Japanese attack Archives

14 September 1945

Dear Folks:

Well I’m still on Okinawa and still waiting. We are supposed to leave either tomorrow or Friday for the Personnel Center but I’m afraid it may be postponed until next Monday. It’s still the old waiting game and the old cry ‘no transportation’. The harbor is so packed with ships you could hardly throw a stone without hitting one, and the airfields are running over with planes – but still there’s ‘no transportation’. Sometimes it’s hard to contain yourself. I heard today that some kind of a congressional investigation is underway about it – I hope so. Everybody seems concerned about it. Certainly no large numbers of eligible personnel are being shipped out of here – I believe the number is very small since VE day. I can’t for the life of me figure why everything moves so slow. Well that’s enough about that, and that’s the way I sit now. Let’s hope it won’t be postponed any further.

My life is very monotonous these days. It’s more a matter of keeping out of sight and trying to find something to do to pass away the time. Yesterday I rode down to the Personnel Center to attempt to pick up some rumors, but couldn’t find out much. Then a little later went on to Yontan Airfield. It has been hot and dry the past two days but in this place we may have a cloud burst in five minutes.

Chow is still terrible but yesterday we had two fresh eggs for breakfast. Now I suppose it will be another month before we get anymore.

A couple of nights ago seven Japs got into one of the neighboring battalions and injured several guards. The guys killed three of them and next morning found one of them was a woman dressed in full Jap uniform.

Well I believe that’s all. Plan to go to a show in a little while and then call it another day.

Love,

3 August 1945

Dear Folks:

This is one of those rainy days when you feel like sleeping, and being cozy but I can’t do it when I have so many letters to write. Mail has been coming slow the past couple of days but with the rainy weather it’s no wonder. It has been raining hard and almost without let up for two days now. But we are sleeping in pyramidal tents and except when we go out we keep pretty dry. Along with the rain is driving winds that blow the rain in sheets. Boy it really rains. You’d think the whole countryside was going to blow away. But this afternoon it looks like the clouds may be breaking up a little and I hope it does before the show tonight.

Two nights ago I sat through a drenching rain on a sandbag to see ‘Valley of Decision’. If it had been any other show I would have left. I thought it was excellent. If it isn’t rain, it [is] usually an air raid, or something else that stops the show.

A short time ago at an ungodly hour in the morning, a Jap plane or planes came over and then I heard a clatter of machine guns. Either they were strafing or our planes were trying to shoot them down. Believing it was all over I went back to bed and was about to sleep when I heard that watery, swishy sound of a bomb falling. I rolled out of bed without regard to the mosquito bar and pulled it down with me to the floor. It was funny. By the time all of us were up going out the door of the tent, we heard another coming so we all flopped to the floor and waited. Then they went off and it was quiet. To have a plane up there dropping eggs out of a black night isn’t pleasant. But my hitting the floor so fast and ripping my net in the process, caused me some ribbing, but I believe in hitting the dirt fast. You should see us hug old Mother earth when things get hot.

Had a letter from Dad yesterday. I hope you’re right about the war being over soon but I don’t know. Japan is taking a lot, but she can absorb plenty more.

Got the clipping about Wylma getting married. It’s kind of hard to believe after having gone with her so long and knowing her as I did. But like a lot of other guys it’s just a case of being away too long. In the letter I got from her she didn’t mention him, in fact she seemed unattached altogether.

I have been waiting to hear from Dick. We sent some boys home on furlough and I thought perhaps he might have gotten one from his outfit. As afar as my getting home is concerned it is just sit and wait and not worry about it. Dick has 71 points but I’m afraid it will not be lowered that much although later he may become eligible. I’m not eligible for furlough now unless I sign up to stay in the service, which I wouldn’t do with my score. I couldn’t say whether Dick was going into combat again or not if I knew, but I really don’t know. I believe he’s living fairly decent now, and I hope he can stay with me for a few days.

Was just issued two bottles of beer, but better save them for some other time.

