Category Archives: Broad Channel
SMITTY WAS HERE !!
Miyajima Hotel
Miyajima Hotel
Being that Smitty so enjoyed taking in the sights of 1945 Japan and it is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, this post will continue with the brochures he brought home with him. Above is the Inland Sea and Miyajima Island that is approximately 45 minutes from Hiroshima; the entire island is considered a park being that two parks are actually on the island, The Omoto and the Momijidani, both famous for their cherry blossoms in spring and colored leaves in autumn.
The Great Torii
The Great Torii (52′ tall [16 metres]) is the red religious structure within the bay is from the 16th century. The earlier one had been destroyed by a typhoon. The Itsukushima Shrine has stone lanterns that remain lighted throughout the night. Senjokaku is the hall of a thousand mats and beside the shrine is a hall filled with countless rice ladles offered by worshipers. There is a five-storied pagoda (100 feet high) for Buddha close by and in the Omoto Park is a two-storied pagoda built by “Hidari-Jingoro” an ancient famous artist.
The center photo showing a patio, Smitty indicated that that was where they ate. And the circle to the right, dad wrote, “Damn good fishing and crabbing here.” It seems you can’t even take the Broad Channel, NY fisherman out of the soldier.
At the bottom picture here, Smitty wrote, “I slept here in a room like this.” On the right-hand side of the page is written, “I managed to get behind the bar at this place.” (Can’t take the bartender out of the trooper either, I suppose.)
Gamagori Hotel
At the Gamagori Hotel, above the bottom-left photo is written, “Good Food. Chef here studied under a Frenchman. Boy was the food tasty.” The right-hand photo has, “Fishing good here.”
Gamagori Hotel, interior
On this page of the Gamagori brochure, Smitty marked on the center diagram where his general stayed. (If viewing is a problem, please click on the photo to enlarge.) The bottom-left photo is marked, “Had a room like this at this place.”
Gamagori Hotel, interior
This brochure is entirely in Japanese and therefore unable to give the reader a clue as to where it was or still is located. Thanks to our fellow blogger, Christopher, we have a translation here…
- The colorfully illustrated brochure says “Sightseeing in Miyagi Prefecture” （観光の宮城縣）and lists several of the highlights (skiing, cherry blossoms, shrines). The 3-D illustrated map shows the whole area, featuring the famous destination of Matsushima. Now, today it’s considered old-fashioned, but there is this thing called “The Three Sights of Japan” （日本三景）, pronounced Nihon Sankei, which refers to what were traditionally considered the three most beautiful places in the country: Matsushima, Miyajima, and Ama no Hashidate. It looks like your dad hit at least two of them — I wonder if he also made it to Ama no Hashidate! Here is a modern link to “things to do in Miyagi Prefecture”: https://www.google.com/search?ei=42UuXZ7LMc3B7gLEwpzACQ&q=%E5%AE%AE%E5%9F%8E%E7%B8%A3&oq=%E5%AE%AE%E5%9F%8E%E7%B8%A3&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l2j0i30l8.29273.32641..38871…1.0..0.80.438.6……0….1..gws-wiz…….0i71j0i4i37.nNS_NTAA6-Y
Fun stuff… Thanks for sharing!
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Military Humor –
Paratrooper School.
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Farewell Salutes –
William J. Bumpus (101) – Broken Arrow, OK; US Army, WWII, PTO
Melvin Cakebread (100) – Alpena, SD; US Army, WWII, PTO
Melvin Dart (100) – Santa Ana, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-17 navigator
Edward Eisele (102) Cinnaminson, NJ; US Army, WWII, US photographer
Dale Ferguson – Atlantic, IA; US Army Air Corps, Japanese Occupation, 11th Airborne Division
Robert Gallagher – Cumming, GA; US Navy, WWII
Joseph B. Love Jr. – Atlanta, GA; US Army, Defense Intelligence Service
Charles McCarthy – Detroit, MI; US Army, WWII, 87th Infantry Division
Carroll “Terry” Newman – New Orleans, LA; Merchant Marine Academy grad / US Coast Guard, WWII, (Ret.)
