Smitty ~ Letter VII ~ New Guinea
For a period of five months the 11th Airborne Division would receive jungle warfare and intensified combat unit ground training in the primitive land of jungles and mountains and thatched huts and the native population fondly called, Fuzzy Wuzzies. The Papua brigades and Allied forces, that fought in what constituted the Cartwheel Operations before the troopers arrived, made this landing possible.
The Dobodura area that the 11th A/B would make their home was inherited from the 5th Air Force. The first order of business was for the 408th Quartermaster trucks to deliver the pyramidal tents.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Letter VII Land 6/8/44
Dear Mom,
Well, here we are on the island of New Guinea. From what we can see if it so far, I know we’ll never go hungry as the coconut trees are as thick as a swarm of bees.
We started for our area in trucks after all the rumors said we’d walk and we “Oh!” and Ah’d” all throughout the trip. Not wanting to show the natives here how smart we are, the driver proceeded on his own when lo and behold — where were we? I don’t know, no one knows, so right away we all knew that wherever we were — that wasn’t where we were supposed to be.
Now, of course, we weren’t to blame, as after all, this is a strange and new place to us and they didn’t give us a Socony road map or a compass reading, so no matter — drive on — come what may. Of course, some large and strange appearing trees which grew in the road had different ideas and no matter how hard we hit them, they consistently set us back. How they ever managed to find a road to grow in is beyond me, but then they were here before us. Naturally, after the way they treated our truck, we gave them a wide berth, eventually leaving the road al together.
When after what seemed like hours, we finally found our area, much to the delight of the lower hind part of our anatomy. Then, our shoulders and backs had to haul our bags around until we found our tents. This was done very systematically: someone had the idea of first asking the captain just where we belonged and he proceeded to take us there. We could see at once that this place was no place for us and got right down to thinking up goldbricking alibis.
Work here is the main word we soon found out, and might I add we are all still trying to duck, but it seems that as soon as one finds a spot in the woods, oops I mean jungle, the tree-chopper-downers come along and there you are not only up to your neck in work, but also find out that now your haven is so exposed as to make it useless again as a hideout.
You might wonder what all this labor is about and also expect to find out in this chapter or letter, but no, it shall never be. I’m saving that for the next installment, which I’m sure you will be breathlessly awaiting. Regards to all.
Love, Your son, Everett
Click on images to enlarge.
#####################################################################################
Military Humor –
#####################################################################################
Farewell Salutes –
Robert Blagrove – NZ; RNZ Army # 64946, WWII, 24th Battalion, POW
Ernest Fowler – El Dorado, KS; USMC, WWII, PTO
Faustino Gonzalez – San Antonio, TX; US Army, Korea, 187th RCT
Paul Lemire – Sturgeon Falls, CAN; RC Air Force, Alouettes’ tail gunner
Warren Nelson – Lakota, SD; USMC, WWII, PTO, E/2/8th Marines, KIA (Tarawa)
Brian Rix – Cottingham, UK; RAF, WWII, ETO
Ivan Smith – Ft. Lauderdale, FL; US Coast Guard
Adam Thomas – Tacoma Park, MD; US Army, Afghanistan, SSgt., B/2/10th Special Forces Group, A/B, KIA
Martin ‘Skip’ Urso – Knoxville, TN; USMC; Vietnam, Bronze Star
Edward Zalewski – Jersey City, NJ; US Army, WWII, ETO
#####################################################################################
Posted on October 10, 2016, in Letters home, SMITTY, WWII and tagged 11th airborne, 1940's, Airborne, Army, family history, History, Military, Military History, New Guinea, WW2. Bookmark the permalink. 87 Comments.
Reblogged this on Letters Home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thank you very much.
LikeLike
Late to this one, but I wanted to add that the personal touch of those letters continues to be very inspiring.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know you were away, actually I’m surprised you got to this post so quickly, thanks, Pete. I appreciate you being so interested in this site.
LikeLike
You have such a nice way of balancing out the “news” of the day, the location, with the military pictures and reports and softening the war to include the humanity of it, like your Dad’s letters. Love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Cindy. That’s something dad taught me to do. Even in day-to-day life – try to find all sides to a story, argument, problem, etc. before making a decision. So I like to show as many of the sides to this war as is possible for me: the home front, personal stories, the death, the humor and the enemy’s points of view. I’m very happy you find the posts interesting!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy you fared quite well through the hurricane, GP. My son’s family evacuated from N. FL and thankfully found their home intact upon return. I forgot to tell you that I once (many years ago) got a job offer from the UN where I would have been stationed in Papua New Guinea. I did not take it as the situation there was very difficult, with curfew at 6 p.m.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s impressive! Do you regret not going?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, I don’t regret that I turned it down. I ended up staying two more years in Africa instead and the safety situation was much better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great to hear!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love his letters! So funny yet descriptive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smitty does get creative! Thanks for coming by!
