Tuesday, January 31, 2023

1945 September: Okinawa - poor food, typhoons, no mail - a letter from my father's mother to my mother


"September 2 1945

My dearest Ellen,

Well honey this is letter number two which makes my percentage very low in fact too low.  As you have probably noticed these letters are all censored and we still can't say boo about anything yet, but maybe in the near future things will be different at least I hope so anyway. There is an awful lot that I would like to tell you but this damnedable censorship forbids it.  All I can say would only fill up this letter with a lot of words that don't mean anything. Tonight I'm going to write to my mother also so my time will be well spent. I've tried to spot my brother Joe on my travels but no luck - I guess he don't get around much any more. I also tried to look up Johnson that Swedish kid that lived nearby you. He's supposed to be in the Pacific also I understand. Since the war is over I guess things will be different for a change but as far as I'm concerned I don't know what the score is. It's all very confusing but after a month or so I guess it will be straightened out and I can then formulate a few plans. I haven't had any mail since I left the states but when I do receive it I figure it will come in a bagful. No getting mail leaves me at a loss as to what to say only ask questions hoping that in the near future I'll be able to carry a sane and unadulterated correspondence with you. How are Nancy and Anne doing now. I hope they haven't quit their jobs like they intended to. They had better make their money while they can. My brother Paul was coming into service but I don't know maybe he'll stay in school for a change. He'll turn out to be the black sheep of the family. Well honey I've got to close out now. I still love you with all my heart and my plans have not wavered one iota since I left. I hope we get some really definite word soon so that I'll know where I stand. Give my love to your mother and Alice and take care of yourself. 

My love Always

John

P.S. This letter now that I've read I over is very confusing but if it bores you let me know.

John J.P. Manning AM1/c"



 
You can see the outline of part of the envelope that is stuck to the back of page 2 above.

I imagine Nancy and Anne work with my mother.

Who is my father's brother Paul? Danno? We have read about Tom and Joe being in the military. Joe, Francis X (Danno) and Richie were at home in 1950 - with their parents. I don't remember ever hearing that  Danno was called Paul. 

And is this Alice Paul Navien's mother my father is talking about? Her sister lived next door to Ma in the triple decker.



"September 6 1945

My dearest Ellen, 

Well honey this is the first letter I have written to you since the censorship regulations were lifted and now at least I can say what I have a mind too with no twenty year old kid snickering thru it. I'd have written sooner but the stamp situation gets pretty low at times around here and with the envelopes sticking together and the like things are really S.N.A. F. U. if you know what I mean. Well honey we have reached our destination such as it is but are bound for Japan instead. The unit we were to relieve are to stay here and we are to shove on to Northern Honshu about three hundred miles north of Tokyo. Our new location is supposed to be the second largest field in all of Japan. It don't sound bad but time will tell. I have so much to say and to tell you I really don't know where to commence so if I get confused bear with me a while. At present I am aboard an L.S.T. waiting for the tide to come in so we can beach her on the shore of Buckner Bay. This bay by the way is named after Gen Buckner who was killed here on the island just before they secured it. It's really a nice harbor but a trap if you ever get hit. Here in this bay is where the Japanese suicide planes did so much damage. I guess a good portion of the fleet is in now with carriers battleships cruisers and hospital ships laying at anchor nearby us. The island itself looks very green and peaceful but once ashore it's a beehive of activity what with Army engineers and Seabees working like mad pushing thru roads and building warehouses and operational headquarters. It's like a mad house but is showing its development day by day. We have a detail ashore that are really working and we had, Webber and I, the opportunity to see what was being done when we went ashore to pay them a visit. In the area where the work is being done and supplies stored everything is under some semblance of order elsewhere chaos reigns. The Jap dead can still be found in the fields and hills and most of the caves and were never buried. The predominant smell all over the island is similar to the abattoir in Brighton on a windy night. It doesn't stink it has that certain smell similar to cement or fertilizer or a mixture of both. The people as a whole are little runts and brown as a nut. The soldiers or I should say the army has them working for eight cents a day washing their clothes. It's strictly a woman's job and that's who does most of the work. The native men are used for civilian police and guard the native areas against the Yanks who want to associate with their women folk. They also have a marine around to help out. All these native areas are out of bounds. To dirty and to many diseases. We were warned of what we would run into around here so we are all set. Another thing I didn't so much as see a fly in the area. That DDT is really wonderful stuff. The(y) spray it by hand from machines and from the air. Remember to buy some as soon as possible. It's guaranteed to kill flies for six month with one application and it really works, no fooling. Well honey I'll sign off now and write letter #2 after chow. I love you oh so much honey - Love John."




