MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !! 🎄 +
TO ALL THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND PEACE: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
FROM: PACIFIC PARATROOPER!!
PLEASE! REMEMBER ALL THOSE THAT FOUGHT FOR US IN THE PAST…
THOSE THAT FIGHT FOR US TODAY…
AND FOR THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO WAIT PATIENTLY AT HOME…
ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY … I WISH YOU THE WARMTH AND PEACEFUL CONTENTMENT THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THIS SEASON !!!
Military Christmas Humor –
TO READ MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS POEM... CLICK HERE!!
NOW – DON’T WAKE ME UP TOO EARLY!!
Okinawa 1945
B-32 on Okinawa, 12 August 1945
When the fighting on Luzon concluded for the 11th Airborne Division, The Potsdam Conference sat to decide the border lines of Germany and Poland. The atomic bomb also received its final test. The results were sent to Pres. Truman.
Saturday, 11 August 1945, top secret orders were delivered to General Swing for the division to be prepared to move to Okinawa at any time. The division G-3, Colonel Quandt, called Colonel Pearson, “This is an Alert. Have your regiment [187th] ready to move out by air forty-eight hours from now.” Commanders throughout the 11th A/B had their men reassembled, even those on weekend passes had been found and brought back to camp. The lead elements left Luzon immediately. At 0630 hours on the 13th, trucks brought the 187th to Nichols and Nielson Fields for transport and they landed at 1645 hours that afternoon at Naha, Kadena and Yotan Fields on Okinawa. They would remain on the island for two weeks.
C-47’s of the 54th Troop Carrier Wing/5th Air Force
It would take the 54th Troop Carrier Wing two days to transport the 11th Airborne using 351 C-46s, 151 C-47s and 99 B-24s; with their bombs removed and crammed with troopers. The planes had carted 11,100 men; 1,161,000 pounds of equipment and 120 special-purpose jeeps for communication and supply. Eighty-six men remained on Luzon long enough to bring the 187th’s organizational equipment to Okinawa by ship.
Jeep trailers on Okinawa
Jeeps on Okinawa
Okinawa, as one of the islands being “beefed-up” with supplies, men and materiel, quickly became significantly congested; it is only 877 square miles. One day would be unbearably hot and the next would bring the heavy rains that created small rivers running passed their pup tents. The troopers were back to cooking their 10-in-1, ‘C’ or ‘K’ rations on squad cookers or eaten cold. A typhoon crossed the island and the men were forced to live on the sides of hills with their pup tents ballooning like parachutes and taking off in the wind. In the hills were numerous old Okinawa tombs that the Japanese troops had adapted into pillboxes and these helped to protect the men from the storms.
Okinawan cave in better weather
Swing was not certain how the enemy would take to him and the 187th regiment landing in Japan, so the men were ordered to be combat ready. Besides staying in shape, they spent many an hour listing to numerous lectures on the Japanese culture. The 187th regiment of the 11th Airborne Division would be the first troops to enter Japan, as conquerors, in 2000 years.
U.S. cemetery on Okinawa
Also, on 13 August, two ships, the Pennsylvania and the La Grange were hit by kamikaze carrier planes. All ships in Okinawa harbors were shipped out to ensure their safety. Although the Emperor was at this point demanding peace, the complicated arrangement of their government (Emperor, Premier, Cabinet, Privy Seal, etc. etc.) made it difficult for them to answer the Allies immediately. As Soviet forces, hovering at the 1.5 million mark, launched across Manchuria.
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Military Humor –
“Now that you mention it, it does sound like patter of rain on a tin roof” from: Willie & Joe (Bill Mauldin)
“Explain that maneuver to me, Johnson!”
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Farewell Salutes –
James J. Carney – Bradford, IL; US Nay, Korea, USS Midway
Walter A. Drusedum – Lansdale, PA; US Navy, Korea, photographer, USS Midway
Donald W. England – Indianapolis, IN; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army, 11th Airborne Division / Indiana Nat. Guard
Jim Gerakins – Mandeville, LA; US Navy, Vietnam, USS Midway, underwater demolition team, 2 Bronze Stars / USNR, Special Boat Unit 22
Paul A. Mata – Garden City, ID; US Air Force (Ret. 23 y.)
Beverly Paige – Harpswell, ME; US Navy, Iraq, Captain (Ret. 22 y.), PhD psychologist
Edward J. Parker – East Haven, CT; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army, 11th Airborne Division
Michael F. Stenftenagel – Ft. Worth, TX; US Air Force, Lt. Colonel (ret. 20 y.)
Albert C. Stroud Sr. – Island, KY; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army Air Corps, 11th Airborne Division, Japanese Occupation
Myron J. Weare – San Antonio, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division / US Army, Korea
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HERE COMES LUZON, P.I.
Gen. Joseph M. Swing. [on the reverse side, Smitty wrote “My General”
Gen. Eichelberger
24 January, General Swing issued Field Order Number 10 that specifically outlined their orders. To accomplish their task, 120 ships and landing craft would be used to transport the troops, equipment, ammo and replacements for the division up northward approximately 400 miles. They were now numbered 8,200 men, about six thousand short of a normal division.
Luzon was the most populated, the most highly developed and the most historical island in the archipelago. It was also a land of wild boars, birds, snakes, reptiles, feral dogs, tons of insects and an enemy hiding within the cogon grass at every turn; the plant had coarse spikes with “silky” hairs that made your skin feel as though hundreds of creatures crawled beneath it. There was always a threat of dengue fever; contracted from a mosquito and if left untreated resulted in bleeding and death. It was here that Smitty contracted a mild case of malaria, but quinine and stubbornness kept him out of the hospital. (He always said that he was one of the lucky ones, but I witnessed one relapse and cannot imagine what the unlucky ones had gone through.)
