Early Life and First Martial Arts Training
Charles “Buster” Hash was born in York, Pennsylvania, on June 9, 1949. In 1965, at age 16, he began studying Mas Oyama-style Kyokushin near his home in Edgewood, Maryland.
Military Service and Taekwondo in Korea
After graduating from high school in June 1967, Mr. Hash boarded a bus for Army Basic Training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In May 1969, then-Specialist (E-4) Hash was assigned to Seoul, South Korea, where he served with the 502nd Military Intelligence Battalion.
While in Seoul, Mr. Hash became a dedicated taekwondo student, studying Song Moo Kwan—the Korean Army style—at a local gym under Sergeant Hong Kyung Hwan, 5th Dan. He trained five to six days a week, often four to five hours each night. Song Moo Kwan was founded by Ro Byung-Jik in 1944 and is recognized as one of Korea’s five original kwans of taekwondo. Grandmaster Ro had studied under Gichin Funakoshi while attending college in Japan in the 1930s and earned a black belt in Shotokan karate.
In 1970, Mr. Hash competed as a red belt, equivalent to a brown belt, and was the only American in a national Song Moo Kwan taekwondo tournament. He placed third overall in the black belt division. In March 1970, he competed for and earned his first-degree black belt in taekwondo at the central Song Moo Kwan school in Seoul. The following month, the National Taekwondo Association recognized him as a first-degree black belt during a national-level promotional test.
Transition to Isshinryu Karate
Mr. Hash returned to the United States in June 1970 and searched for a taekwondo school in Edgewood, Maryland, but found none. While working toward his associate degree at Harford Junior College, he saw a flyer in early January 1971 advertising a karate class on campus. He removed the taekwondo patches from his gi, put on his old white belt, and attended the class on a cold January night. The class was taught by Isshinryu brown belts John Patti and Dennis Longo from Elkton, Maryland.
During the second week, two black belts from the primary Order of Isshinryu school in Elkton visited the class: Sensei Toby Cooling, 7th Dan, and John King, 2nd Dan. During kumite, Mr. Hash was effective at distance but struggled once the brown belts moved inside his kicks. At the end of class, Sensei Cooling worked with him directly and introduced him to the Order of Isshinryu approach to Isshinryu karate.
When Mr. Hash returned the following week, he learned that Sensei Cooling had instructed him to train at the Hombu Dojo in Elkton, Maryland. That invitation began a lasting friendship with Grandmaster Cooling and a long career in Isshinryu karate.
Promotions and Teaching
Grandmaster Cooling promoted Mr. Hash to shodan in the Order of Isshinryu in the summer of 1972, nidan in June 1973, sandan in January 1983, and godan in July 2021. In November 2023, Master Ortenzio-Cooling promoted him to rokudan.
From 1972 to 1974, Mr. Hash operated a dojo in Edgewood, Maryland, with Senseis Tom Miller and John Patti. Whenever possible, he also helped teach at the Bel Air, Maryland, dojo. In 1980, he opened a dojo in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, where he taught through 1984.
Military and Civilian Career
Mr. Hash retired from the Army in 2007 as a colonel after more than 40 years of service. He served 14 years as an enlisted soldier, reaching the rank of First Sergeant, E-8, before being commissioned as a first lieutenant in 1981. He later retired from federal civil service as a GS-15 in June 2019.
Return to Training and Current Activities
Mr. Hash returned to active status in the Order of Isshinryu in April 2020 and trained under Master Chris Harris at the Hombu Dojo in Elkton, Maryland. He currently assists Sensei Ginn with instruction in the Virtual Dojo several nights a week.
Mr. Hash began studying Arnis under Punong Guro Dan Popp within the Tres Artes organization, receiving the rank of Antas Apat (Blue Belt). He also began studying Chi-Ryu JiuJitsu under Grandmaster Isham Latimer and was promoted to shodan in July 2026. He resides in Dumfries, Virginia, with his wife, COL(R) Dori Hash.
1 Interesting note: Grandmaster Cooling met and trained with Godan Hong when Hong visited the United States in the early 1970s.