Anthony Romero (101) – Sante Fe, NM; US Navy, WWII
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Smitty & the 11th Airborne in Japan
Smitty’s, Broad Channel, NY
Just as General Douglas MacArthur said to Gen. Robert Eichelberger that it was a long road to Tokyo, so it was for Smitty. Yes, the stretch from Broad Channel to Camp MacKall and finally Atsugi Airfield was a long and arduous road, but here, the 11th Airborne Division arrives in Japan to begin the Occupation and to help start the rebuilding of a country.
With the initial arrival of the division, rarely was a female between the ages of 8 and 70 seen on the streets. The Japanese had heard their government’s propaganda for years as to the American looting and raping, so they were understandably afraid of the conquering troops. But many were confused about the peaceful attitude of the soldiers and a member of the 511th regiment was stopped one day by a Japanese officer, he asked, “Why don’t you rape, loot and burn? We would.” The trooper answered that Americans just don’t do that.
11th A/B guarding the New Grand Hotel
With the New Grand Hotel surrounded by troopers, the manager and his staff bowed to Gen. MacArthur and his party and directed them to their suites. Tired and hungry from their long flight, the Americans went to the dining room and were served steak dinners. Gen. Whitney remembered wanting to take MacArthur’s plate to make certain it hadn’t been poisoned. When he told the general his concern and intentions, MacArthur laughed and said, “No one can live forever.”
The hotel would become his headquarters and later that evening, MacArthur told his staff, “Boys, this is the greatest adventure in military history. Here we sit in the enemy’s country with only a handful of troops, looking down the throats of 19 fully armed divisions and 70 million fanatics. One false move and the Alamo would look like a Sunday school picnic.” (The fact that nothing happened, I believe, said quite a bit about Japanese integrity.)
Atsugi Airfield, Japan 1945
The division Command Post was moved from the Atsugi Airfield to the Sun Oil Compound in Yokohama. This compound had about 15 American-style homes complete with furniture, dishes, silver and linens. The senior staff officers were not so fortunate. They were put up in warehouses on the docks, often without heat.
Smitty @ Sun Oil
On the reverse side of this photo, Smitty wrote: “A picture of the General’s gang taken in the living room at Yokohama. Reading left to right – baker, first cook, Mess Sergeant, me headwaiter and on the floor, second cook. Those glasses you can see were always full. You can’t beat this Japanese beer.”
Smitty (2nd from left) and rest of the crew
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In the Philippines, the Japanese emissary General Kawabe, finished their surrender talks. Kawabe’s aide, Second Lt. Sada Otake, introduced himself to a Nisei G.I. standing guard outside. The guard, in response, said his name was Takamura. Otake said he had married a Nisei by the same name and did he had a sister named Etsuyo? The guard nodded and Otake said, “I’m her husband. Look me up in Japan.” And the brothers-in-law shook hands. (Small world or fate?)
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Tokyo Rose – on the air
On 1 September, newsmen Harry Brundige and Clark Lee, with the help of a Japanese newsman, located Tokyo Rose with her husband in their hotel, the Imperial. Brundige offered her $2,000 for an exclusive interview for “Cosmopolitan” magazine. She agreed and together they typed out 17 pages of notes. The editor of the magazine was so astounded that Brundige had made a deal with a traitor that he rejected the story. The notes were handed over to Lee, who wrote his own version of the story for the International News Service.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
John F. Aranyosi – Hammond, LA; US Army, WWII & Korea, Sgt. (Ret. 22 y.)
J.D. Bishop – Anniston, AL; US Army, WWII, PTO, Purple Heart
Final Mission
Try A. Charles (103) – DeLeon, LA; US Merchant Marines, WWII, ETO, radioman/medic
Lionel J. Desilets (100) – Paradise Hill, CAN; RC Army, WWII
William H. Flowers (100) – Cambridge, MD; US Army Air Corps, WWII, B-25 flight instructor
Guy J. George – Barre, VT; US Army, WWII, CBI
William F. Gusie – IL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Fire Controlman 3rd Class, USS Oklahoma, KIA (Pearl Harbor, HI)
Vernon Hermann – Seward, NE; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Pharmacist’s Mate / Korea, Observer Corps
Marvin Krauss – Redding, CT; US Navy, WWII, Corpsman
Richard M. Marshall – Gilbert, AZ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division
A.N. Perry – Surfside, FL; US Coast Guard, WWII, PTO, LST radioman
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Letter XI “?? Problems?? / National 81st Airborne Day
Problem solved
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.