Rod Serling
Rod Serling, best known for his televisions shows, “Twilight Zone” and “Night Gallery,” was a Pvt. in the 11th A/B and would earn a Bronze Star.
Luzon, Japanese groupings 1945
Early in January, Japan’s General Yamashita pulled his Fourteenth Army (260,000 men) back off of Luzon’s beach to conserve them. He was aware of the forthcoming invasions of American troops.
27 January, the 11th airborne set sail for the island aboard the transport ships under the command of Admiral Fechteler. The LCIs were crowded and the men ate “10-1” rations (50 pounds of food, enough for ten men) during the cruise. The 188th landed at Lucena and secured the beachhead. Immediately following, the 187th Glider Regimental Combat Team landed to protect the south flank by making certain the enemy could make no approach from the Balayan Bay-Santiago Peninsula area and the 511th would jump on Tagatay Ridge. This was labeled Operation Mike VI; devised by generals Eichelberger and Swing and would be considered quite unusual by most traditional military planners.
Entering Luzon, Jan. 1945
All the troopers had been so well briefed on the terrain from aerial photographs and mock-up reliefs that upon their landing the area gave a feeling of deja vu. Once they were on land, they started down Highway 17 toward Tagatay. That journey would consist of approximately 30 miles of valleys, flat terrain of rice and cane fields, mountains and careful traversing along crests of ridges. The distance between Tagatay and Manila was about 37 miles, traveling passed Nichols Field before reaching Manila proper. (the main supply area for the Japanese troops) Manila was a crucial stop-off for the enemy on Guadalcanal, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
27-31 January, General Eichelberger wrote to his wife of the beauty in watching the large naval convoy and how much he marveled at their expertise. He also commented, “General Swing is a grand to deal with …” (Frankly, I do not know of one person to ever say something contrary about Swing). He also noted the navy’s ability to keep their sense of humor, that while aboard ship before the landing, he heard over the speaker system. “Sick call — all sick, lame and lazy report to the sick bay.”
31 January was known as X-Ray Day for those bombing Japan. In Luzon, the Japanese forces were basically divided into three groups. The Shobu Group, under the command of General Yamashita, totaled 152,000 men and in control of the northern part of the island. The Kembu Group under Major General Tsukada had 30,000 men and dominated the Clark’s field and Bataan peninsula area. The Shimbu Group was 80,000 strong and ruled over the southern half of the island under Lt. General Yokoyama. The Fuji Forces, named for Colonel Matsatoshi Fujishige, would be created later on. They numbered 8,500 men, but they were working with 5,000 troops of the Surface Raiding Base Force, a unit that consisted of 100 suicide boats, called Maru-ni and operated by another 100 men.
Luzon 1945
The US Sixth Army, under General Krueger, had landed on Luzon north of Manila before the 11th airborne division went ashore to the south. MacArthur became upset with the slow progress the 6th was making to retake control of the capital and told Gen. Eichelberger, “speed up your ‘palsey-walsey,’ Krueger doesn’t even radiate courage.” Ergo – a rivalry was born and a race between the Sixth and Eight Armies was underway.
The problem was, the 11th airborne had been given more than one priority to handle…
[I know we have the occasional relative of an 11th Airborne trooper visiting for information; so for those inquiring minds, the following events on Luzon can be followed at… https://pacificparatrooper.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/race-for-manila-begins/
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Jesse S. Alcon – Blanco, NM; US Navy, Vietnam, USS Midway & Jason
Richard A. Denny – Tucson, AZ; US Navy / NSA (Ret. 42 y.)
Jimmy F. De Witt – Augusta, KS; US Navy, USS Coral Sea & Midway
John D. Erb – Suring, WI; US Navy, USS Midway
Edwin C. Hosto – St. Charles, MO; US Navy, Korea, USS Midway
Robert E. Pierce – Portland, OR; USMC, Vietnam
Joseph A. Ribeiro – Holyoke, MA; US Navy, WWII, PTO
William Salstrom – Seattle, WA; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army, Korea
Robert R. Trudeau – Teaneck, NJ; US Army, Vietnam, “Chinook” pilot, 68/52/17th Aviation Group, KIA
James P. Watson – Oshkosh, WI; US Merchant Marines / US Army, WWII
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Letter XVI “Guard Duty” conclusion 🇺🇸
In the event that you missed the previous post, Cpl. Smith serving in the 11th Airborne during WWII, was attempting to visualize his first experience at standing guard duty in a combat zone to his mother in a letter.
At one point, the situation appears critical and the next – a comedy of errors. Nevertheless, this half of the letter describes his four-hour rest period and the following two hours of standing guard. Hope you stick around to see how he does.
***** ***** *****
Well, I won the bet and only yelled once and waited for the password. Again, minutes seemed like hours, suppose he didn’t hear me, should I yell again? Suppose it is another guard and he thinks I’m only kidding or it’s nothing but a swaying branch, what a mess, what do I do? All these thoughts flash thru your mind and you are about to get up and yell again, but it moves back — that’s a Jap. Without hesitation now, you pull the trigger and then in excitement, before you release your finger, you hear instead of one shot, three or more ring out.
Flash lights appear from nowhere as men come out anxiously looking about and trying to find out what the noise is about. In the dim rays of their lights, you find that what you thought was a hoard of Japs surrounding you is nothing or was nothing more than a dog or wild pig prowling about. You feel about the size of a ten cent piece, I sure did. Inwardly you are proud to note that what you aimed at in the darkness, you hit and that a few are even remarking about that wonderful feat. You aren’t even shaking anymore. In fact, you notice to your most pleasant surprise you are no longer afraid.