Remember that "LST" stands for Landing Ship Tank - my uncle Jim Keohane was on one. In 1941, they were the largest ship designed to place tanks, troops and cargo onto a hostile beach and then retract off the shore using the Stern Anchor. 1,051 LSTs were built for WWII. Churchill called it “The Ship That Won the War.”  This information was from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks/news/tour-a-wwii-operational-landing-ship-tank/lst-tour-guide-brochure/.




https://pacificwrecks.com/provinces/japan_nakagusuku_bay.html reports that:

"Nakagusuku Bay 中城湾 (Nakagusuku Wan) is located on the southeast of  Okinawa in Okinawa Prefecture in southern Japan. During 1945, the Americans referred to this location as Buckner Bay in honor of U.S. Army General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. and the use of the name continues to this day.
Wartime History
After the conclusion of the Battle of Okinawa, Buckner Bay was used by the U.S. Navy as an anchorage area with shore facilities on the eastern coast of Okinawa Island.
Postwar
On  October 9, 1945 Typhoon Louise passed over the island with winds of 92 miles per hour / 80 knots creating 30'-35' waves that batter ships and craft in Nakagusuku Bay and tore into the quonset huts and buildings ashore. A total of 12 ships and craft were sunk, 222 were grounded including USS LST-169 and USS Ocelot (IX-110) plus 32 ships severely damaged. Personnel casualties were 36 killed, 47 missing, and 100 seriously injured."

General Buckner was killed in action on Okinawa on June 18, 1945.


It's interesting to read my father telling my mother to run out to buy some DDT now that we know it is harmful to the environment and to humans.


The following letter is dated July 7 but we know my father was stateside in July. There is no envelop to go with it. So maybe July was an error on his part. I'm putting it here in case he meant August 7 but I'm not sure it even belongs here.


" 7 July 1945

My very dearest Ellen,

This is letter number two from me to you since I arrived upon this scene of organized confusion that calls itself Naval Air Base Yonabaru, Okinawa. It really is just that, a mob of poor confused human beings that hardly know which way is up. Sometimes I think I am beginning to get as confused as the rest of the boys, but I catch myself in time and think of nicer things, namely you. As I told you in a previous letter I am now a transportation jug-head and will continue as such until I am relieved which at the present writing seems an impossibility. Outside of the fact that they issued me a jeep of my own, I am about ready to throw in the towel and call it quits. Out here now we have as many officers as we have men and they are all non-combatants having arrived here about a month or two ago fresh from a tour of stateside duty. I guess they figure the war is still on from their actions and after they all get thru throwing their gold around you have accomplished exactly zero. I wish to Heaven that they would send at least half of them home so that we could have a little peace and quiet around here. Now they have us working seven days a week clearing up conditions that don't exist at all. Someday the Navy will return to its original status of just plain unorganized confusion and we'll all be happy once again. 

Its still terrifically hot out here and with our daily rain storm the humidity becomes terrific. I'm surviving though despite it all and will continue to as long as I know that it will eventually bring me home to you. That day can't come any too soon either as I'm praying and sweating that it will come about real soon. As I told you in one of my letters I had sworn off drinking but lo and behold I'm up to a minimum of six beers a day. It's almost a necessity as the water is almost boiling hot after being exposed to the sun all day. I guess we'll have our buzz together after all. 

The mail situation is getting really drastic out here as all of the qualified mailmen have gone home and the few that remain are snowed under and are unable to sort and deliver it. If it isn't one thing its bound to be another. I'm being very patient and am still sweating out a letter from you. I received one last Saturday I think it was so another is due real soon if they ever get back on the ball.

I'm really glad that you are enjoying yourself down at Falmouth as I want that more than anything else in the world. I'm sorry that I can't be with you and since I'm not I want you to have as many good times as possible without me. We'll make up for it eventually so don't even think about me being out here in this neck of the woods. I miss you with all my heart and soul and love you more than words can ever, ever say. I wish that I could get home to you right now but since its impossible, I'll hit the sack and dream about you all night long. I guess when I do get home you'll never get rid of me so until then please take care. I'll write again tomorrow. 