My bag is packed!
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.
slit trench
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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Military Humor –
YOU GOTTA PROBLEM?
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Current News – 16 August 2021 – NATIONAL 81ST AIRBORNE DAY
To check out my post for the Airborne last year –
https://pacificparatrooper.wordpress.com/2020/08/16/national-airborne-day-16-august-2020-80-years/
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Farewell Salutes –
Noel Adams – Arvada, CO; US Navy, WWII, motor machinist, USS Osterhaus
Russel Baade – USA; USMC, WWII & Korea, flight instructor, Lt. Colonel
Smoke Angel, for returning KIA
Nando A. Cavalieri – Chicago, IL; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, Captain # 0-769257, 324/91/ 8th Air Force, Bombardier, KIA (Döberitz, GER)
Stu Hedley – W.Palm Beach, FL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS West Virginia
Pascual LeDoux – Las Vegas, NM; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Mobjack, PT-boat Tender
Henry D. Mitchell – Washington County, AK; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, 2nd Lt. # 0-763294, 48/14/15th Air Force, pilot, KIA (Waldegg, AUS)
Frederick Ott – Broad Channel, NY; US Army, WWII
Emmet W. Schwartz – New Philadelphia, OH; US Army, WWII, ETO, Pvt. # 35837608, 121/8th Infantry Division, Bronze Star, KIA (LUX)
Dave Severance (102) – Milwaukee, WI; USMC, WWII, PTO, Silver Star / Korea, pilot, Colonel (Ret. 30 y.)
Charles R. Taylor – Carnegie, OK; USMC; WWII, PTO, Pfc. # 284217, USS Oklahoma, KIA (Pearl Harbor)
Lloyd C. Wade – Westminster, CO; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Co C/127th Engineers/11th Airborne Division
Glen F. White – Emporia, KA; USMC, WWII, PTO, Pfc., Co A/1/6/2nd Marine Division, KIA (Betio, Tarawa Atoll)
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The Army Airborne and the start to Camp MacKall
Airborne, Camp MacKall
The original idea for an American airborne came from Gen. Billy Mitchell in 1918. His commander, Gen. Pershing agreed, but once the WWI Armistice was signed, the plan was terminated. In the late 1920’s, Germany began training parachute units and in the 1930’s, they led the world in gliders. Russia created the Air Landing Corps in 1935. Japan started in 1940 with German instructors. The U.S. did not take note until Germany was successful on Crete in 1941.
Smitty, 187th RCT/11th Airborne Division, Camp MacKall 1943
The American tradition was born when 48 men jumped at Ft. Benning on Aug. 16, 1940, where Private Eberhard, promised to yell to his buddies below, was the first to shout out “Geronimo”. General William Lee is considered the “Father of the Airborne.” My father, Everett Smith or “Smitty” (as you’ll get to know him), did not care for heights or jumping, so I asked him – “Why volunteer?” He shrugged and said, “They pay you more in the paratroopers.” Smitty had a dry sense of humor which you will see more of in the letters he wrote to his mother in future posts. He did however accept his boot camp, sharp shooting, glider & parachute training as a way of learning new things he would otherwise have never experienced. [One of his statements driven into me – ” Like any job, always try your best.”] Since he was 27 and much older than other recruits, he was often referred to by the nickname of “Pops.”
Camp MacKall postcard
The 11th Airborne Division was formed on Feb. 25, 1943 and their conditioning was so severe that most of the men felt combat would be a breeze. They were the first A/B division formed from scratch, so instead of following the manuals – they were writing their own. The camp was under construction 24/7 and they took classes sitting in folding chairs and easels were used for map reading, first-aid, weapons, foxholes, rules of land warfare, communications, field fortifications, and so on. Between May and June one battalion at a time went to Fort Benning for jump school.
glider jumping
When the time came for Stage A of jump school, it was scratched since the men were already as fit as possible. Stage B, was learning to tumble, equipment knowledge, sliding down a 30′ cable and packing a parachute. In Stage C, they used a 250-foot tower, forerunner to the one at Coney Island, to simulate a jump. Stage D, they earned their jump wings and boots. In June, the units began training in every circumstance that might arise in combat.