I guess this is all I can think of this time. I’m feeling fine, and not being overworked, and I think I’ve added a pound or two in the last three weeks.

Until the next time.

Love,

8 July 1945

Dear Folks:

Wanted to write you a long letter last night but some fireworks started and the lights were turned off so I didn’t get all said I wanted to.

The mailman brought me three letters today, one from each of you and from Pat Moss. In Mom’s letter was the pictures and the clipping about Jim’s marriage. Nancy looks very sweet and innocent in her formal. I’m sure I’ll be as proud of her as you are. I’m looking forward to having her in [University of] Nebraska next fall. That’s quite a bridge behind Mom. I guess it’s more than a bridge. Dad doesn’t look like he’s getting older as far as I can see. Gramp looks very poor and Phil so husky and filled out. I’m pretty thin right now and everyone tells me about it, but I feel alright, but get a little nervous doing paperwork all the time. Maybe you can fatten me up a little. I think I weigh about 130 [pounds] – [a] little more than I did when I came in, but I think I’ll look better when I get off this island.

I don’t know what has happened to the magazines and packages you sent. Only one Free Press has arrived. The Reader’s Digest makes it pretty regular though.

You guys think I might not want to do much talking when I get back, but I think I will, or at least I think I will. But a lot of people wouldn’t really know what you were talking about and I’d get tired of them quick.

Haven’t received the letter from Carol. I hope I can get back to see them get married.

Boy the house must be a very nice place with all the redecorating you are doing. I bet you are doing it because you’re expecting somebody home.

Dick is alright and is still on the island and I should see him soon.

Love,

7 July 1945

Dear Folks:

Kind of late to be writing but I’m feeling kind of fidgety and restless while waiting to go to bed. Kind of a tiring day, so darn much paperwork it seems, but a shower brightened me up a little. It seems like the guys can always rig up a shower no matter how scarce materials are. Gas drums and a few pieces of gas pipe make up the installation.

A few nights ago I saw the show “Mrs. Parkington”. I thought it was very good. As yet we don’t have movies in our own area but it shouldn’t be long until we do. Wasn’t able to get done in time tonight or I would have gone. The hot rainless days continue seeming to weigh you down by the sultry heat, but the nights are pretty decent although some nights I don’t cover up until pretty late in the morning. Last night a few Japs around kept me awake, machine guns, and flares going off. Don’t think I’m in much danger because it isn’t as bad as it sounds. Really what it turns out to be is more of a sideshow for many of us. Last night a Jap got caught in a flare in the middle of a road junction and he was a gone pigeon before he could get away. Anyway, about one o’clock I finally got to sleep. Then this morning two or three Japs were cornered in a cane field and I sat on a bank watching the guys surround it and toss in grenades. Working in the office I don’t go on patrol but sometimes when things happen close I can get a spectator’s look.

Well tomorrow is another Sunday and I hope we can get a chaplain for services. Probably we will. How I’d like to sit in St. Andrews in Scottsbluff and be in a quiet, real church. I wished you could have seen the Episcopal Cathedral in Honolulu. It was certainly beautiful. For a long time after I left Oahu, the church sent me their publications and on Saipan I received two invitations to dances. I wasn’t able to attend [ha].

Dick and I haven’t been able to get together again but I’m sure we can have a few together soon. I don’t know where Duane is but probably he’ll show up one of these days. I told Dick about the newspaper article about meeting Duane and he laughed plenty and said it was a lot of beans.

It’s almost nine o’clock and I have another letter to write so I better stop. My getting home continues to look good and of course now knowing I can get out, it is hard on the patience. But I can hold out a little longer after so long. All I can think in our postwar plans is getting back to school.

Well au revoir.

Love,

3 July 1945

Dear Folks:

Plan to go to the show after supper so maybe I better scratch out a letter before chow. When I returned this afternoon found a letter from Mom waiting for me – a good one too.