All of my love to you

Alway

John" 




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonabaru_Airfield reports that "Yonabaru Airfield or NAB Yonabaru is a former World War II airfield on the Pacific coast of Okinawa. The base was disestablished on 30 June 1947.

"Yonabaru Airfield was originally established by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. The airfield was captured on 15 May 1945 during Battle of Okinawa. The 145th Naval Construction Battalion (Seebees) began to improve the airfield for service as a patrol/bomber airstrip in June once the fighting had moved further south. On 15 August 1945 the base with its 6,500 feet (2,000 m) runway was ready for use by US Navy aircraft ...


"The base was severely damaged by Typhoon Louise on 9 October 1945."


Yonabaru is located on the lower right in the map below.


Pictures above and below are from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonabaru_Airfield


https://www.rememberingokinawa.com/page/1945_yonabaru_nas had the below picture:



"Sept 8, 1945

My dearest Ellen,

Today is our ninth day in Buckner Bay Okinawa and outside of a few of us on occasion no one has set foot on shore now for almost forty days. For a few of us who are not quite accustomed to such living it becomes a grueling task to stay aboard this cast iron scow without complaining. The sun here is as hot as in the tropics and remains so from a little after sunrise to almost sunset. The nights are cool and pleasant, thank God. Already I am burnt but good and now attempt to avoid it as much as possible. Avoiding it is an impossibility though as the shelter and shade on this barge is limited but we manage somehow. Our crossing was real good as the weather was fair and the elements kind to us. Our first stop was at Pearl Harbor and from the ship it looked real nice around their. The harbor has a chain of mountains behind it with different shades of foliage that gives it that exotic look that has been commercialized but never ruined. It is probably the nicest of all the Pacific islands from what I've seen and been told. It really is nice. Duty there isn't so good because of the multitude of servicemen & civilians. Service men run the town till 6 or 7 at night then the civilians take over. The time I spent their was used up drinking fruit juices that were abundant. Orange grapefruit tomato & pineapple juices we bought by the can, medium, for ten & fifteen cents with no stamps required. Everything was that way cheap & plentiful. I haven't had a beer since July 21 ----

But I don't mind. I can without it I guess. We left Pearl after a day & 1/2 stay and went to Eniwetok in the Marshalls. The journey was fast and uneventful as far as Eniwetok. This island was just big lumps of coral with a big harbor capable I believe of berthing the whole fleet. In order to give you the true picture none of these islands have docks. And the island is not over 7 feet over sea level, All this Marshall group is just sand bars with length and width that's about all. After Enewetok we went to Ulithi about 400 miles from Guam in the Carolines. On this journey we learned the war was over much to our delight. The skipper of our transport didn't trust the Japs and had two destroyer escorts convey us. Very lucky were we when two days out we met our first enemy a Jap sub that threw a real scar into us. He was detected before he could (do) any damage so all was well. Our first scare came at noon our second the following evening but once again the Jap was outwitted and we pulled away unharmed. Ulithi turned out to be the same as the others but the various islands formed in necklace fashion forming a good harbor and rendezvous-vous for the fleet. At this staging area all the Task Forces formed and returned for rest. It was not to my liking at all. After a couple of days we landed here and have been here ever since. I hope we can get some definite word as to our status pretty soon as this monotony is driving us goofy. I'll take as much as necessary and I figure my spirit will not change noticeably. 

The whole trouble seems to be the fact that the war is over, they have men with discharges officers who are confused uncertainty as to policy etc and it makes for unnecessary delay and confusion for all concerned. Our orders have been changed so often I don't think anyone knows what exactly to do with us or how soon not to do it. 

Once we get started to our real destination I guess it will be all right as we know we can settle down for a reasonable period of time. Well honey I miss you a lot but I'm not letting it get me down. I'm still looking forward to the plans we have already made and they can't be realized to soon to suit me. I keep thinking about us all the time and am trying to figure out a deal so as to make things I want come into reality. It's slow now but when I see my chance I'll see what can be done. This confusion should get straightened out soon and then I'll see what's what. Well honey I'll close now and let you know what's what. Give all my love to all especially to you. Did you decode my letter with all the fake names? If not it spelled Japan the first letter in each name. I'll close now for sure and wish you well - I love you as always so take (care) and love again.

Always 

John"




So Joe or Johnson, Anne, Paul, Alice, and Nancy in the September 2 letter must have been the code my father was talking about.