Soon tho, you are left alone again, but this time the loneliness isn’t so bad and you know that soon you will be relieved and another “first night” will come along and make the same mistakes you did.
As soon as your relief man comes along, you strut back to your tent feeling as proud as all hell knowing that you are a conqueror of the night and a tried and true veteran of the guard. You are supposed to get four hours of rest or sleep before going on for your second shift, but for some reason or another the time just flits away and just as you close your eyes in deep slumber — in walks the sergeant of the guard and out you go sleepily rubbing your eyes wondering how in the devil you are ever going to keep awake for the next two hours.
As you sit on the stump of a tree surveying what you have just fours hours ago mentally overcame, you begin to think of home. Now, thinking of home is alright in the daytime with a load of griping G.I.s around, but at night on a lonesome post, it is strictly out. Not only do you think of things you shouldn’t, but soon you are feeling sad and more lonely than ever knowing that no one cares and that the whole world is against you. Not only is this bad for you, it doesn’t even help to pass the time.
You turn your thoughts elsewhere trying next to figure out what the cooks will try to feed you tomorrow. Here again is a very poor time-passing thought as you know damn well they’ll feed you bully-beef in its most gruesome form. Soon your eyes feel heavy again and seem like they’re going to close and you wonder if it would be okay to light up a cigarette. Here again the book says what to do, but heck, as I said before, the guy who wrote it isn’t out here, so what does he know? You daringly light one up, trying desperately to shield the light and take a big, deep drag. I found that it isn’t the inhaling of the cigarette that keeps you awake, but the ever constant threat of being caught in the act. You look at your watch and find to your dismay that you still have an hour and forty-five minutes left to go.
Damn but the time sure does drag along. Wonder why it doesn’t speed up and pass on just as it does when you are off. Oh! Well, sit down again and hum a tune or two, maybe that will help. Gosh, sure wish someone would come along to talk. Ho-hum, lets see now. What will I do tomorrow on my time off? This last thought is sure to pass away in 15 to 20 minutes, but why it should, I don’t know. You know damn well that no matter what you may plan for tomorrow’s off-time, it will only be discarded and you will spend that time in bed asleep. Light up another cigarette, sweat it out, swear a little at the dragging time, hum another tune, think more about home, think of you and the army, swear good and plenty and after that thought — look at your watch.
Hey — what goes on here? — that damn relief is over a half-minute late — who does he think he is anyway? Swear. Brother how you are swearing and cursing now. Oh! Oh! There’s a light coming your wat — the relief. “Oh boy, sleep ahead.”
“So long bud, the whole damn post is yours. Take it easy, it ain’t too bad. Goodnite.” — And so ends your first night of guard duty as you wearily drag yourself to your bunk too damn tired to even undress.
Hey Mom, hope you enjoyed this as much as some of the others here did. Meant to send this off before now, but you know me.
Love, Everett
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Michael F. Blair – Collingswood, CAN; Royal Military College / RC Air Force, 101 Voodoo pilot
Jeffry H. Hilligoss – Sioux Falls, SD; US Air Force, Vietnam, Sgt.
Nobuo Izumi – Los Angeles, CA; US Army, WWII, ETO / US Air Force, Korea & Vietnam, Chief Master Sgt. (Ret. 20 y.)
Earl J. Mortenson (100) – Johnson, WI; US Army, Japanese Occupation
Benjamin G. Newman – Philadelphia, PA; US Navy, Vietnam, Capt., Medical Unit / USNR, Middle East operations, USS Bataan / Pentagon, Chief of Naval Operations
Donald E. Phillips – Racine, WI; US Navy, USS Midway / USNR
Earl A. Rodriguez – Los Angles, CA; US Army, Korea
Sanford G. Roy – Chattanooga, TN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, TSgt. # 14134581, Left Waist Gunner, 732BS/453BG/8th Air Force, KIA (Salzwedel, GER)
Ronald Thacker – Sheffield, ENG; RAF, Sgt., x-ray tech./ RC Air Force, aircraft mechanics, Colonel
John Tinniswood (112) – Southport, ENG; Royal Army, WWII, Pay Corps
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Letter XVI “Guard Duty” part one
“A Cold Watch”
15 January 1945, all of the 11th Airborne Division was on Bito Beach, Leyte, where they rested, re-organized, got re-equipped, re-trained and with a little time left over – they wrote letters home. Here starts Number 16 from Smitty….
Letter XVI Guard Duty 1/15/45
You have received many notes from me in the past that always seem to contain one line that went something like this, “Have to go on guard duty tonight ____.” Now in this letter I hope to be able to picture for you convincingly enough my first night on guard duty. Please remember, all through this letter, that this place at the time was threatened at ALL times by the Japs and never for one moment were we allowed to forget it — especially at night.
My first trick on guard was posted for the hours of 9 to 11pm with a four-hour sleep period before going on as second sentry relief. We were to be ready for immediate action. This was also the first time I had to stand guard with a loaded rifle, so instead of feeling safe and secure, it tends to make me that much more nervous and apprehensive.
At eight-forty-five sharp, we were called out, inspected and told the password and counter sign. We were then marched away, in a body, to our respective posts, told the special orders pertaining to that particular post and then left alone. The quick, short steps of the guard soon grow faint and they rapidly walk on until all you can hear is the beat of your heart.
As soon as I realized that I was alone and on my post, I tried vainly to pierce the darkness and see just where I was and what was around and near me. It generally takes from five to ten minutes before your eyes become accustomed to the darkness, but before that happens, I found out that your mind sees things and imagines most anything from a Jap standing or crouching down. You try to shake off the feeling, but damn it all — how can you?
