Smitty, Still in Japan
No matter where he is or what he’s doing, Smitty will be seen touring the sights. In Japan, he also did his best to absorb the culture that surrounded him.
Inside the above brochure, Smitty wrote, “Right after we left this place, it burnt down. This was really a million dollar joint! Wow! The girls here, by the way, are very nice. I like these people much better than the Filipinos.” (Just to remind the reader, and in all fairness, Smitty had lost his best friend to a Filipino Japanese sympathizer (makipilli) with a grenade booby-trap in his cot)
In October 1945, General Pierson was transferred back home. He was replaced by General Shorty Soule who had commanded the 188th regiment in both training and combat. He was later promoted to assistant division commander of the 38th Division and at this point he began to head the Miyagi Task Force.
Hereafter, the troopers began to return to the States as they collected their “points” and the replacements that were arriving were not jump qualified. Gen. Swing established yet another jump school, the fourth one in the history of the 11th Airborne. This one was established at the former Japanese Air Corps base near Yanome; about 15 miles from Sendai.
Following through with his own requirements that all men in the division be both paratroopers and glidermen, Swing started a glider school in the summer of 1946 at Yamoto Air Base. [renamed Carolus Field, in honor of Cpl. Charles Carolus, killed in a glider crash near Manila 22 July 1945]
On the reverse side of the picture above, Smitty wrote, “a beauty of a flock of ducks were going by just as the jerk snapped the camera.”
The 187th Regiment, was by this time, now being called “Rakkasans” (umbrella men) by the Japanese, a name which stayed with them through four wars: WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm and the Operations of today.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Erwin Bentlage – Oneida, NY; US Navy, WWII, PTO, LCI-968
James Cooper – Lexington, KY; US Navy, WWII, Korea
Alex Dzialo – South Glastonburg, CT; US Army, WWII & Korea (Ret.)
Vasil Fisanick – North Cambria, PA; US Army, WWII, ETO, Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Robert Klein – NE; US Army, WWII, ETO, SSgt., German interpreter
Tommy Land Jr. – Chesapeake, VA; US Army, WWII, Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Warren McLain – Colorado Springs, CO; US Army, WWII, ETO, Infantry scout
George Parquette – Luverne, MN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 76th Tank Reg/11th Airborne Division
Harold Sears – Cabot, AR; US Army, Korea
Arthur Susi – Dublin, OH; USMC, WWII, PTO
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Posted on July 1, 2019, in First-hand Accounts, SMITTY, WWII and tagged Airborne, Army, family history, History, Japan, Military, Military History, Pacific War, Smitty, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 80 Comments.
Interesting that the name “Umbrella Men” stayed with those paratroopers through several wars. Nice to know that your dad enjoyed exploring while he was serving his country.
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Thank you, Bev. Yes, they are still the Rakkasans today!
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The things Smitty got to see, both good and bad, from that time period. I am sorry he lost his best friend that way. He was lucky to be on patrol that day.
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I was so sorry to hear about that too, but it was the only way he could try and explain why he was so concerned with out troops in Vietnam.
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I’ll take Smitty over Forrest GP any ol’ day! 🥰
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THANKS, Kara. Smitty was a very special person!
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The designer/architect of the Matsushima New Park Hotel was an European. By coincidence, he was the architect for now well-known Atomic Dome in Hiroshima… I am still so amazed Smitty (and now you) have taken so good care of these memorabilia…
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I wish that photo had come out clearer, but who ever took it must not have been in focus. That is great info you’ve included, I had no idea. It was an era we will never see again and I think Smitty knew that. He used to shrug things off, but I think those 3 1/2 years in the USAAC meant a great deal to him.
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Must of missed the post regarding Smitty losing his mate to a Japanese sympathizer.
enjoyed the post mate, and the cartoons.
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It was a long time ago, Ian. I had forgotten that I left that statement in, but it is true. They all had a ‘mamma-san’ who was making extra money, food, etc. for their families by cleaning up the tents. One day a man showed up and said his wife wasn’t feeling well and he would do her job …. the rest you know. Smitty, thank God, was out on patrol when the grenade in the cot booby trap went off.
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You are very lucky to have inherited your father’s memorabilia, GP. Photos, postcards, and brochures make your posts real and your tribute to your father and other war heroes all the more vivid. Thank you for sharing!
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It is my pleasure, Dolly. I used to try and get Dad to send his letters off to get published, but he always just shrugged it off. said, “No body would want to read what I wrote way back then.” If he only knew!!!!
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A humble hero, but you are doing a great job as a tribute to him!
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That means a lot to me.
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Being sincere
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I have written up some of my dad’s WWII experiences and am doing more as I can, but your blog inspired me to do a full time line of the Pacific War and where he was on his ship on various dates. Thanks!
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I feel honored that you’ve said that my friend!! Nothing can be better than paying respect to one’s father like that !!!!
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Amen.
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Well written! This actually reads like fiction until the photo of Smitty reminds one, this really happened. But that’s what makes it all the more memorable. 🙂
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Having grown up with reading my father’s scrapbook, personal stories of the era are like Gold to me!!
