Okinawa description Archives

16 July 1945

Dear Folks:

I’m taking it easy this afternoon but can’t sleep much ‘cause it’s too hot, so maybe I can catch up on a few letters. Boy, it’s been hot the last couple of weeks and today it’s really warm, one of those prewar, stateside days when you went to the lake and swam and ate watermelon. Have had no opportunity to go swimming although the ocean looks cool and blue from the hills. At some spots in the hills there are beautiful views of the harbor and coastline, green near the beach and deep blue farther out. Looking down on this at night, it is a myriad of lights, like travelog pictures of Rio de Janiero. I know you would be amazed at the vast amount of construction and activity here. It seems almost a miracle to me how fast big machinery and installations go to work and how fast the landscape changes. Now we have broad three and four lane highways where before our trucks had to be tractor-towed to get through. When I returned to places I had seen earlier in the campaign I could hardly find my way around. The face of the island had been changed so much. In the villages and cities the civilians are picking through the rubble piles salvaging what they can so the mess can be cleaned up and bulldozed into a nice area. And in the fields the civilians are hoeing and harvesting what produce they can. I saw a big bunch yesterday and I noticed there was almost no guard around them. They seem cooperative and quiet.

I’m glad you wanted me to go to school because before I thought maybe you didn’t like the idea so well and thought perhaps I should do something else. I’m looking forward to it like everything.

Well the heat has deadened my stimulus for any more writing so I’ll call this good. Dad thought I might not want to talk of my experiences but as a matter of fact I am looking forward to telling you all about them. At least to you but I don’t know about other people. Well so long for now.

Love,

26 April 1945

Dear Dad:

It seemed such a treat to get your letter today that I thought I would address this one to you, even though you know it is for you both. Well a few minutes ago I finished typing the daily newssheet and have my lead arranged ready for the evening. Also for tonight we had a can of bacon leftover from our rations and I see my buddy has the stove out so we’ll probably have quite a treat tonight. That bacon in cans is very good stuff. This guy I bunk with I’ve known for a long time, and we have become close friends, although at times we use words on each other. He is from Kansas where his father has a large wheat and cattle ranch. He is very likeable and always cheerful, as a matter of fact he keeps my spirits up. He is married and I think I know about everything about his wife. His name is Cliff Blount just in case sometimes you may want to know.

On the island here there’s quite a number of horses and lately it has become the fad to get one of your own and ride him after supper. The battery looks more like a calvary outfit and often we have a short rodeo for a laugh. I did a little riding but I don’t go for it like some of these guys.

Your letter today was interesting and full of good comment. You are doing a good job and I know our absence has made both of us wiser and more appreciative although it worked more on me. I was glad you got my letter about being in Okinawa but know it will make you more anxious. It won’t last too long and then I’m sure we will have it easy for a while including shows and a little beer. Talking about horses and everything you probably can’t reconcile it with combat but there is the other side alright. About every evening the Japs start shelling and a shelling is nerve wracking but aside from the time one landed about 35 yards away, they haven’t been too close. Several men were only five or ten feet from the shell and came out unscratched so you can see the good of a foxhole. It doesn’t take you long to dig in. Haven’t seen Dick for a few days but hope he can stop by soon. He told me Diz Carroll had already had enough war. The reason the bonds sometimes arrive late is because they are sent only when we are paid and occasionally we can’t be paid every month.

I know you would like to see your business continued and especially to have one of us take. I know what it means to you regardless of what you say in your letters. I think we will keep it going and if Minatare can weather any decline after the war, I agree with you that it has many possibilities.

I think I wrote about Ernie Pyle’s death and it was a blow to everyone. Just when he was about to tell homefolks about the Pacific war. I’m sure the men in Europe will find the war here much different. No prisoners here, it’s dig them out and exterminate like cockroaches. I don’t mind if Mom puts my letter in the paper that I first wrote but I don’t think it is much of a letter. I was really not in a literary mood and could have made it much better.

Well it’s getting pretty dark and we are to do the bacon frying before dark so I better ring off for another time.

Love,

22 April 1945

Dear Folks:

In keeping with my promise to write often here is another letter. I was told today that a Red Cross message had been received, which was sent by you. I know how you must be worried and what a strain it is on you, much more so than you indicate in your letters. But I am really fine and feeling well and in little danger. I’m sure before the year is over I will be home then all this period of worry about me will be over. I can well imagine how you feel with Phil gone, but we’ll have to ride it out, and remember it is always darkest just before the dawn. So believe me Mom, I’m okeh.

Today was Sunday but it was noon before I realized it. I had intended to write a slug of letters today but something always came up to keep me from it. Getting the news each day for the paper takes some time and in addition I collect individual stories for the hometown papers. Anyway about four, I managed to get a bath such as it was, so now I feel pretty good. For dinner today we had steaks, yes, good fresh steaks. Some of the boys killed a cow and they did a good job in butchering and cooking it. We are eating from the kitchen which beats cooking your own rations.