After a while, you begin to see things in their true form and you notice that the standing Jap is nothing but a small palm tree and that sinister apparition is only some old debris or fallen tree. As these things unfolded before in their real form, I heaved a great sigh and relieved my tightened grip on my rifle. Boy! What a relief I thought and was just about to sling my rifle over my shoulder when suddenly I heard a noise.
I crouched down trying desperately this time to see what my ears had just heard, when again, I heard a faint sound — only this time it was in back of me or maybe on the side. All sorts of thoughts run rampant through your mind at this stage and mine were really running wild.
lonely out there
You try to remember things you were taught about for situations such as these, but at the time the lessons were given, they seemed boring and so you didn’t pay much attention. Now I wish I had listened and desperately tried to recall to mind what little I did hear. Seconds seemed liked hours, my legs were getting numb, but I was too damned scared to move a muscle for fear of giving away my position to whatever was around. “Where the hell is that man?” I thought to myself. Gosh, it sure was quiet and still that night. I even tried to stop breathing for fear it would be heard.
Suddenly, your eyes pick out a strange object that wasn’t there before, or so your memory tells you. You watch it for a while, then — oh, oh — it moves, sure as hell, it moved — there it goes again.
I could see it then, just an outline, but that was clear enough for me. I held my breath and at the same time brought my rifle up and aimed it. Now, I was in a mess. What if it was an American soldier out there or the next guard? The book covers this well, you remember it says, “Yell out, in a clear distinctive voice, HALT, at least three times.” That’s fine I thought, but dammit, the guy who wrote that isn’t out there with me now and I’d bet he wouldn’t yell “HALT” at least three times.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERY AMERICAN OUT THERE!
IF YOU LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY – THEN YOU HAVE PLENTY TO BE THANKFUL FOR TOO!
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Military Humor –
duty roster
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Farewell Salutes –
James A. Cain – Mt. Pleasant, IA; USMC / US National Guard, training NCO
Edward G. Comingore Jr. – Fruit Heights, UT; US Navy, WWII, Lt., USS Midway, Coral Sea & Tripoli, pilot
Long May She Wave, courtesy of Dan Antion
Edgar R. Fox (101) – Chicago, IL; USMC, WWII, PTO / US Army, Korea, photographer, Bronze Star
Jocob Gutterman – NYC, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Pvt. # 12020741, 803rd Engineer Battalion, POW, KWC (Luzon, Camp # 1)
James M. Hogan – Price Hill, OH; US Army, 2ndLt.
Carlton C. Holcombe – Villa Rica, GA; US Merchant Marines/US Army, WWII, APO (Alaska)
Yuen Hop – Sebastopol, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, SSgt. # 39137797, B-17G waist gunner, 368BS/306BG/8th Air Force, POW, KWC (Bingen, GER)
Dorothy F. Jones (103) – Rock Hill, SC; US Navy WAVE, WWII, PTO / Civilian, Veteran’s Administration
George C. Murphy – Bucyrus, KS; USMC, WWII & Korea, 2 Purple Hearts
Bret L. Sukert – Port Townsend, WA; US Army
Charles H. Woolery – Ashland, KY; US Navy, USS Enterprise / TV host & actor
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Letter XV “LANDING”
Letter XV Landing Somewhere in the Philippines
Dear Mom,
We landed here in the Philippines yesterday morn, but before leaving the ship, the Japs treated us with their honorable (?) presence in the form of bombing planes. Shore batteries kept hammering at them in the gloom of a misty a.m. and the tracer’s bullets reaching up to the planes made a very pretty but gruesome sight. The way those tracer shells can pick out the planes you would think that they had a score to settle and just can’t wait to even it.
We landed finally on the beach, being taken to it in those much touted and not highly praised enough landing boats. How boats can ground themselves on land the way they do and still get off again unscratched is really a marvel. Those boys who handle them also deserve a lot of credit and, as Winchell would say, “A great big orchid is due.”
The natives here were real friendly and helpful in a dozen different ways. They ran up to the landing boats as soon as the bow of the boat sunk its bottom into the beach and helped us carry off our burdensome equipment. It reminded me of Penn or Grand Central Stations with porters running helter-skelter all over the place. The only thing missing to make the picture complete were the tell-tale red caps on their heads.
It wasn’t long after landing that we were organized into work groups and sent off to our chores. Work kept on until we were hours into the night despite the fact that again, Jap planes came over. I am happy to report that they will not be able to do so again, that is – not the same ones.
November 1944: Two Coast Guard-manned landing ships open their jaws as U.S. soldiers line up to build sandbag piers out to the ramps, on Leyte island, Philippines. (AP Photo)
During the day we were handed K-rations for our dinner and after the excellent food we had aboard ship, they sure tasted like hell. Just before dark last night, we were allowed a few moments to ourselves and at once set to work getting our tents erected. Here again, the native men came in handy helping us to either put up the tents or dig our slit trenches. Of course they don’t do any of this work for nothing, but for items such as undershirts, trousers, soap or most anything in the line of clothing.
I will write more about the people in a later chapter. After all, you can’t do well to write about them on so short an acquaintance. Right now we are busy setting up a camp decent enough to live in. Having a few minutes to spare in between tents. I thought I’d write this down before it completely slipped my unretentive and feeble brain. There goes the whistle calling us back to work now, so until the next ten minute rest period, I’ll close with loads of love and car loads of kisses,
Love, Everett
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
“Damn fine road, men!”
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Farewell Salutes –
Louis R. Adams – Commerce, GA; US Navy, Rocketdyne Engine Tech. / Lockheed; McDonnell-Douglas
Bernard J. Calvi – North Adam, MA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Pfc. #11017556, 17PS/24th Pursuit Group, POW, KWC (Luzon Camp# 1)
Robert Hopperton – Berea, OH; US Navy, Lt.JG, USS Graffias, cargo officer
David E. Kelly Jr. – Burlington, WI; US Army, Vietnam & 1st Gulf War, Sgt. Major (Ret. 27 y.)