LikeLike
Thank you lieber Freund….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t recall reading such clear first accounts like Smitty’s before, Navy and Air force yes, but not reading through the eyes of the man on the ground, an interesting reading gp, look forward to the rest of his tales.
Cheers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ian. That means a lot from you my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers mate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“the coconut trees are as thick as a swarm of bees.” I love the personality that comes through in the letter. Lots of humor in this one. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, and Smitty gets better as he goes along. I’m so glad you’re enjoying these!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you made it through the storm! Coconuts are good food, and I bet the men ended up eating all kinds of things they were not accustomed to at home. I am enjoying these letters from Smitty, and reading about what life was like from the viewpoint of the soldier.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dad taught me how to husk a coconut when I was a kid and drilling the eyes to drink the milk before cracking it open to get to the meat. Being so young at the time, I never realized that during the war, he probably opened a number of them! (stupid kid! haha)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here. I remember watching him drill out the eyes, and pouring the milk for us. Then cracking the nut! That was delicious coconut meat.
LikeLike
Wasn’t it?!! It tasted creamy.
LikeLike
I can’t remember if I mentioned before, but when I was a kid, one of the returned soldiers used to make us money boxes from coconut shells. He’d make a body from a large one, head from a smaller one, and join the two together. A slot in the head to put the money in, and a hole in the bottom for it to come out (covered with a criss-cross of timber). He’d paint them up, give them a face, attach coconut husk ears, and string bead earrings in them. Mine was a girl with a pink polka dot body.
LikeLiked by 2 people
No, you never mentioned that and I’m glad you brought this story to us now, with the discussions of coconuts going on! Thanks, Gwendoline!!
Found this on-line, a good example or no?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, glad I could add to the discussion. No, nothing like that at all. I might have to see if I can make a sketch, although I am not much at art work. It was like a doll, with a very human native face, and brightly painted all over. Only the texture of the husk remaining, not its colour. Probably enamel paint. They would have learnt to do them in PNG, maybe while in field hospital or some other down time. Although I can’t imagine if they were recuperating from malaria they would have had the energy to make them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m eager to see what you come up with!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi GP, Finally brought this little job up to my To-Do list i.e. the coconut money savings doll. Not sure if you can pick the picture up through the link to my draft post at the end of this comment. I can always email if you’d accept that way. I can’t draw so I had a go at doing something on the computer. This doesn’t represent the texture as the coconuts, although de-husked, would not be smooth. Also mine was much more decorated than this. I just can’t remember the detail beyond pink and polka dots. Anyway, as I said before, a small coconut for the head, with a slit in the top to put money in, then a larger coconut for the body. A hole in the bottom of that for the money to fall out when you untwisted the criss-cross timber. The ears were fashioned from carved coconut and glued on, decorated with bright dangling beaded ear-rings. Body parts such as arms were painted on to the larger coconut. I wish now I knew what happened to mine.
https://wordpress.com/post/garrulousgwendoline.wordpress.com/9535
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, I’m afraid it won’t show me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi GP. Sent now via that alternative. Thanks for the email address GP. As mentioned there, this is a very naïve depiction. I remembered overnight that each coconut shell must have had a slice taken off part of the circle, so that when the head when onto the body, there was still the hole left for the money to drop through. And I guess the soldier glued the two halves together. But it gives a broad idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can see what you’ve been talking about. Thank you for going to all that trouble, Gwen to bring it to me. And you still can’t think of what ever happened to it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No idea whatsoever. However there was a disruptive time in my life when many of my possessions were lost in the chaos. Or, it may simply have disintegrated 🙂 It was made around 1960, so I received it when I was about 5. It was one of several that he made. The odd thing is I have never seen another, nor anything like it, since that time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, and one final thought. The paint was a high gloss enamel, so the final object was bright and shiny. Not soaked into the coconut shell like some painted coconut objects I have seen on eBay.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Ancien Hippie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, Penny.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for writing a great blog
LikeLiked by 1 person
These wonderful people of that Greatest Generation did all the work – I’m just reporting their actions, but thank you very much.
LikeLike
Great letter to read.I’m happy storm is passing away without to bad things to you
LikeLike
Thank you for both statements, Mary Lou! I’m happy I have these letters and to have that storm go by.