"10 September 1945

My dearest Ellen, 

We are still here in Buckner Bay with no immediate signs of moving northward as yet. Right now we are taking on water and fuel in preparation for our journey. Our outfit has now developed the confusion bug as have the rest of the units. Rumors are flying around here like rain and accordingly anything may happen. Rumors are out to the effect that a certain amount of us will stay here while others will move to Japan. Who knows? Everything in general is the same as always just waiting and waiting then suddenly you move. I hope the order to move comes soon as this moving about continuously has me a bit weary. I'd really like to sit on an easy chair for a while as these still decks get awful hard at times even after you once get accustomed to it. The sunburn I picked up has gone away and all I have as a memory is a lot of loose flesh that is peeling off my back and shoulders. Too bad I don't tan real good and then my troubles would be over but as it is my life is set so that the sun will be my tormentor instead of my friend. Our mail reception is poor in fact it is bad. I have received one letter from you since we left the states and that I got about ten days ago. So you see my morale is not quite the tops. I add it all up to general confusion as there is nothing else to blame it to. We are all set to sail incidentally but as I said before - keep 'em waiting. How is everything at home and how are things progressing as far as you are concerned?

It's pretty difficult to say much about any thing as I have no questions to answer and no inspiration for a paragraph or two. When I get your mail I guess my efforts will be a lot better. My biggest problem will be as I told you before, getting stamps that will stick and envelopes that aren't stuck together and cannot be pulled apart without ruining them. They create a lot of confusion ---------------

Well honey there's nothing much more to say but the fact that I still love you dearly and always will. I'm still waiting patiently but longingly to get home so we can get married. It may be a little while and again maybe not but I hope that it won't be any too long. I figure they should get straightened out as far as I'm concerned and my status will be clear. I have no worries except for your well being but I know your taking care of yourself all right.

I'll close now and again say I love you always. 

Love always

John"





"13 September 1945

My very dearest Ellen,

Today I received the best birthday gift that I could possibly receive. The postman arrived at long last and I am now in excellent spirits. He delivered to me alone 37 pieces of mail thirty four of which came from you. I got two from home and one from my brother Joe. I just got finished reading them and my rear end is sore from sitting down doing so. At times like that a ships deck can be an awful uncomfortable place. Nevertheless I am very glad and very happy. I received some more news that wasn't so good but I can stand it. I am being transferred out of Acorn 54 to Acorn 44 and I have every indication to believe that I will be back in the states before I had planned. Don't count on a quick return as your hopes may be shattered but keep hoping and praying. Don't forget my new address Acorn 44. We will be stationed here in Okinawa. My only regret is that I am leaving Webber and the crowd I was just getting really acquainted with. I'll run into them again some day I hope. 

Well honey I got tired of abstaining from beer against my will so three of us stole a case of canned beer out of the cargo hold last night. We sat in the sick bay and drank it till around 2am. I did manage I'll confess to get a little stinko but it was worth it. Four of us finished it. I didn't know I was so drunk till I started to talk and then it dawned on me. I could talk straight and I was a little wobbly. I got a letter from my brother Joe and he has at long last made a rate. He is now a Radarman 3/c. He has spent all his time in the South Pacific at the Solomons Caledonia & New Zealand but he still hates it. He sent me a picture of the girl he met in Jersey and got serious with him and to be really honest she is really nice looking. She was sporting a ring but he told me it wasn't his so that relieved me. About that picture I had taken at Philly the name of the studio is Strawbridge & Clothier, Jenkentown Penna. They are a big dept. store with a photo set up as a side line similar to Filene's or Jordans. So the boys at work have you hustling! Good for them! I was really interested in your scrap with Miss Mac - honey give her hell and don't let her walk on you. Show her you have pride & self respect and that you aren't a slave to her whims & fancies. As long as you do your work she has nothing to worry about. I'll warn you though now that she has had it out with you be strictly on the beam as far as work is concerned and don't let her catch you in a slip-up or she'll really ride you. Good luck.

So Madeline is on the loose; free wide and handsome. Oh well. It's a wonder Donald didn't knock her block off after pulling that deal on him. I'd kick her teeth in if I were him. She deserves it, I think. I'm glad you're you and not her. Give Hannah or Hannie & Rita all my best wishes & stuff and tell Hannie to slow down to a fast run or she'll wind up in Hollywood drinking gin & smoking weeds and dreaming how rich she couldn't be. Say hello to Peggy too. I almost forgot.

John

P.S I love you with all my heart and miss you an awful lot in case your interested.

over

Say hello to everyone or I'll be on the outs." 