Gordon N. Larson – Seattle, WA; US Army, WWII, PTO, Pfc. # 19030403, Bat.B/59th Coastal Infantry, POW, KWC (Luzon, Camp # 1)
John L. Lester Jr. – Vienna, VA; US Army, Vietnam, 101st Airborne Division
Ralph L. Mourer – Denver, CO; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, SSgt. # 37341296, 732BS/453BG/2BW/2nd Air Division/8th Air Force, B-24H radio operator, KIA (Salzwedel, GER)
James W. Swartz – Webberville, MI; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Sgt. # 6913111, 17PS/24 Pursuit Group, POW, KWC (Luzon Camp # 1)
Alexander “Russ” Telfer Jr. – Citrus Springs, FL; US Navy, Petty Officer 2nd Class, boiler tech., USS Kearsarge & Midway
Herber R. Worley – Bell, CA; US Army, WWII, PTO, Pvt. # 19057074, 1/31st Infantry Division, Bronze Star, POW, KWC (Luzon Camp # 1)
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VETERANS DAY 2024
Official Poster for Veterans’ Day 2024
Armistice Day
| 1918 |
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To express one veteran’s view of what this day means to him…
William L Shade, LTC, USA Retired
There is a conventional story we all learned in school which we celebrate the day World War I which ended at 11 AM on the 11th day of the 11th Month of 1918. One hundred plus years ago. Unfortunately, the soldiers on both sides did not relief as over 1100 Soldiers and Marines died that day with Henry Gunther a man of German descent, from a heavily German neighborhood in East Baltimore given the somewhat dubious recognition of being the last American killed at 10:59 AM. While I earlier indicated that the war was over, it was only over on the Western Front which was fought between Germany and the combined forces of Britain, France, the United States. Everywhere else, the fighting continued. On a lighter note, WWI was when the introduction of Daylight Savings Time originated, Wristwatches were adopted over pocket watches, Blood banks created, Trench coats created, to name a few of many.
Originally the day was celebrated as Armistice Day. On the first observation of this day, President Woodrow Wilson addressed the nation. Reflecting on the final paragraph which reads:
William L. Shade, LTC (Ret.)
“To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.”
On June 4, 1926, the congress requested the president issue annual proclamations calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. A congressional act in 1938 made November 11 a legal holiday.
In 1945 a WW II veteran Raymond Weeks from Birmingham, Alabama had the idea to expand to celebrate all veterans not just those who died in WW I. Weeks was honored with the Presidential Citizenship Medal in 1982 as the driving force and is generally recognized as the “Father of Veterans Day.” I challenge all of you consider the sleight of hand made here. We went from honoring the dead to all veterans who served. Fear not we moved honoring the dead to Memorial Day which had previously been Decoration Day whose birth was because of the Civil War. I wonder if any who served were part of the decision process?
As a member of several service organizations, I get several messages, letters and brochures telling me that I can get a meal here or there, a discount here or there or other equal benefits. On one hand I find this nice but on the other I wonder. Armistice Day was sacred because it was intended to evoke memories of fear, pain, and the suffering especially of those left behind. In short, it was hallowed because it was supposed to protect us from future wars.
As a young man, I remember that one aspect of the day was the wearing of a Red Poppy. For those of you unfamiliar with the Red Poppy it was observed and worn by our countrymen for many years to recognize those who have fallen. Always leading up to and on Armistice Day. It started because a Canadian Lieutenant Colonel, John McCrae noted that Poppies grew across the graves of the fallen. He pinned a poem to foster the wear of the poppy to honor the dead.
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For fellow blogger, Don Forrester, whose twin brother, Ronnie, was MIA in Vietnam and recently brought home for burial by the DPAA…
AND…
https://www.dvidshub.net/audio/83304/missing-and-not-forgotten-ep-6-marine-capt-ronald-forrester-1-3
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Farewell Salutes –
James P. Boyd – London, TX; US Army, Vietnam, Pfc. # 54374545, Batt. A/2/5/II Field Force, KIA (Binh Duong, SV)
Neelis W, Braud – Gonzales, LA; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army
William Colby – Minneapolis, MN; US Army, Korea, Cpl. # 17264900, Co D/1/32/7th Infantry Division, KIA (Chosin Reservoir, NK)
Basil M. Cook – Hinton, WV; US Army, WWII, ETO, Pfc. # 35777225, driver, M-4 Sherman Tank, Co H/3/32/3rd Armored Division, KIA (Hüchein, GER)
Howard Godwin Jr. – Grafton, WV; US Army, Korea, Cpl. 3 13268793, Co A/1/34/24th Infantry Division, KIA (Taejon, SK)
Frederick Jones – Try, NY; USMC / US Army
Leonard S. Kimmel Sr. – Frederick, MD; US Army, Korea & Vietnam, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Sgt. (Ret 24 y.)
Wallace Simmons Jr. – Indianapolis, IN; US Army, Korea, MSgt., # 35569696, HQ/57 FA Battalion/7th Infantry Division, KIA (Chosin Reservoir, NK)
Ernest H. Ulrich – Jefferson County, TX; US Army, WWII, PTO, Cpl. # 38054475, Medical Dept./Coast Artillery, KIA (Luzon)
THEY SERVED TOO !!!
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Letter XIV “On The Move (again)”
Letter XIV “On the Move” (again)
Dear Mom, We have been at sea now for three days heading toward someplace the Land and the great white father in Washington only knows.