I’m glad you like the idea of my going back to school and I’ve made up my mind that will be my postwar plan, and still go in with Dick on his plan. I hope it is possible that I can get home this fall and begin after Christmas, and even get my old room back with Mrs. Davis. I’ll really go in for it. Keep praying it will happen.

You always tell me to be careful and you are right about snipers still being around but I assure you I don’t take any chances. As a matter of fact when we have an air raid or something happens, I’m always the one who wakes up first. But things are very quiet now and what few Japs that remain are being rapidly rounded up. I’ve seen too many guys get hurt when they didn’t need to.

I hope too that Phil will remain in the states for some time. I’ll bet Carol is all excited about getting married.

I’m glad General Stilwell took over – he seems to have a good reputation and the guys talk good about him.

It’s chow time and besides I’m out of any more news so I’ll let the big one I wrote last night excuse for this one.

Love,

3 June 1945

Dear Folks:

Early Sunday morning right now, so I decided to observe it in my own little way and write you a letter – a long one if the material will present itself.

This morning isn’t the customary sunshiny day like most Sunday mornings – but the sky is overcast and the ground like a cow barn in winter. This “midnight soil” the Japs used to fertilize the soil lends a fowl odor to the whole area and smells especially bad in tents. It got to raining so hard that we had to put up a pyramidal tent. We couldn’t bail our holes fast enough. But aside from the rain, the situation has been quiet for me. Apparently most of the Jap artillery has been knocked out for I haven’t heard a shell in a long time. I’m always afraid a Nip will try to sneak in the area but so far they haven’t and now that the campaign is so far along, I feel easier. I hear the boys at the front are going good now and General Hodge says that organized resistance is almost over. I’m sure you can feel easier about us.

Little mail lately but I hope the mailman comes back with an armload this afternoon. They go after mail every day no matter how bad the roads are – some days it’s quite a trip. No packages yet but some of the boys are receiving packages from March so I’m expecting mine soon.

I started out to write quite a letter but I’m about washed up already. Hope to go to church today if the chaplain can get through. I’m feeling fine and just hoping that before another operation, I can get home and Dick too.

Well, I guess this (is) all.

Love,

27 May 1945

Dear Folks:

This is a trying position to write a letter in – lying on a cot propped on one elbow.

Yesterday had three letters – two from Mom and one from Dad – one of Mom’s had the baccalaureate service in.

Probably you have been reading about the heavy rains here—if you can believe all of it—for it has been raining the last 4 days in torrential proportions. Some of the things that went on during the heaviest part of the rain should be worth a six page letter, but I’m too cramped a position and too low “morally” to do it. The first night it began about 4 in the morning. Feeling I was comparatively well protected, I turned over and went to sleep and woke up later to see the water about an inch from the bottom of my cot. So I got up and in a driving rain, cut a drainage ditch out of the hole. That eased the situation some but everything on the floor was soaked. Finally the rain kept driving down and soon everything I had was wet. And since then have had no opportunity to dry them out. Quite a number of the boys dug holes into the side of a bank, and as the water flowed over the side, the banks finally caved in, covering cots, etc. Kind of humorous in a miserable sort of way. The aid station was under four feet of water and early in the morning they were wading around moving out and trying to find lost equipment. Fortunately our office was comparatively dry, the only one that escaped. The morning after the big rain, I went (to) breakfast and saw a guy sleeping on some ration boxes. He was forced out of his overflowing hole. Remember the last thing you told me to do was not to get my feet wet. Well, tonight they are soaked but luckily my blankets are dry. I could say it looks like it’s clearing up but every time I do, it starts in again. Oh, to be a civilian again.

Last Thursday night was an exciting one. On that night the Japs attempted to bring in airborne troops but at the time I didn’t know it. There was the usual ach-ach-searchlights and I saw three shot down. The main thing I have to worry about is falling ach-ach fragments. I saw one Jap plane fly over and drop five eggs in a neat row.

I guess the road was so muddy the chaplain couldn’t get through. Anyway, there was no Protestant service.

