit: http://www.journaled.com/MA/Isshinryu/SArmstrong/main.htm
or
http://veritas.swiftsite.com/sensei.html#honor

Promotion of Sensei Jeff Sterling, to the rank of San Dan

Promotion of Sensei Jeff Sterling, to the rank of San Dan, 78 years old, training in ISSHINRYU for 17 years, he is one of the DON NAGLE AOKAINC Instructors, who has earned the rank of Sensei.

It is an honor to know him, to have him as a student, and instructor and now a Sensei, I was honored to promote him and be the one to give him this rank.

He is a very special person, and he was presented his Black Gi top from the 1983 IIKA WORLD CHAMPION JOE MAZZA, 8th Degree Black Belt, one of the DON NAGLE'S AOKA Champion fighters.

He is an instructor and Sensei of the Children's class for the last four years, his patience is second to none, and he is a one of kind, and respected by all students and instructors.

-posted by Master Ralph Passero

Update on Steve Armstrong from the IIKA

IIKA

News Up-Date
Chairman: JC Burris President: Tommy True

Board Members:
Phil McElroy, Jim McDonald, Willie Wilson, Melbert Lee, Bruce Guillaume,Kelly Markham, Jerry Smith, David Gabbard, Sandra Strong,
Carol Burris, Mike Lewis, Don Bordinger

Release: All IIKA Personnel
Subject: Grandmaster Steve Armstrong
Release Date: Sunday, November 12, 2006

Recently, Grandmaster Steve Armstrong suffered a major stroke. Early on his health was in question, however, we are pleased to report that he continues to improve. He has a strong appetite, and although he has not yet been able to regain his speech he does have limited mobility.

As you know, Mr. Armstrong was one of the four original American servicemen who studied Isshin-Ryu directly under Grandmaster Shimabuku and returned to teach in the United States .

Our thoughts and prayers are with him during this most difficult time. Please keep him in your prayers, and pray that God will strengthen him spiritually, physically and emotionally.

We will update you as additional information becomes available.

Dear friends: On 1000 hours on Wednesday November 15th 2006, Fort Dix , New Jersey will honor 4 soldiers who were killed in Iraq last year. All 4 of these warriors were attached to the 1st Cavalry Division. The New York- New Jersey Chapter as well as a representative of the West Michigan Chapter has been invited to attend the ceremony. Please join me on November 15th to honor our 1st Cavalry family. E-mail or phone me to let me know if you can make it. Additional details will be forthcoming. Robert Arbasetti President NY-NJ Chapter, 1st Cavalry Division Assn email: firstcav@1cda.org http://www.1cda.org/

GOD Bless America!

Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln

To gain an understanding of what sacrifices have been made for OUR freedom visit these sites:
Army - http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/moh1.htm
Marines - http://www.marines.mil/moh.nsf
US Dept of Defense - http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/14.html

What a GREAT Country we have and what a HUGE responsibility we have!