I have not posted up on the cafe in a long time, but I wanted to let everyone know that Mr. Edward Shepard contacted me. Yes Mr. Shepard. It was presumed that he had passed away in 1977 in a major car wreck. I was contacted my email, then requested to communicate via phone. I spoke in detail about Grand Master Richard Peralta; I asked Mr. Shepard personal questions that only a student of Mr. Peratla would know. Personal things. I even relayed this information to Sigung Israel Gonzales. Sigung Gonzales contacted Mr. Shepard as well; both came up with the same result. This man is legit. I asked Mr. Shepard to provide an updated Bio for our historical records; He was very kind in responding back to my request. He has informed me he will provide all the documentation to prove his legitimate status.
So all I have to relay out to the KajukeN/Mbo world is what he has provided me today.
I have relayed this information to Professor Bishop as well.
Biography of Edward Shepard
Born May 24 1942, Cincinnati Ohio
I started my training in Kajukembo as a white belt while in the US Air Force in 1964 with GM Tony Lasit while deployed on temporary duty to Ubon AB Thailand. Prior to that time I had no formal martial arts training. After only three months of training with GM Lasit I returned to George AFB in the United States. In 1965 I returned to Ubon and continued my training under GM Lasit?s disciple, Sifu Precha Mahatanavong. My training with Sifu Precha was the Kajukenbo (N style) taught to him by GM Lasit with Akido and Thai boxing added to the training later by ?Precha. I left Thailand in 1966 and was awarded a green belt by Sifu Precha.
After a brief stint in the U.S. I deployed to Clark AB Philippines in 1967 and started my training in Kajukembo (M) with GM Peralta. I spent nearly 18 months training with GM Peralta and was awarded a first degree black belt in late 1968. My training with GM Peralta was at times sporadic because both he and I were at different times deployed all over Southeast Asia in support of the Vietnam war effort. After another short stint in the United States I deployed to Udorn Thailand in 1971 and guess who was there? GM Peralta. I continued my training with GM Peralta and worked hard to refine the techniques that he had shown me over the years. I left Udorn Thailand in 1972 and was stationed at Luke AB Arizona.
In January 1974 I was assigned to Torrojon AB Spain. In February of that same year I started a Kajukembo(M) school in a vacant barracks on the air base. On 9 May 1975 GM Peralta awarded me a second degree black belt. Both Spanish and American Students were in my class and we trained every day. There were two other martial arts schools on the base along with my school. The other schools were Shotokan and Tae Kwon Do. In June 1976 after a lot of negotiating and planning with high level U.S Air Force base officials the base commander declared an open house so that Spanish citizens could enter the Air Base and allow the three schools to host the first joint Spanish/American martial arts tournament ever held on a Spanish military base. The tournament was an overwhelming success. Our school demonstrated both Kajukembo (M) form and self defense against multiple opponents?. The demonstrations of self defense unique to Kajukembo (M) and the fact that there were both Spanish and American students training together in my school caught the attention of the Spanish Ministry Of Defense. My class size doubled with Spanish Army and Air Force personnel joining my school . From those roots Kajukembo (M) flourished and is now one of the premiere form of Martial Arts taught in Spain.
I left Spain in October 1977 and went to Cannon AFB in Clovis NM. Shortly after arriving at Clovis I was severely injured and almost killed in an auto accident. After I recovered from the accident I taught Kajukembo (M) to a small group of students on the campus of Eastern New Mexico University. In 1979 I went to Pusan Korea and, retired from the Air Force in 1981..
I did not award any Black Belts while in Spain but a few of my former students have gone on to make Kajukembo more popular in Spain than I ever imagined
I cannot complete this Bio without paying tribute to GM Richard, my teacher and friend that showed me the way forward in Kajukembo(M) and to Burt Vickers, Israel Gonzales and George Jackson for making it possible for this old warrior to find his way back home?
Thank you. Sigung Burt Vickers.
If you have any questions you can contacted me through my web site.
http://www.kajukembousa.com