The gliders used were WACO CG 4A, boxlike contraptions with wings. The skeleton was small gauge steel covered with canvas; a wingspan of 84 feet, length of 49 feet and carried 3,700 pounds = two pilots and 13 fully loaded soldiers or a jeep and 6 men. The casualty list developing these appeared endless to the men. Smitty could not listen to “Taps” without tearing up, even in his later years.
WACO glider in take off from Camp MacKall field.
21 June, the division entered the unit training program. During July, all units went on 10-day bivouacs and to Fort Bragg. Glider formal training occurred at Maxton Air Base.
In July, in Sicily, Operation Husky went terribly awry, due to the weather conditions – 3,800 paratroopers were separated from their gliders and each other. The casualty rate was exorbitant. This created serious doubts about the practicality of a division size airborne. Proof would rest on the shoulders of the 11th and their commander, Gen. Joseph May Swing. A demonstration called the “Pea Patch Show” was displayed for Sec. of War, Stimson. He gave Swing a positive review, but it did not convince Gen. Marshall or McNair. The fate of the Airborne Command rested on the upcoming Knollwood Maneuvers.
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Smitty’s hometown of Broad Channel sent out a free issue of their newspaper, “The Banner”, to every hometown soldier and this became another source of back front info, along with news from his mother and friends:
News that Smitty got from home at this point: Broad Channel was getting their own air raid siren. (Broad Channel is one-mile long and about 4-blocks wide). His neighbors, the Hausmans, heard from their POW son in the Philippines. And – his divorce papers were final, Smitty was single again.
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Military Humor – 
‘I dropped out of Parachute School.’
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Farewell Salutes –
Robert Ashby – Sun City, AZ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO
Carl Bradley – USA; US Navy, WWII, Fireman 2nd Class, USS Oklahoma, KIA (Pearl Harbor)
Leo Brown – Lima, OH; USMC, WWII, PTO, USS Colorado,3rd Marine Division
Benjamin Goldfarb – Toronto, CAN; US Army, WWII, PTO, Surgical tech, 54th General Hospital, Philippines
Daniel C. Helix – Concord, CA; US Army, Korea & Vietnam, MGeneral, Purple Heart / Mayor
Denis H. Hiskett – USA; US Navy, WWII, Fireman 1st Class, USS Oklahoma, KIA (Pearl Harbor)
Robert L. Moore – Queens, NY; USMC, Korea & Vietnam, Gunnery Sgt.
Thomas O’Keefe – Washington D.C.; US Army, Korea, 187th RCT / CIA
George Semonik Jr. – Sewickley, PA; US Army, Chief Warrant Officer, 82nd Airborne Division (Ret. 20 y.)
Shelby Treadway – Manchester, KY; US Navy, WWII, Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class, USS Oklahoma, KIA (Pearl Harbor)
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Everett (Smitty) Smith
young Everett and Mother, Anna
Everett Smith was born Dec. 12, 1914 and grew up with the gentle waves of Jamaica Bay on an island one mile long and barely four blocks wide. This was the tight-knit community of Broad Channel, New York. He resided with his mother, Anna at peaceful 207 East 9th Road and spent his days between school, working and helping to care for his grandmother.
Aerial view of Broad Channel
Smitty’s, Broad Channel, NY
Everett’s nickname had always been “Smitty” and so, the name of his fishing station came to be. In 1939, at 24 years of age, he married a woman named Catherine and she joined the Smith household.
News of Hitler and his rise to power filtered into the newspapers and radio, but Anna still had the memories of WWI and their financial struggles in what would be become known as the Great Depression made the problems of Europe so far away.
Grassy Point, Broad Channel, where Smitty often tended bar.
The majority of the U.S. population held the ideal of isolationism in high regard and the Smith household agreed wholeheartedly. Everett was baffled by FDR’s election as his past political and personal records indicated both amoral and often criminal behavior. The president began to stretch his powers to the limit to assist his friend, Winston Churchill, while U.S. citizens were straining to survive.
On Oct. 30, 1940, Roosevelt spouted in Boston, “I give you one more assurance. I have said it before, but I shall say it again and again and again: Your boys are not going to be sent to any foreign wars.” My father did not believe FDR then and as we look back — he was right.
Draft card
You’re in the Army now!