I have to say I'm quite surprised that my father stole a case of beer!



"18 September 1945

My dearest Ellen,

Well honey I guess this will be my permanent address for the time being at least so you can forward your mail accordingly. I figured on a transfer to some other unit but no such luck. The only ones that got a transfer were two chiefs who went aboard a seaplane tender. Acorn 54 was to have left Sunday morning but a typhoon came up and tore hell out of us. We are living in tents with a wooden floor built up off the ground and due to our good location on the side of a hill plus the fact that our tents were anchored pretty well saved us from the elements. When one of these typhoons break loose they really do a lot of damage especially in the area of tents and and very temporary shacks. Telephones & lights went out and the ships in the bay took a pretty bad beating especially the smaller craft. The rain made the side of the hills as slippery as ice and the roads are ankle deep & some places knee deep in mud. One misstep and - plop - down you go into a mess of gooey sticky mud. They have me standing watches and posting the guard here and I really cursed all and sundry more than once. It's really a mess no fooling. Our chow hall almost blew away but not quite. It might just as well have as the chow is lousy anyway. We have no fresh meat as McArthur has it all sent to Japan. I figure he has forgotten the Joe's here on Okinawa now that he has the emperor's palace at his disposal. 

I figure I can stand it till something better comes along which I hope will be soon. I was hoping for a ship but no such luck. Sometimes I visualize myself in some pig pen much to the disgust of the self respecting pigs. I have one real consolation though that the officers have to take it the same way. We have admirals and captains here by the dozen plus colonels & generals. I don't think they like it any better than I do so we are about even. If you can get a purchaser sell him my share of Okinawa for nothing & I'll still be making a profit. 

Well kid enough griping for a while let's talk about you as everybody says. I received two letters from you as you know just before I left the ship so in a few days if things are straightened out I should receive more. You should be receiving my mail from here by now at least I hope so. I've been writing pretty steady since I got a hold of some good stamps and envelopes. Honey I miss you ever so much and still love you with all my heart. Sometimes you seem so close yet so far that it puzzles me at times but my day will come soon once I get off these God forsaken rocks in the Pacific. Like all good things honey I've got to come to a close and sign off for the time being. I hope you miss me as I miss you. No need to hope I know you do. Give my regards to all and keep your chin up. All my love always and 

Always

John"





Pictures of tents on Okinawa on website - https://www.rememberingokinawa.com/




"September 21, 1945

My very dearest Ellen

Well here I am again a wee bit better as far as morale is concerned and still in love with you kid. Well honey I am finally back in aviation but my work is nil as fas as work is concerned. I haven't done anything and there is no work in sight. I have been assigned to the Commodores aviation outfit and its really a good spot. There are only ten of us here and we have a chief in charge. I was pretty lucky to get it as I arrived in time to replace another 1/c who is going back to get discharged. We have only a handful of planes and they are all in shape. The only use they get is when some admiral or the like comes around and  wants to look over the island. Its really a racket at least it is so far. If I was back in the States with the same group it would really be heaven no fooling. The typhoon left us pretty well banged up but nevertheless we are operating again. The mud was really terrific but after the past few days which have been really hot the ground has dried up and is once again dry and hard. That is the alternative we have out here, either its raining and blowing or its dry and hot with a moderate breeze that is really a God sent at times. I've been laboring a bit and have sweated by the gallons but I'm sweating a little less every day so I must be getting back into some kind of shape, good or bad. 

Tonite for the first tine in a month they have had beer here and yours truly got allotted his two cans, the quota being two cans per man, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Its the first beer I've had since the night we stole the case on the L.S.T. before I came ashore. That was good too even though we had to drink it in the cubby hole that they used for a sick bay. That was my first beer in quite a while. And I really had a buzz on. It wasn't too bad but it was a buzz nevertheless. 