As I sit here writing this, I just can’t help but feel like a very small insignificant part of something so vast that the mind can’t in any way begin to comprehend what it is all about. Here I am on a ship heading out to something, someplace, and it was all planned probably months ago, miles and miles away from anywheres near here. Suddenly it all takes form. Transports and other ships stream into the harbor and just as quickly and quietly we are made loose and moving out. It all happens so fast and so smoothly that you can’t help but admire it all.
Of course, as serious as it all is, the army just can’t help but be the cause of many amusing incidents. When we first landed in New Guinea we got lost looking for our camp and coming down to the boats, the trucks again got lost and so we had to travel up and down the beach until finally, instead of us finding the boats — the boats found us. Climbing up the gangplank with our packs and duffel bags always provide an amusing incident or two, but at the time seem pretty damn dangerous.
On board ship, we are once again packed in like sardines down in the hold. Once shown our bunk, we proceed at once to get rid of our equipment and dash up on deck to pick out some spot where we can spend the night, It isn’t long after this that the details are handed out — and so — what could have been a very pleasant voyage soon turns out to be anything else but. I was lucky in that I was handed a detail that only worked for an hour each day, but the poor guys that hit the broom detail were at it all day long. All we could hear, all day long, over the speaker system was: “Army broom detail, moping and brooms, clean sweep down forward aft, all decks.” They kept it up all the time until soon one of the fellas made up a little ditty about it and sang it every time we saw a broom coming down the deck.
LSTs unload at Leyte
The food was excellent and really worth talking about. On the first trip coming over from the states, we dreaded the thought of eating, but on this ship, it was more than a welcome thought. Generally, when you go to a movie there are news reel pictures of convoys of ships and the men aboard. They always try to show you a few playing cards or joking and say that this is how the boys relieve the tension they are under. Well, I don’t know about the seriousness of the situation was anything like what the news reels portray.
Of course, it was a strange sight to see the boys at night line up at the side scanning the sky and distant horizon. This was generally though at night and early dawn. What we expected to see, I don’t know and what our reaction would be, if we did see something — I hesitate to predict. It won’t be long after this letter is written that we will land or at least sight our destination, so wishing to be wide-awake when we do, I’ll close this letter now and hit the hay hoping I sleep an uninterrupted sleep.
Till next time, “Good night and pleasant dreams.”
Love, Everett
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When the 11th airborne landed at Bito Beach, Leyte, they immediately began to unload the ships. The troopers worked around the clock, even as the tail end of the convoy was being attacked by Zeros. (The Japanese did have other planes, but the G.I.s tended to call them all Zeros.) The beach gradually became an ammo dump as Bito Beach was surrounded by water on three sides and a swamp covered the fourth, it was technically an island and therefore they were unable to move the crates out until the engineers built them some bridges. Throughout all this, air raids were being called which impeded progress all the more.
19 November 1944 – a kamikaze sank one of the transport ships only 1,500 yards offshore. It was left where it sank, sticking partway out of the water. The men used it as a sight to adjust the artillery aimed at the sea.
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Military Humor – 
Scrubbing the decks
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Farewell Salutes –
Wayne K. Barton – Saratoga Springs, NY; USMC / US Army National Guard
WWII Soldier Playing Taps With Flag Horizon. Two other soldiers are saluting.
Thomas F. Durkin (101) – Staten Island, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-24 pilot / Korea & Vietnam, (Ret. 20 y.)
John R. Fells (102) – Norwich, CT; US Army Air Corps, WWII / US Merchant Marines / US Army, Korea
John B. Giron – Trinidad, CO; US Navy, USS Kearsarge & Midway
Lloyd Johnson III – Washington, GA; USMC, Captain
John Keener – Boulder City, NV; US Navy, WWII, Korea & Vietnam, Commander (Ret. 29 y.)
Robert B. Ponsford – Torrance, CA; US Army, Afghanistan, Sgt.
Steven D. Sigala – Salinas, CA; US Navy, Vietnam, USS Midway
Thomas J. Slane – Phoenix Park, PA; USMC, Korea & Vietnam / USS Midway, 1st LT (Ret. 21 y.)
Samuel G. Tiller Jr. – NJ; US Army, Korea & Vietnam, Sgt. (Ret 21 y.)
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Letter XIII “LATRINES”
Back in the states, people were still dancing to the tunes of The Dorsey Brothers, Count Basie and Artie Shaw. They listened to the songs of Doris Day, the Andrew Sisters, Lena Horne and Rosemary Clooney. But, some others weren’t so lucky, in the army there was always latrine duty, as depicted in the following letter from Smitty.
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Letter XIII Latrines Wednesday 9/5/44
Dear Mom,
Many are the times you have heard me refer to the latrines. Never before had I any conception or realized the amount of genius and mathematical figuring that was necessary for the building of one of these casual looking comfort stations.
Yesterday I had the dubious honor of being selected, with four other disgruntled G.I.s, to labor on a detail whose sole aim and mission was the digging and building of a latrine. It seems that in order to get a latrine built correctly there also has to be present a lieutenant and a hard to please sergeant. Their presence is essential due to the fact that if they weren’t around, it would never get built, no less started and to supervise the completion and finesse details of the finer points necessary for sanitation and the comfort of the men. You can most generally find these two worthy in some far off spot, away from all the work.
The ol’ slit trench
To begin with, a place is chosen suitable for a latrine, generally about a half mile from the nearest inhabitant and well hidden in the brush and woods. This is done for the very simple reason that it affords the stricken G.I. a chance to brush up on his long forgotten tracking and compass reading lessons, also the hike involved tends to make up for the many he has missed.
You wait then while the Lt., in a very business-like manner, marks out the length and width desired. When finished, he gives you a short speech on the importance of the detail and the time limit allotted, ending with: “Good digging fellows. I know you can do it, as you are the picked men!”