They say the good souvenirs on this island are lacquer vases and dishes, supposed to be rare collector’s items. I hope I can manage to find some, although Dick and I resolved not to hunt military souvenirs as it is sometimes too dangerous and it’s getting too close to rotation to be taking any chances. In Dick’s jeep the other day, he already had a candry sword taken from a Jap they killed near his foxhole.

I rode through the civilian camp the other day and had a close look at the people. Almost all of them are really young or very old, the rest behind the Jap lines. The old people are sorry sights. Their skin is deep wrinkled, they are bent over, and they look all the worse for the black clothes they wear. They are unemotional although some bow low from the waist as though we were Jap gods or something. I guess they are cooperative and harmless. The young children smile and wave or laugh. Our troops hardly notice them and probably they will be better off than ever after it’s all over.

Well I’m going to amble over to the radio for awhile and hear a little music and shoot a little bull, then get ready to turn in.

So much for this time.

Love,

11 April 1945

Dear folks:

Just received two letters, one from each of you. The first since coming to Okinawa, and needless to say they were much awaited. And very recent too.

In reading the clippings I see Jack Conklin is home on furlough. I can imagine how he feels about getting back for a while. I’m always reading and hearing of guys going back but it never seems to happen to me. And the greater percent of those all have less service. But I’m hoping that after this operation some of us will be granted furloughs. But I almost hate to comment on it because everything is so changeable.

Here on the island it has begun to rain and when it rains the soil which is a heavy clay, sticks to feet and wheels like glue. This morning my shoes must have weighed at least ten pounds from the mud. And it’s slippery and cold. I almost froze last night but I have the situation remedied for tonight. Have seen quite a number of Okinawa civilians walking along the road, most of them seem very old or very young. I guess the rest are fighting us. Almost all wear black for mourning I believe over their fate. Whereas on Saipan I felt some compassion for them. I no longer feel the same about these people. An interesting item is that there are 30,000 more women than men. From what I have seen they seem docile and cooperative enough. Nights ring with the crack of artillery fire and naval shells and flares can be seen in all directions. From reading the papers you can gather more of the activity around here than I can tell you, but undoubtedly it will be a costly and no quarter fight. Our living conditions are very good considering we are in combat, and I assure you I will be as careful as is possible.

As some of the usual paperwork has slowed down, I have been writing a battalion newspaper and trying to catch the news as it comes from the radio. It takes some time but it makes it go faster.

This is all for this time and I should be able to write you fairly regularly.

Love,

7 April 1945

Dear Folks:

For the first time in the past several days I have some unused time on my hands and also the censor has permitted us to write about what has been happening to me, so there is two good reasons to write. I would like to make this a good long account so you could picture better just what this place is like, but I don’t feel like writing very much, so later perhaps I can explain things more fully (later). In the first place I’m on Okinawa in the Ryukus. Was expecting the same old things as in other Pacific Islands, that is coconut trees, cane fields, and hot sweating days. I was surprised to find it much different. The best way I can think to describe to you what the island is like is by comparing it to the City Park in Denver. From a rise or a hill the landscape looks like broad rolling lawns with green hedges patch working the scenery. Each family has about two acres for a farm and every inch of that two acres is carefully planted in neat little patches no bigger than your own garden. A little plot here has barley, while others have carrots, cabbages, onions, and some cane. Of course we’ve made good use of the fresh vegetables and it is no doubt at all to cook up an evening stew of cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, and lettuce. Everything is in miniature, and all in all the landscape is some of the best I have ever seen. Something else uncommon to anything else I’ve seen, is the tombs used by those people who believe in ancestor worship. The tombs are located on hillsides with a vault opening to the inside and with a small courtyard in the front. They are scattered all over, located near the farm of each family. They remind me of pictures I’ve seen of Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles.

And finally after quite a long time some cool weather, at least it seems very cool to us. I guess it seldom gets less than fifty at nights but it takes all I have to keep warm, and the days are hot, the hot humid tropical kind. But it’s invigorating and maybe it accounts for my feeling some better and eating. Well there is a brief description, but as time goes on, I’ll add more to it.

We came here from Leyte in the Philippines and the boat ride was rough, but plenty. In the past I couldn’t mention Leyte, only the Philippines. While on Leyte I visited Dulag, Tarragona, Albuera, Ormoc and Baybay among others. Perhaps you will remember Ormoc as the place where the Japs re-enforced. I guess that is enough about events.

I’m fine myself and feeling perfectly well, and I won’t take any chances I don’t have to, because having come this far I think perhaps the time won’t be too far off when I can see you. Very fortunately and thru the good judgment of our CO I have a cot, and it makes a world of difference. Well we’re cooking our own rations again, and it’s getting about time to warm up the stove. I see the cook has brought in and cleaned some carrots and has a big hunk of garlic.

I’ll write again soon and as often as possible.

Love,