I guess Acorn 54 is in Japan by now as they left right after the typhoon Sunday. I wrote to Webber the guy from New York and expect an answer pretty soon. They have five L.S.T.s loaded to the gills including 700 ton of cement that they have to unload and at times like that I'm very glad to be here in Okinawa where we have so very little to do. I helped in a big way to load two of those ships including the cement. 30 of us did that, and I know pretty well what they are going to run into when they start pulling and grunting that load off. It's the first time I've moved any where that I didn't have someone along as a sidekick but I don't mind the strain a bit. I'm getting along very well and getting myself acquainted pretty well. After all I'm not Tyrone Power. Incidentally he was quartered out here for a while. He may still be here I don't know. He's flying a transport for the Marines. It's a lot different from Hollywood and I guess he knows it. There are four of us sharing this tent and they are all good kids. One is a typical New Yorker, from the Bronx and he has toity-toid and shoit dialect which is different. One of the others is from Texas but is unlike most Texans. He doesn't shoot his mouth off all day but just says what he has to say. The other is a youngster, 18, from Detroit. He reminds me of Canavan my coal cracker friend from Pennsylvania. The same personality & pretty near the same looks but this kid is fatter and heavier in proportion. His nickname incidentally is Tubby so you can see what I mean. He has been in the Navy about a year and has spent all his time as a mess cook which in the Navy is the same as K.P. in the Army. It isn't hardwork but its the very first place I've seen in the Navy where the mess cook wasn't paid off in good food. Around here, it isn't that they are chicken its simply the fact that they haven't got any good food. Even the cooks eat what we eat which is really unusual as they upon every occasion eat nothing but the finest of their own choosing and prepared to their own taste. So you see as I told you before the food situation is far from bad, it is in fact drastic. They have our movies set up again and we get pictures every night. The hurricane or typhoon blew down our other screen so they have built a new one plus a projection room for the machines so that they will be shown, I guess, in fair weather and foul. I haven't gone to the last couple as I saw them either in the states or on the ship. I'll have to wait till the newer ones come around. I've just noticed the size of this letter and I find that I am developing into quite a gab artist with my pen though I have nothing much else to do. I've written four letters last night & tonite this is the fifth and one to my Mother will be my sixth. I'll take a day or two off and commence all over again but it will be two then. I've written to my brothers to Webber and also to Canavan. I write to these people about every two weeks or whenever something new comes up. I'll write to you and my mother about every other day or until they run out of air mail stamps. All transactions out here are carried out in invasion money using the Japanese exchange of yens & sens and since I haven't been paid yet I haven't been able to get any. I had twenty one dollars when I hit here and changed the one into Japanese currency. No one seems to be able to break a twenty but I'll keep trying. It's the first place I've ever been that American money has been of no value whatsoever to the owner. Boy it is really a surprise no fooling. By the way I am enclosing some Japanese money that we got off some of the Native Okinawans just so you will have a souvenir of my suffering or whatever this kind of duty is supposed to be. The small stuff or sen roughly speaking is worth about 1/10 of a cent whereas the yen is worth a dime roughly speaking. In reality though 15 yen is worth one dollar. This is our means of exchange out here but ours is military currency or invasion money. The small ones are sen and are worth about a nickel now about .03 1/2 the large one is 10 yen worth roughly .75. The large bill cost me a carton of Raleigh cigarettes that I procured incidentally for nothing in Acorn 54 while the small ones cost me a pack of Raleighs a piece which I too got for not a cent still the compliments of Acorn 54. These natives are shrewd bargainers and in one of my following letters I'll let you know about it. Well honey it's about time I close out this booklet I have written with the wish that I'll return to the states in the near future and that you are well and in good spirits. I love you still honey with all my heart and nothing will ever change my mind on that. 

I miss you a lot and although it can't be I wish you were close by so I could see you at least once in a while anyway. Well I'll close out now and once again say that I miss and I love you.

Always

John"







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrone_Power reports that "In August 1942, Power enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, then Officer's Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he was commissioned a second lieutenant on June 2, 1943. As he had already logged 180 solo hours as a pilot before enlisting, he was able to do a short, intense flight training program at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. The pass earned him his wings and a promotion to first lieutenant. The Marine Corps considered Power over the age limit for active combat flying, so he volunteered for piloting cargo planes that he felt would get him into active combat zones.[17]

In July 1944, Power was assigned to Marine Transport Squadron (VMR)-352 as a ... transport co-pilot at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station El Centro in California in December 1944. Power was later reassigned to ... Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands in February 1945. From there, he flew missions carrying cargo in and wounded Marines out during the Battles of Iwo Jima (Feb-Mar 1945) and Okinawa (Apr-Jun 1945).

For his services in the Pacific War, Power was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, and the World War II Victory Medal.




Was it Tyrone Power that my mother thought my father looked like?