Everett received his draft notice in Sept. 1942. He would be sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey where he volunteered for the paratroopers. He would immediately then be sent to Camp MacKall, North Carolina for the start of his vigorous training. Smitty became part of one of the most unique army units of its day, the HQ Co./187th/ 11th Airborne Division.
Smitty, 187th RCT/11th Airborne Division, Camp MacKall 1943
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Military Humor – 
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Farewell Salutes –
Chris Andreadakis – Youngstown, OH; US Army, WWII, ETO
Paul Brown (100) – Saginaw, MI; US navy, WWII
Arlington Cemetery
Thomas ‘Millar’ Bryce (101) – Saskatchewan, CAN; RC Air Force, WWII, navigator
Robert “Cookie” Cook (100) – Rochester, NY; US Army, WWII
Aaron M. Fish – USA; US Navy, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, Petty Officer 3rd Class
Dick Hall (100) – Murray, NE; US Army, WWII, ETO, 94th Chemical Mortars/3rd Army Tank Battalion, Lt.
E. Allan Logel (100) – Mapelwood, NJ; US Army, WWII, PTO, Captain, Strategic planning
Donald Myers – Cambria, IA; US Navy, WWII, PTO & Korea
Ken P. Smith – USA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 2/187/11th Airborne Division
Martha Watts – Charleston, NC; US Army WAC, WWII
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First-hand account: Okinawa
Louis Meehl, WWII
It wasn’t always the enemy they had to contend with…
Louis Meehl
After the war started, I decided I had to get into the service, this didn’t make my folks very happy, especially my dad, but I just had to go. So, I enlisted in the Army Air Corps. They made me a gunner and sent me to the Pacific. I flew on A-20’s in the 417th Bomb Group, B-24’s in the 90th and B-25’s in the 38th. I was on the islands all through the western Pacific, New Guinea, the Philippines, the Ryukyus, and even up to Japan later on.
It was after the war had ended and we’d moved up to an airstrip on a little island called Ie Shima, right next to Okinawa. It was the island where Ernie Pyle was killed. We were living there in the usual primitive conditions that we’d put up with on all the islands – tents, C and K rations, nothing to do but fly missions. The airstrip there was right near the beach, well, the island was so small that everything was right near the beach, and of course our tents were close to the coast.
Ernie Pyle, le Shima
We got word that a storm was coming and the pilots flew our squadron’s planes off somewhere. The rest of us on the flight crews and the ground crews were left behind to fend for ourselves. The wind started blowing, the rain was coming down, and we were trying to hold on to our tents to keep them from blowing over,
Well, it turned out this storm was a typhoon and the wind blew stronger and stronger, and the rain was being driven horizontally. What a storm! I’d never experienced anything like it. After a while, we couldn’t hold the tents up anymore. First one of the tents blew down, then another, and pretty soon all the tents were down, and we were outside in the weather.
There was no other shelter – our bombing and the Navy’s shelling when we’d taken the island had flattened all the trees and it was just bare sand and rock. And the wind just kept blowing harder!
Okinawa, naval typhoon damage
Next thing we knew the tents and everything inside them started to blow away, right off the island and out into the ocean. We just couldn’t hold on to them under those conditions – the wind just ripped anything out of our hands if you tried to hold on to it. So after the tents and everything was gone, all we could do was huddle together and try to protect ourselves. It was like we were just a bunch of wet, cold sheep huddled together – and the wind kept blowing even harder.
We’d rotate the guys on the outside of the huddle toward the middle because the rain was being blown so hard it hurt when it hit you. We all took our turns on the outside of the group. Some of us had bruises from that rain afterwards.
Okinawa, typhoon tent
[ I was unable to locate le Shima photos of the storm, hence the Okinawa pictures. I suppose everyone’s camera went to sea. ]
This seemed to go on for hours, and the whole time we just stayed there huddled together, When the wind and rain finally started to let up, it dawned on us that everything we had was gone. I had a lot of photos from all the islands we’d been on, some souvenirs, and of course the rest of my clothes and personal effects, and they were just gone.
Our planes came back and they flew in more tents for us, but later when I shipped back to the States I didn’t have much more to take home with me that the clothes I had on the day the storm started!