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As they should be, my friend. 🙂
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Smitty really got around. Great post, GP.
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When he lived on the island of Broad Channel, he really didn’t have any plans to travel, but once he got going……..
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Way to go, Smitty! 🙂
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Looking only at the images someone could think Smitty was on vacation there. 😉 I think the flock of ducks crossing the foto scene origins in their wish to get hired by USArmy. Lol Best wishes, Michael
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haha, that could be, but the Army just might have eaten them! It was a long time since anyone had duck for dinner.
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Think so too. A very fearless action, but because they want to become the mascots. Lol
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I can understand Smitty’s Filipino antipathy
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Thank you. He felt such apprehension for the troops that went to Vietnam, it seemed so similar to him.
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I’ll bet
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Great photos
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Thank you. They’re actually postcards Smitty picked up.
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Reblogged this on depolreablesunite.
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Thank you, Rick!
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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Thank you, John!
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You are welcome.
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Smitty must have enjoyed his stay in Japan. Touring another country is the best way to abosorb their culture and see how other people lives. It is the best education. Love the photos. I like “umbrella men”, aptly name for the paratroopers.
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He thought it was a nice place to visit, but to be honest with you, he always wanted to see Australia again.
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I’ve been to Japan in 1966 unexpectedly for two weeks and had a great time. I’ve never been to Australia although a friend of mine invited me years ago. I heard Australia is nice too. Now, I’m not going anywhere except a trip back to PI someday.
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I know you’ve been looking forward to that!
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I enjoyed the slide show….your father was one to make the most of any situation, by the look of things. Put him anywhere and he would be out and about exploring.
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You have him pegged, Helen! Nothing seemed to faze him.
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Reblogged this on Dave Loves History.
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Thank you, Dave!
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Thanks for the wonderful Smitty recollections, and tanks for the military humor!
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I’m certainly glad you liked them!!
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It’s good that he took the time to travel around Japan while he was there. Do you know how much of the country he was able to see?
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Being as he was on Gen. Swing’s staff, I suspect it was just their areas of responsibility.
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Super post, GP. Great to get Smitty’s comments too.
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I wish I had asked so many more questions!!
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As usual, fascinating images and stories, GP.
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Thank you do much, Jacqui!
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Wonderful, GP. You might want to obtain a copy of NISEI – The Quiet Americans, it is a humbling read.
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I have it on my reading list. Smitty thought the world of the Nisei. He couldn’t believe what they would pull off during the war!! Thanks for reminding me, I need to check my list again!
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LOL at the Toll Booth and Camouflage memes!
Great photo of your dad! 🙂
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Thanks – all the way around!!
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Great slide show. Thanks, and thanks for ansother peek at the stuff we don’t read about in the history books.
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I think personal perspectives help to fill in the gaps that history class skips over. Thanks for reading this one, William!!
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Scrapbooks, letters and photos are valuable. It doesn’t matter how many years have past, you can still collect enough to create a post that cherishes people and places
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Isn’t that the truth, Maria. You should know, you do such a fantastic job on your own site!!
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A man who can embrace the culture of his former enemy can only be described as an open-minded and tolerant individual. We need more people like your dad, GP.
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He sure seemed like one of a kind. When i try to describe him, there ends up being so many facets of his personality!! Thank you for saying so, Peter!! You are doing such a terrific job with your own family history – quite unique!!
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Some of the images are beautiful. I’m glad to see that some beautiful historic (I guess) sites survived. I wonder what it was like to get to know the people you had been fighting with. Do you think it changed his perspective?
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He used to always remind me that they were soldiers following orders just like he was. Dad had a very logical mind, he could play devil’s advocate for anyone, especially trying to calm down an argument.
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Wonderful remembrances of what must have been both an exciting but also exhausting time in post-war Japan.
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I think having the weight of combat lifted off their shoulders did wonders for their morale and even their physical recovery.
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Great post, GP. Your Dad was a fine looking man. I love how you interweave backstories through Smitty’s narratives. The cartoons are funny too.
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Thank you very much – all the way around! I thank you for taking the time out of your day to read these posts!!
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Your blog is one of the blogs I look forward to reading every time you post. I appreciate your hanging out at my blog too. Some blogs I skim or ignore–never yours.
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That is a fantastic compliment!! You have rendered me speechless – not sure how I feel about that – haha 🙂 Have a great day!!
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I admire his willingness to seek out Japanese culture at that point, but I’ll bet he was ever conscious of how many “points” he had to get before he went home.
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Oh most definitely!! He was drafted in September 1942 and now it was September 1945, he was ready!!
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You bet!! He’d been gone from his little fishing island for quite a while!!
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Umbrella Men is a great nickname for paratroops. 🙂
Nice to hear that Smitty embraced the culture. Given the hardships of war, that was a sign of his kind and generous nature.
Best wishes, Pete.
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He was a very logical person, but a great sense of humor!
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Love the slide show GP. It sounds like he really enjoyed Japan.
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He considered it a new world to explore – different culture and all! But he still had jobs to tend to.
Thanks for reading about my Dad!!
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Thank you, Ian!!
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