"11 Cedar St

Sept 24

Dear Ellen

I received your letter a few days ago so I thought I would drop you a line in case you did not get any more mail from John. 
He said in my letter that he was that he was on his way to Japan to Honshu Island it is 3 hundred miles north of Tokyo so when he would get there he would let 
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us know all about it - they had only a short stay at Okinawa Island but while he was there he went through the island and saw some sights. So I don't think we all hear from him for a while until he gets there anyway. So I thought you would like to know that in case he did not say it in your letter. So I am glad the war is over before he went down there. 

So come out when you can Ellen and if I get any more mail I will let you know.

Love

Mrs Manning"








"25 September 1945

My dear Ellen,

Well here I am again still going strong and not the least bit shook up as yet. I've finally come to the conclusion that I had better get some Jap money so I invested the cool sum of twenty simoleans to get a hold of some. It was a pretty steep investment but I guess I'll be able to spend it. Since I've been here its cost me exactly one dollar for incidental expenses. All we can buy is cigarettes, cokes, candy and toilet articles. This twenty dollars worth of yens and sens should last me till I leave here which I hope will be soon, I hope so anyway. How have you been anyway? I haven't received any mail from you since I've been in this Command but I figure in a day or two it should come along. I guess it was holed up in Japan and should by now be on its way down here. As I told you beforeI have written to Webber for the dope on the Japan deal in order to see what I missed, if anything at all. It should be interesting and I really hope I didn't miss anything. I intended to tell you about our natives here in Okinawa but I am afraid I'll be unable to do so as there is a terrific argument going on around here  and I am as of now unable to concentrate on any one subject. I'll discuss them in one of my following letters if its all right with you. This island is due for a shakeup on or about November first but I don't believe I'll be included in the change. The big shots will be the sole changes to be affected out here as far as I know with a few changes in the enlisted ranks. The enlisted men to be affected are in for some rugged duty elsewhere on the island. Some units, mostly Marines are moving to Shanghai and others are off to Japan. The Marines will do most of the moving I guess. I won't mind it out here if work conditions remain the same and I don't believe they will change much. Its been raining out here for two days now, not steady rain but intermittent shower of about one half hours duration about three or four times a day so you can see that the mud is with us again for a while.

Well honey I'll close out now for a day or so and make this a 'big quickie." I still love you honey so keep me in mind once in a while. I say so long now for a while and say again & again that I love you.

Always

John"    







26 ? September 1945

My dearest Ellen,

Well here I am again a little earlier that usual but nevertheless in a sort of writing mood. It rained again today and the mud is still with is as oozy and sticky as ever. We lost our chief pilot today. They sent him to Guam for hospitalization as a result of a torn cartilage in his knee It seems he got gassed up and thought he was a Russian dancer. You know the dance where you squat down and keep kicking your feet out in front of you while you have your arms folded, well he thought he could do it fine till his knee buckled under him. It may end his flying career I don't know, but I hope not as he was a real good Joe. We are getting a new pilot in soon I don't know when. We didn't do much today as our transport went to Guam early this morning and their was only one flight on our other plane. The whole score is we didn't do anything. The chief and I went on a sight seeing trip but had to turn back due to the mud on the roads. The slick and slime made it like ice and since traffic was heavy we decided to come back rather then risk going off the road into some deep mud that would have buried us under. The chief and I are getting along very well together and he isn't a bad guy at all. He is rather quiet & reserved but when you get to know him he is all right. By the way honey he's a Polock but not the big type. He is short and sort of dark. He looks more French than Polish but never the less he doesn't cause me any grief so that makes him all right. I keep thinking of necessity here and find none. I'm here only in case of an emergency so that if they need me around I'll be here. I have no tools to speak of and no equipment at all. If some damage is done to a ship I'm afraid it will have to wait a while before I can fix it. I guess I told you our marine aviation units are moving out to Japan and China plus Navy carrier units that have been laying around here waiting. Halsey's fleet left yesterday for the States I guess with a load of discharges on their way back home.