You pick up your shovels and picks and gloomily get to work. First, the picks are put into play loosening up the stubborn ground. Then, the shovels get to work removing the loose dirt, making sure to pile it evenly around the hole. This procedure is followed until finally you have now a hole six feet long by five feet in width with a depth ranging anywheres from six to eight feet. Try as you may to dig less than six feet, the sergeant always has a ruler handy which he guards with his life. One would think that a latrine hole that size would last forever, but as I found out, in the army — they don’t.
conventional pit latrine
Next step is to lower into this hole oil drums whose both ends have been removed. This end cutting process is something foreign to us as they had another detail doing that the day before. I understand though that it is a highly skilled job in that keeping the ax blades from chipping is quite a problem. These drums, once lowered and set side by side, draws to a close the crude laborious end of the job.
Boards, saws, hammers and nails now appear along with some overbearing would-be carpenters. They proceed to build a coffin-like box which looks more like anything else but a box. This affair, when finished, is fitted over the hole, covering completely the hole and part of the piles of loose dirt spread around the outer fringe. This type of latrine box is called the settee type. It is very comfortable to sit on if rough boarding isn’t employed. When the box is completed to the satisfaction and sitting height comfort of all present, holes are then cut in the top. These holes are oval in shape, but of different width and shapes. The rear end of a G.I.’s anatomy, I’ve found, has many varied shapes and sizes.
The next thing to put in an appearance is the latrine blind and screen. This is very simple, although at times men have leaned back into it and got tangled up in the canvas, bringing it where the blind should be. While the blind is being put up on a long pipe, funnel-shaped at one end comes up and demands a lot of detailed attention. The height of this pipe, when set, is a trial and tribulation to all and never satisfies all who use it. This funneled affair is intended for what all funnels are. The directing of a stream of water.
US Army pail latrine
The Lt. and sergeant now come out of hiding, inspect it and proclaim it a job well done and worthy of their time and supervision, strutting off gaily chatting, leaving us to find our way alone, unguided and without a compass, back to our tents. We, in the building of this latrine were fortunate in that we only had to erect it once and it was the correct position. Generally, you dig three or four only to find out that it is out of line somehow with the next latrine a mile away.
Generals, colonels and majors all visit while you are at work. Their presence is also needed for the fact that when they are around, you stand at attention and in that way get a moment’s rest. The captain generally comes out to see how you are doing and always tells you to hurry it up as the boys back in camp are prancing around like young colts and doing weird dance steps all the while hoping that they can hold out until its completion.
When once finished and back in camp, you are kept busy giving the boys directions as to where it is and then have to listen to them gripe about the distance away from their tent the blame thing is. It is, I have found out, a thankless detail and one I intend missing the next time there is one to be built. There are of course different types of latrines as the illustrations show, but most of those are for troops on the move. Now, why they should say, ‘troops on the move’ I do not know, for certainly no matter whether in the latrines or on the way to it, you are most certainly moving.
Before any G.I. finds the latrine, the flies are already there. No latrine is a latrine until after a family or two moves in. They too are necessary in that without them as an annoying element, some men would never leave, others would fall asleep, while others would use it as an indefinite hiding place from some hike or detail. Latrines are also necessary for rumors. Until a good latrine is built, rumors around the camp lay dormant. Many new and strange acquaintances are made and the souls of many a man have been saved while sitting in this sanctuary place of appeasement.
No place in the army gets the care and attention of a latrine. Orderlies are assigned daily to see to its cleanliness. Medical inspections are twice a week, while on Saturdays it has to stand a general inspection. It is the haven of good-fellowship, conversations and a relief to all men in the end.
Hoping I have portrayed for you the army’s version of a rest station, I’ll close, as the flies in here are very annoying and the fellow standing and waiting for me to leave is going into a rage and walking up and down all the while eyeing me up and down as if to kill.
Ending this in a hasty departure and on the run, I am always,
Your son, Everett
[This letter, along with “Problems” and “Showers”, was published in “Soldiers Stories, Volume II”, compiled by the Miller Family.]
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Military Humor –
SMITTY’S ARTWORK
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Farewell Salutes –
Leroy Batt – Sidney, NE; US Navy, Vietnam, USS Midway & Kitty Hawk
Robert L. Cook Sr. – Aitkin, MN; US Navy, Japanese Occupation, boiler tender, USS Midway
William B. Dunbar – Fernandina Beach, FL; US Air Force, Korea, B-26 navigator-bombardier, Lt. Col. (Ret. 30 y.)
Flag going to half-staff, for firefighter KIA, courtesy of Dan Antion
Lindsay “Miley” Evans, CA; US Navy, Middle East, Lt. Comdr., Flight officer, Attack Squadron 130, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
Edgar R. Fox (101) – Springfield, MO; USMC, WWII, PTO, photographer / US Army, Korea, Bronze Star (Ret. 26 y.)
John Kinsel Sr. (107) – Lukachukai, AZ; USMC, WWII, PTO, Navajo Code Talker
Robin Noakes – Canby, OR; US Navy, USS Midway, Admiral’s chef, Search & Rescue team
Douglas E. Pond – Bryson, TX; US Army, Vietnam, Chaplain (Ret. 36 y.), 3-Bronze Stars
David Smith (100) – Bostwick, NE; US Navy, WWII, Corsair pilot, USS Midway
Robert G. Stammerjohn – Chicago, IL; US Navy, WWII, Korea & Vietnam, carrier pilot
Serena “Dug” Wileman – CA; US Navy, Middle East, Lt., pilot, Attack Squadron 130, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Letter XII “Problems”
True backpacking
The 11th Airborne Division, still in New Guinea and continuing to specialize their training – little do they know that they are coming closer and closer to their time for combat. Their commander, General Swing, awaits the word from General MacArthur.