Well, I want to dry out my feet a little and get organized for bed so I better cut short. I don’t have a cold – feel fine but pretty tired of the mud.

Love,

22 May 1945

Dear folks:

Two letters from the home front today—one from each of you so that deserves a letter from me.

I see Mom tried to figure points and I knew you would. Yes, I have more than the required 85 and I hope it means something.

Reading a newspaper clipping today it says that over three hundred thousand are to be released from the Pacific this year. We heard a lot of stuff but it’s a little early to see how it will work, but I can’t help but feel that eventually something good will come of it. Dick gets 5 points for his Purple Heart. A few fellows left from the battalion this morning for a furlough in the states and they came around and shook hands and said goodbye. It’s quite an occasion. They had their choice of taking a furlough or waiting for rotation and decided on the former.

I just took a bath in that shower I described to you last night and right now I feel good. The Jap artillery has considerably slackened off and that helps my nerves very much.

Last night the Japanese pulled another of their fanatical bonzai attacks for an hour and a half. Our artillery and naval ships laid down an unending hail of shells. There was a constant distant rumble. Often the ships sitting offshore use tracers, and you can easily follow their trajectory as they go high in the air and lob into Jap territory. At the same time they attempted another landing, and you could see our ship’s lights and flares showing up the beach like daylight. Jap barges were barely discernible from where I was, and I understand not a one of them got to shore. The fighting on the south end of the island must be a classic example of the fury, the slaughter and devastation that erupts from war. They say Noba is completely leveled and the stench of the dead is nauseating. With some two hundred thousand civilians cramped in the little area you can imagine the suffering and death that must be everywhere.

But my own situation continues favorable and less dangerous. I am fortunate to be behind the lines. Once in a while some infantrymen come over to listen to our radio and I notice a surprising number have graying hair.

The last few nights I have found something to do. I’ve been working crossword puzzles. I go over to the aid station where they have lights, and the evening goes very fast that way. As a matter of fact time seems to slip by very fast. It seems like I no more than get started in the day, before it’s over.

The rain hasn’t been bad lately as a matter of fact the weather has been good, although tonight the sky looks like a storm may be brewing.

I’m sure you don’t reread my letters any more than I do yours. Every time I get a free moment I pull one out and read over and over the letter and reread some parts I like. But I know how anxious you are and I worry sometimes that you may worry too much, but I’m sure if we can all stick it out for 6 or 9 months longer, all will come out alright. I keep your mail and save it for Dick.

I know last Sunday was Mother’s Day and I hope very much that you received my V-mail card.

Well it’s beginning to get dusk and I better make up my bed and get this letter off. I have to make my bed a special way so that cold won’t leak in.

So much for this time.

Love,

19 May 1945

Dear Folks:

I’ve missed writing you the last few days and for no good reason either so I better get busy. As a matter of fact things have been a little easier for me despite what radio reports you may be receiving about this fighting. For several days now no Jap shells have come over and of course that is a real relief. I must knock on wood though, they may start again any time.

Received the small package from Mrs. Conklin yesterday but the cards were ruined – all stuck together and wet. Wrote a short note to Dick a few days ago. I’m sure he is alright. Haven’t seen Duane Carroll since our visit some time ago – it’s pretty difficult right now to see each other.

Talk and rumors of discharge are now going around full blast. I suppose you have read about it. A few men flew back yesterday to be discharged but an insignificant number in relation to those eligible. I certainly hope the government will stand back of its statements and all that talk is not for the public. Being over here, it’s hard to get transportation and replacements so we feel that those men in the states, or not in combat have better chances. They say we will rotate you or discharge you if the military situation, etc. So don’t be looking for me back very soon.

Well tomorrow is Sunday and I hope the chaplain can make it. I received the prayer book. I already had one that this chaplain gave me.

The weather lately has been beautiful with occasional light showers and the island looks green and fertile.

I cut this page from Yank magazine. The woman looks typical of many of the old people so bent over and wrinkled.