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Bernice Cooke – Toronto, CAN; RC Air Force, WWII, nurse
George C. Evans – Bay Village, OH; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 457 Artillery/11th Airborne Division
Reynaldo ‘Chita’ Gonzolaz – Newton, KS; US Army, Korea, Sgt., 2nd Division
Peter Hanson – Laconia, NH; US Army, Vietnam, Captain, 101st Airborne Division
Christopher Knoop – Buffalo, NY; US Army, Desert Storm, 810th MP Co., communications
Donald Ottomeyer – St. Louis, MO; US Army, Lt., 101st Airborne Division
John D. Roper – Nashville, TN; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Westmoreland & Pontiac
Juan Serna Sr. – Pharr, TX; US Army, WWII / National Guard (Ret. 25 y.)
Michael Stickley – Broad Channel, NY; US Army, Vietnam
Pansy Yankey (100) – Brashear, TX; Civilian, North American Aviation, WWII, drill press operator
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Smitty in December 1945 w/ the Sword Story
Christmas card
This was the Christmas card sent from Japan to Broad Channel, New York in December 1945. Anna Smith had been waiting to hear this news from her son Everett (Smitty) for over three years. On the back, it reads:
“Dear Mom:
This is the best Xmas card I’ve sent to you since getting in the army. I figured this would be what you have always been waiting to see, here it goes.
“I’m finally on my way, so don’t send any more mail.
Love, Everett
“P.S. I’ll keep you posted on my various stops.”
Smitty in Japan, at far right
Even though Smitty had earned his points to go home, he was still an NCO on General Swing’s staff and was required to finish out his duties as such. After going through combat in the South Pacific, it would be in peaceful occupational Japan where Smitty’s temper would get the better of him.
Non-nonchalantly going about his business at the headquarters of Camp Schimmelpfennig, Smitty just happened to glance through the glass partition that sealed off Gen. Swing’s office. Inside was an officer holding and admiring the Japanese sword that his commander intended to keep and bring home as a souvenir. Smitty didn’t think much of it at the time; he was busy and many people commented on the weapon. so he continued down the hallway. A short while later, the entire office could hear the general demanding to know what had become of his sword. It was gone.
Gen. Swing accepts Japanese sword at Atsugi Airfield
Major General Joseph Swing
My father didn’t think twice, this was his general. He went into the room and told Swing what he had witnessed. Without a second thought, the two men went to the other man’s office, but neither the man or sword was there. The officer in question showed a few moments later. When the general explained why they were waiting for him, the officer became indignant and professed his innocence (just a tad too much). My father said the air of tension in the room became thick enough to use a
Postcards received from a Cavite, P.I. woman
machete on. This was when Smitty’s temper went out of control and with one right cross – sent the officer through his own glass partition.
Of course, this action made it necessary to bust Smitty back down to private, but he didn’t care about that. He was still furious that the sword was never returned. It all could have gone worse if the general had not been there or if he did not believe Smitty’s word. Smitty said it was worth being busted just to wipe the smirky grin off the officer’s face. The officer, I believe, was a replacement and had not seen much (if any) combat, just a blow-heart. Smitty later offered his two Japanese swords to General Swing, but he refused. My father didn’t believe the general would have taken the Emperor’s own sword as a replacement. I can clearly see my father’s face contort when he thought of the thief and he would say, “That know-nothing mattress salesman from Texas!” I’m sure it was for the best that the two men never met again stateside as civilians.
Unfortunately, a similar incident occurred to my father. As he happily began packing to go home, Smitty noticed that an expensive set of carved ivory chop sticks he had purchased somehow had disappeared. They also were never recovered. (I had often wondered if the two incidents had been related, but I suppose we’ll never know.)
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Daniel Aiello – NYC, NY; US Army / Actor
Vernon Bartley – brn: Meerut, India/ENG; Punjab Army, WWII, CBI
John Cameron – Waipukurau, NZ; RNZ Navy, WWII, minesweeper
Frank Crane – Toledo, OH; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division
Joseph Haratani – Florin, CA; US Army, WWII, ETO, 442nd RCT
Clarence Katwyk – Salt Lake City, UT; US Merchant Marines / US Army, WWII, PTO
Dominic Moschetti – Victor, CO; US Army, WWII, TSgt., 354th Infantry
Raymond Plassmann – CT; US Army Air Corps, WWII, B-17 navigator
Arthur Schaefer – Tucson, AZ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Lt., B-17 navigator
Orland Webb – Harrodsburg, KY; US Army, WWII
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11th Airborne Division in Japan
Smitty’s, Broad Channel, NY
Atsugi Airfield, Japan
Just as General Douglas MacArthur said to Gen. Robert Eichelberger that it was a long road to Tokyo, so it was for Smitty. Yes, the stretch from Broad Channel to Camp MacKall and finally Atsugi Airfield was a long and arduous road, but here, the 11th Airborne Division arrives in Japan to begin the Occupation and to help start the rebuilding of a country.