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Letter XII ?? Problems ?? 0800 Sunday 9/3/44
Dear Mom, We will start off first with “Webster’s” definition of the word — problem. “A question for solution, and a proposition to be demonstrated.” This is all very true, only in the army, although it is demonstrated, it never turns out in a satisfactory solution.
For some unknown reason, the hint of a problem soon-to-be gets around long before it is ever officially announced. When once you hear about it, you begin to wonder just how you will get out of going and wonder if going on sick call will help. The best thing is to try to get on some detail, but generally, the details floating around loose at that time are of such a nature that going on the problem is much easier.
No one likes or cares for problems including the officers and non-coms, except maybe a few who are bucking and hope to show their leader that they have tactical and sure-fire P.F.C. abilities.
No matter how easy or simple the problem, you always have to carry around a load of unnecessary equipment. On the day set forth for the problem they put up a list of the stuff you are to take with you. After an hour or two spent trying to get everything into the pack, just big enough to hold a pair of socks, a tent, poles, rain gear, poncho, insect repellent and your toilet articles, you are pretty well tired out and lie down for a few minutes rest. You no sooner do that than the sergeant will come around with a revised list of equipment and again you unpack and re-pack. This goes on through the day until finally in utter despair you pick up your duffel bag and carry that on your back.
Finally the whistle blows. You hurriedly put on your pack, pick up your rifle and dash to fall in the formation forming outside. After standing there for 30 or 40 minutes, you realize that all your rushing was in vain and that you have a chance to untangle yourself from the pack harness and straighten it out. You no sooner start to do this than the order comes to pull out and get going.
While marching out, it suddenly dawns on you that a quick visit to the latrine would have helped, but is now impossible to get to. After walking for two hours, your pack feels like a ton and your five-pound rifle now weighs twenty. The heat is slowly getting you down and you begin to wonder, is it all worth it? Soon the Lt. comes prancing alongside of you and walking just as easy as falling off a log. He says a few words to you, such as, “Close it up.” “Keep in line” or “How you doing fella?” as he passes by. You wonder how the devil he can keep it up, until you take a good look at his pack. Many are the times when I wondered what would happen if I stuck a pin in it. Wonderful things these basketball bladders.
When finally you arrive at the next to last stop, the Lt. calls his men around him and proceeds to try and tell them what this problem is about and what we are supposed to do. We are all too tired to listen in the first place and in the second place — don’t give a damn. All this time you watch the Lt. and soon you realize that he didn’t much care for the problem and is probably just as annoyed as you.
When you finally hit the place where the problem is, confusion takes over and the problem is started. Orders are given and not carried out, cause generally the G.I. has been told before to do something else, so that by the time order is restored, all is in a worse shape than before. The Lt. takes out a map to try and locate himself and is only to find that the map he has is the one relating to last week’s problem. No matter, from then on, where the C.P. and assembly area were to be, now, wherever you are at that particular moment will become the C.P. and assembly area. If the rest of the company was fortunate enough to locate the right place — the hell with them — let them find us.
You are then assigned to different spots and told to dig in. Now, digging in calls for some thought. If you just dig a slit trench, it doesn’t call for much work, but you can always be seen and so you can’t sleep. But, if you dig a larger hole, called a foxhole, you can safely sleep away the night and also — the problem. Myself? I go for the foxhole on the slit trench side as it affords me the opportunity of sleeping in a horizontal position.
Soon the whistle blows announcing the end of the problem. You awaken to find that it is the next day and that once again you slept through the whole mess. Questions are asked as to who or what side won, did the enemy get through and a thousand and one others. Before leaving the place, you now have to shovel the dirt back into your hole, as leaving blank open holes around are dangerous to life and limb. When that is completed, you put your backpack back on and trudge your weary way back.
Upon arriving back in camp, critiques are held and then you find out what you were supposed to have learnt while you were out there. I have always been of the opinion that if critiques were held before going out, it would save us all a lot of trouble and also make going on the problem — unnecessary. Once back in your tent, you unpack and think that now you will lie down and have a little nap, only to find out that the detail you tried to get on in order to miss the problem has materialized and that you are to get up and get on it. Oh, weary bones, will they never have any rest?
Don’t give up, for after all, the war can’t last forever. One thing you can always count on though, problems are the pride and joy of the army and will continue on being as long as there is an army.
Hope I’ve confused you as much as we are. I’ll leave you as that damn detail has come up and so I’ll have to carry my weary body out and hope I last out the day.
Confused as all hell, Everett
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And training continued…….
New guinea, training
click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor – 
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Farewell Salutes –
Linwood “Stu” Allen (101) – Cherry Hill, NJ; USMC, WWII
Robert Fraser – Detroit, MI; US Navy, USS Midway / draftsman @ Hughes Aircraft
Salute to outgoing/incoming soldiers
Genevieve Jennings (101) – Owosso, MI; US Women’s Marine Corps, WWII
Gordon “Matt” Mathias – Allentown, PA; US Navy, USS Midway
Dorothy F. Parker (100) – Park Falls, WI, US Women’s Marine Corps, WWII, machinist’s mate
William Salstrom – Seattle, WA; US Merchant Marines, WWII / US Army, Korea
Bruce B. Thomas – Port Townsend, WA; US Air Force, Vietnam, Medic
John H. Tidman Jr. – Nashville, TN; US Navy, flight engineer, USS Midway, Essex & Oriskany
Robert G. Vegvary – brn: Geszt, HUNG; US Army, Vietnam, Major (Ret.), 1st & 5th Special Forces, 82nd Airborne Division, Bronze Star, Purple Heart
James P. Watson – Martinsburg, MO; US Merchant Marines / US Army, WWII
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Army problem training – looks like me in the morning (going in circles)
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Pacific Paratrooper 