I wish my dad had shared his letters with me before he died- but I know how painful the memories were for him.
Here is a letter for 3/4/43 after my dad's return from Guadalcanal (where one of his best friends was literally blown up all over him):
Dearl Folks
I received your letter No. 1 today and the nuts several days ago, both were very much appreciated.
At last I can tell you were I've been, we have just recently returned from Guadalcanal. My existence there is a very good thing to forget. I can't possibly tell you how good it is to be back in a peaceful quiet land, where the people are hospitable, there is plenty of good food, and the country side is beautiful.
It isn't my place to give advice, and I realize it must sound strange coming from me. I'm sure you are both wise enough to realize the truth of what I am about to say, but as a reminder- there are undoubtably times especially these days when you feel discouraged and discontented. Remember that you have friends and each other, as well as security, the necessities of life, and some luxuries. Have the sense to realize your good fortune. I envy you. There is more to be said but I don't wish to bore you.
I'm getting a 10 day furlough in a few days, it will be the next best thing to returning to the states. There is a great deal to be seen in this country so I believe I'll try to do a little traveling.
That's good news about the cigarette lighter, I really need one, can't understand why matches are so scarce.
Please send some snapshots of everybody as my walled and pictures were soaked so often that they are ruined.
Co. E 2nd Bn. 6th Marines
% Fleet Post Office
San Francisco Calif
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After guadalcanal, and treatment in Australia for malnutrition, wounds, malaria and jaundice, he asked for permission to transfer to the air corps- and he must have impressed someone, because they sent my dad to school, and he became a gunner. I found all the logs he kept, for his airplane. I'm so glad my children have this family history.
Here's the first letter I found- and which I was thrilled to have- since it is a record of what he did after he left the ground pounders:
6 September 1945
Dear Folks
At last the censorship has been lifted, notice how I absent mindedly started to write my name and address at the top of the page and I'll probably catch myself signing my full name and rank at the bottom.
I suppose you are curious to know just exactly what I've been up to since I left the states. Well here goes--Left North Island in San Diego Bay (where he retrained for the air corps) April 1st Easter Sunday evening, aboard the brand new carrier Bon Homme Richard, made a record speed run in spite of adverse weather conditions, had heavy seas almost all the way. Being in charge of the detail I was given the best quarters available to noncommissioned men and as a result had a very pleasant trip to Pearl Harbor our debarkation port. Naturally it was raining, no one was there to meet us, my men were scattered all over and I was running around trying to find enough men to correspond to the number of orders I had. Finally got squared away and proceeded to report to Marine Corps Air Station on Oahu where I loafed for one week awaiting further transfer. It took that long to find out where I belonged, the week there was pleasant enough though no liberty granted. Left there aboard a C-46, Curtis Commando, with forty men, bound for Majuro in the Marshalls (get the Atlas and magnifying glass out) via short stop at Johnston island for chow and fuel. IT was quite a long haul, about 12 1/2 hours. Johnston is no more than a speck on the ocean, nothing but blinding white coral and burning sun, no trees or vegetation, few gooney birds, harmless and amusing.
Arrived Majuro in the evening accompanied by rain of course, spent 10 days loafing until being assigned to a dive bomber squadron on the same island. This is the atoll that strives valiantly to live up to Hollywood dreams of a tropical paradise and has far more success than any other isle that I've seen. I've told you some about it and will tell you more at a later date. Operating from there we bombed the Jap held islands of Mille, Wotje, Maloelap, Jaliut. It was a gravey run due to the fact that all air opposition and the vast majority of A-A fire had been knocked out long before. While I was there we only had one man injured as a result of enemy fire. Not long after my arrival there I went to Engebi (near Enewetok) for one week to attend anti-sub school. That was when I said I was on detached duty, shortly after my birthday. That island was undoubtedly a beautiful place at one time, but devastation caused by naval shelling and bombing has left it without vegetation and it is now just a mound of coral like Johnston except that unlike Johnston which was untouched by war Engebi is scarred and ugly and a fine tribute to man's destructive capabilities. Hated to leave Majuro but the sqaudron broke up and as usual I had no choice in the matter. There I lived with some good men in a tent. Whenever we had fresh food we ate extremely well, in fact better than I have before or since while in the service. About the first of August some of us boarded a flying boat and went to Kwajalein, stayed there about four hours (we had a very low priority number) and finally got seats on a Douglas Skymaster, same kind of plane Tom flies, proceeded to Enewetok and then to Guam. The entire trip taking about 8 hours. I no longer think in terms of miles. Stayed over night at Guam and ran into some friends from my old squadron in Santa Barbara who had been bombing Japan. Left the next day for Ulithi to join this squadron and have been here since the first of last month except for one week spent in rest camp in Guam, told you about that. So now you have finally caught up with me.
At the present time we are still flying anti-sub patrol due to the fact that there are still about 20 Japanese subs unaccounted for, also still flying reconaissance over yap Island although our atoll commander has discussed surrender with them for the past two days. This atoll boasts 112 sq miles of excellent anchorage and was the fleet favorite until Leyte in the Phillipines was taken. Even now we always have about 200 or more merchant ships berthed here. My work here is not bad and not good. Last month I flew about 26 hours and the rest of the time was my own. Anti-sub patrols are very monotonous.
Right now its raining cats and dogs and has been for the last two days, in fact I think it is blowing up hurricane force. I don't mind because the heat is very oppresive here and anything is a relief. I'm not the sun worshipper I thought I was, could use a little Calif coast fog for a week or two.
Well this is about all for now am just about to develop writer's cramp. Ask all the questions you want to in the next letter,
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I thought these letters were really interesting- if you have any interest in WWII I hope you enjoy them too. I dedicate them to the memory of my father, one of the greatest men I've ever known, and a man whose memory I will always treasure. |