Kind of short, but want to let you know I’m alright. I think the campaign won’t last too much longer although the fighting is still bitter.

Love,

10 May 1945

Dear Folks:

Just after dinner I received two letters, one from each of you and now while I can take some time off this afternoon, perhaps I can take time to write a better letter. It’s a hot sun shiny day and now I have my shirt off. But when the sun goes behind a cloud, it cools off quickly. And the past two days have given the ground a good drying, making it much easier to move around.

You didn’t think much of your Nurses Aide picture but I think it’s alright, only it’s not so clear. At first I didn’t think so much of your idea of taking the training but now I feel proud that you are doing it. It makes me feel that you sense the war personally and want to do something about it. And you look young, more like a young girl.

Haven’t seen Dick lately but he is located quite a ways from me and it’s not easy, especially at this time to make connections. However I assure you he is having it easy, and is in little danger, and that is the straight stuff. Last night Jap planes were having a look around but I didn’t bother to take much interest, only when they get too close, or our own flak might fall on us do I get up. Most of the big air battles you read about, I can’t see, for they go on away from the island where our own planes won’t get hit by our ack-ack. The airmen are certainly getting a work out and I think they are doing a great job. I wished you could see and hear the Navy planes dive on Jap positions and let go with their rockets. The rockets make loud swush and explode with great concussion.

Speaking about Dick, I have gathered some plans for the postwar that I think are pretty good, but what I would like to have your opinion on. I haven’t spoken to him about them, but I’m anxious to tell him. As I’ve already told you my partner is acquainted with the fruit growing business and gets some expert advice from his father. Now he says I can buy good fruit land for $150 to $200 an acre, and I figured on getting ten acres. In addition to that we would need a small tractor and some spray equipment, plus cost of the trees. Now if I can raise enough money before the war is over I thought I would put down the capital and put Dick down there to tend it. According to Cliff it will be four years before the crop will begin to produce, but in the meantime he can grow a small bit of truck gardening to make some of the expenses. After five years he says a normal crop will yield from $2,500 to $3,000 in fruit. After the first starter there is little expense, as he says it takes little care to keep the orchard going. And Dick could also work for other people to offset some of the first year’s expense. He claims a good well kept orchard will bring from $12,000 to $15,000 in fifteen years. In the meantime I would take some other job and try to save to buy another little acreage. He is going to buy his dad’s 20 acres and build that up. His dad currently makes from $1,500 to $2,000 dollars on it, but it is less than half planted and doesn’t get the good care that the owner would give it. So I’ll have to see what I’ve got and what Dick’s got and try to work it out. I look at it as sort of an insurance policy – money invested now that will increase many times in a few years. He says that section is prosperous and the bare land is available, and he says his dad has had only one crop failure in 12 years. If perhaps when I got back I would go into your business and could gather some capital then he wants to go into a partnership and open a hardware store in the Rio Grande. We talked it all over, pro and con, for about three hours one night. If I don’t do something like this, I might spend the money normally without anything lasting. Well you ask what questions you may have and tell me what you think about it. I might even go back to school, no I couldn’t hardly do that. Well you talk it over.

I’m glad you think I can write a little and sometimes I feel like you that maybe I should consider it more carefully.

I think if I was in high school I wouldn’t vote for a South Seas theme for a banquet. Magazines and stories make the Pacific seem romantic (and) wonderful, and perhaps it is for a short time, but to me it means hot steaming islands with homely brown people running around. I wished you could have seen Eniwetok. I was there before I went to Saipan. It is a small atoll raising only a few feet from the water’s level. It is almost barren, and the sun beats down unmercifully on the white sand. It is hard to see from a distance, and seems to lie on the water level.

Well it’s getting around four-thirty and at five is chow, so I better plan on getting washed up a bit. After supper I intend to take a bath in the bucket, and put on some clean clothes and hope to get a good sleep tonight.

In the meantime I don’t want you to worry because before you know it I’ll be home, and then all these months will be forgotten and everything will be rosy again.

Love,