LikeLike
A great letter. It is good to have these. I have one I will post soon about my uncle in Nth Africa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll look forward to reading it. My next door neighbor lived in No. Africa and has only the nicest things to say about the military she met there.
LikeLike
Nothing falling foul of the censor. He’s learning 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It doesn’t sound the sort of place you’d go by choice, and somehow, I can’t imagine either that in the short term, it’s going to get very much better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Luckily, with Mac saving the 11th A/B as a ‘secret weapon’ the Japanese knew nothing about, they not only spent this time staying in shape, but getting even more training – which all proves its worth in the long run.
LikeLike
Nice cliff hanger at the end there 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
And he’ll be back soon with another installment. Thanks for dropping in!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love it when I find another cynic~!
LikeLike
Sarcasm – just one more service I provide.
LikeLiked by 1 person
when I was that age. We would have got on well, I’m sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on quirkywritingcorner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much for your help in keeping these memories alive!!
LikeLike
Liked the letter. Thanks, GP. Glad the storm decided to spare you from the worst.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yup, that little wobble east did the trick. Thanks for your concern.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
A nice letter, and a great post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, Wyatt.
LikeLike
Another tale of wartime life for our military. Never realized they had so many trials beyond the physical war. Your were right when you told him they should be published. Might you do it now? Still a good idea to have them in book form as well as online.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did a first draft of 11th Airborne data and Smitty’s letters, etc. and called it “They Pay You More in the Paratroopers” because that was my father’s answer when I asked as a kid – why volunteer for that duty? Then I started this blog, and the rest is history (so to speak…).
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is the big picture, innit. So many…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it is. Thank you for mentioning it, Jacqui – you happen to be the only one to notice.
LikeLike
Love reading Smitty’s letters and his sense of humor. Great post and smiling at the humor section, again. Glad I don’t have to eat asphalt!
LikeLiked by 1 person
At first, Smitty was very bad at writing at all! He told me once that he was glad later on that he was ordered to do it. He said everyone hears about what the Red Cross does during trouble, but it was the Salvation Army that helped his mother out and got in touch with his commanding officer about writing home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am sure glad that he wrote and I bet that you treasure them. I have heard that the Salvation Army has done great things. Been hearing since 9/11 that the Red Cross is not so good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember Smitty saying that they didn’t really ever see the Red Cross, it was the packages to the POW’s that brought them the fame. And I sure do treasure these letters!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to know and bet they did love those pacages!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smitty never received one, but when the POWs were actually given the packages, I’m sure it was appreciated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It hard to express how much I enjoy these letters. Thank you and keep them coming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shall do just that, Greg!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
All the letters have been interesting, but this one is in a class by itself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Then you have a treat coming with the others later on! I think he got better as time went on.
LikeLike
What an incredible letter! He really was a wonderful writer, the way he creates suspense, uses humor, and evokes the scenery and tension of their location. Your grandmother must have enjoyed these letters. Good thing she saved them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I’m thrilled to have them. Since I was a kid and first found the scrapbook – I tried to get him to have them published, but he said no one would want to read them!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Letters like these are so valuable. I have a friend whose father wrote hundreds of letters home from Europe during WW2. My friend didn’t read them until after his father died and now wants to publish them eventually. That’s how we learn real history!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Every person sees things differently from the next person, so as many of these letters and recollections we can acquire – the better!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for Paul Lemire’s Farewell Salute.
LikeLike
Of course. Anytime!!
LikeLike
Glad to see you got through the storm without harm. I really enjoy these letters. I was thinking of my dad today, he was a mechanic on New Guinea for a while, and I was thinking of him getting a truck that had been used to knock over trees 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Uh-oh, was he one of the men Smitty was trying to shurk from? Dad always liked keeping busy, but I don’t think Lumberjack was something he was looking for.
LikeLiked by 1 person
From everything you’ve written, I think they would have gotten along pretty well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure they would have. This internet stuff came too late to pull off a meeting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful letter. They draw you straight into his world in an unexpected way.
So chatty. Look forward to reading more. All the best.
Chris.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank for reading, Chris!
LikeLike
These letters are precious. That humorous manner has a purpose to make everything look like a fun trip so that his mother didn’t worry. Between the lines, there is a great deal of gravity.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I thought you might catch Smitty’s underlining meanings. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never heard back from you GP…How did you fare with the Hurricane? All go OK?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite well. That wobble it took was just in time to keep most of the storm away from us!! Sorry i didn’t get back to you on it.
LikeLike
Thank you very much. You are too kind.
LikeLike
Pingback: The Weekly Headlines – My Daily Musing