I promised you I'd tell you about the natives out here so I'll give you as much as I can. I told you what imitators they were, how they cock their hats on the side of their heads, smoke cigarettes, and walk around with their hands in their back pockets, well that is as far as it goes. That is one side of the them, The next is to do business with them. Though illegal it is overlooked. It's like trying to get blood from a stone. They have Jap money that is useless and worthless but the guys send it home as souvenirs. A small bill costs a pack of cigarettes or a cake of soap while a large bill will cost a carton of cigarettes or a couple of cakes of soap a tube of toothpaste plus what ever catches his eye. You can't fool him either as he has everything down pretty pat. He rub his hands over his face for soap or his finger across his teeth for toothpaste and cups his his hand as though lighting a cigarette to denote cigarettes. They are really clever and can say 'Thank you' as good as anyone of us. It's amazing. Well I'll close now honey as I have to save some gab for later. I love you with all my heart and miss you so much - my love always
John"






"September 27 1945

My dearest Ellen

Today I received a letter from you dated Sept. 6 which has helped my morale quite considerably indeed. My only complaint is that in these early September letters you consistently complain of lack of mail on my part. I don't know but since I've reached here I have written to you quite frequently but maybe as yet they have not yet reached you. This late mail gets me all confused as I keep writing and you still don't seem to get mail. I guess it can be contributed to the fact that in all our sea time I did very little writing especially after Pearl Harbor due to the censorship that was in vogue at that time. Since I've arrived at this end of God's creation though I have been suffering from a siege of writers cramp. My poor pen is at long last being used to its full extent and the money that I invested in it are now beginning to show a slight gain in usefulness. I didn't work this afternoon so I spent my time taking a shower and shaving in a very lackadaisical manner and before I knew it the hours had flown by. It's now about 4:30 and almost chow time. I had plans of getting a hair cut but the barber got some kind of pains in his side and quit early to see the doctor. He is of the opinion that he has appendicitis. Poor fellow! Now I have to wait till he gets all well before I can get my mop clipped off. It's long as it is and the humidity makes it very dry and stringy. If the barber has what he thinks he has I'm afraid I'll have to put my locks up in rags or braid them one of the two. I found a few more guys that were dropped off here by Acorn 54. They are only about a mile from me but in a different unit. I was surprised to see them no fooling. They were my penuchle partners back in the states. The news is pretty well certain now that we will break up in November but as to our new destination nobody knows yet. I'm beginning to feel like an Arab or nomad always moving around and getting nowhere very fast. Well honey that's enough gab for now so I'll sign off for today and give you a buzz tomorrow or the next day. Do me a favor and get some mail out here. I love you kid and miss you an awful lot.
All my love always

Always

John"








"Sunday Sept 30 1945

My dearest Ellen,

Well honey here I am again none the worse for wear and still carrying on as good as possible. It is very warm here today and I am perspiring quite freely. Much of the perspiration is due to the walk I just completed from church. I have finally located the churches around here and so will commence once again my weekly visit to honor the Lord. My regular routine was interrupted in our voyage across the ocean as they had no Catholic chaplain aboard. As it now we have to go to mass over in the marine sector as we have no chapel of our own. We ride over in a truck and come back the same way unless you are unlucky enough to miss the truck as I did this morning. It's only about a mile and a half so I am not about to collapse as yet. We are expecting another typhoon and a strong wind is blowing but the air is hot and humid. This typhoon may miss us I don't quite know as yet but I hope it does as it creates a lot of confusion and unnecessary work after it has run its self out to sea or wherever it goes. The church services were good and the priest gave a very enlightening sermon on holy orders. The chapel was jammed to overflowing and they had about fifty outside. It was a good manifestation of faith by all who attended. We have no work this morning due to the imminence of the typhoon as our unit has been grounded till an all clear has been passed along to us. It was due this morning but nothing has arrived as yet.

I am still awaiting mail from you but as yet none has arrived. I am wondering if you are getting my mail back there. Acorn 54 I guess must be about getting set up in Japan and I expect the mail you sent to them to arrive here shortly. Please forgive this scribbled writing but I don't want to get the paper all wet so the result is this. 

By the way has Madeline got herself married as yet or was that trip to Rochester just a side line bender? If she don't do something soon she'll wind herself up in a circle and keep going round and round like a merry-go-round with nothing in sight but herself. As for Hannie I figured the old girl will be kind enough someday to give some poor guy a break by associating with him. Hannie get the self styled impression that she is strictly a woman of the world when the poor kid is only slightly out of the adolescent stage of life. I better not say too much about her or she's liable to claw all over me at our next meeting. I figure I'll be able to handle her though, at least I hope I can. If they keep feeding us C rations I'll be so weak I won't be able to get up out of my sack some morning. Well honey I'll say so long again from muddy Okinawa with the thought that I still love you and miss you uppermost in my mind because I really do miss you and you already know how I love you. So long for now and take care - please. All my love to you. 

Always 


John"



Chapel on Okinawa























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