Aerial view, Atsugi Airfield
With the initial arrival of the division, rarely was a female between the ages of 8 and 70 seen on the streets. The Japanese had heard their government’s propaganda for years as to the American looting and raping, so they were understandably afraid of the conquering troops. But many were confused about the peaceful attitude of the soldiers and a member of the 511th regiment was stopped one day by a Japanese officer, he asked, “Why don’t you rape, loot and burn? We would.” The trooper answered that Americans just don’t do that.
Yokohama, 1945
With the New Grand Hotel surrounded by troopers, the manager and his staff bowed to Gen. MacArthur and his party and directed them to their suites. Tired and hungry from their long flight, the Americans went to the dining room and were served steak dinners. Gen. Whitney remembered wanting to take MacArthur’s plate to make certain it hadn’t been poisoned. When he told the general his concern and intentions, MacArthur laughed and said, “No one can live forever.”
The hotel would become his headquarters and later that evening, MacArthur told his staff, “Boys, this is the greatest adventure in military history. Here we sit in the enemy’s country with only a handful of troops, looking down the throats of 19 fully armed divisions and 70 million fanatics. One false move and the Alamo would look like a Sunday school picnic.” (The fact that nothing happened, I believe, said quite a bit about Japanese integrity.)
The division Command Post was moved from the Atsugi Airfield to the Sun Oil Compound in Yokohama. This compound had about 15 American-style homes complete with furniture, dishes, silver and linens. The senior staff officers were not so fortunate. They were put up in warehouses on the docks, often without heat.
In the Philippines, the Japanese emissary General Kawabe, finished their surrender talks. Kawabe’s aide, Second Lt. Sada Otake, introduced himself to a Nisei G.I. standing guard outside. The guard, in response, said his name was Takamura. Otake said he had married a Nisei by the same name and did he had a sister named Etsuyo? The guard nodded and Otake said, “I’m her husband. Look me up in Japan.” And the brothers-in-law shook hands. (Small world or fate?)
Smitty @ Sun Oil
On the reverse side of this photo, Smitty wrote: “A picture of the General”s gang taken in the
Smitty (2nd from left) and rest of the crew
living room at Yokohama. Reading left to right – baker, first cook, Mess Sergeant, me headwaiter and on the floor, second cook. Those glasses you can see were always full. You can’t beat this Japanese beer.
Tokyo Rose – on the air
On 1 September, newsmen Harry Brundige and Clark Lee, with the help of a Japanese newsman, located Tokyo Rose with her husband in their hotel, the Imperial. Brundige offered her $2,000 for an exclusive interview for “Cosmopolitan” magazine. She agreed and together they typed out 17 pages of notes. The editor of the magazine was so astounded that Brundige had made a deal with a traitor that he rejected the story. The notes were handed over to Lee, who wrote his own version of the story for the International News Service.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Robert Archer – Coffeyville, KS; US Navy, WWII & Korea
Ronald Best (100) – Whangarei, NZ; RNZ Army # 280763, WWII
Robert Carman – Wheeling, WV; US Army, WWII, field artillery
Andrew Hooker – Brooklyn, NY; US Army, Vietnam, helicopter crew chief
Emil Kamp – St. Louis, MO; US Army, WWII, Sgt.
Raymond Lane Sr. – Ashland, VA; US Air Force, Vietnam, Tech. Sgt. (Ret. 20 y.)
Roy Markon – Pittsburgh, PA; US Army, WWII, ETO, Sgt., 88th Division, Purple Heart
Edward Salazar – Colton, CA; US Army, Vietnam, 1st Cavalry Division
Lawrence Taylor – Stevensville, MT; US Navy,WWII, PTO, corpsman
Leo Zmuda – Somerset, NJ; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 511/11th Airborne Division
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Pacific Paratrooper 