Final Letters from China, through March 1946

Tientsin, China

Okinawa, Japan

Dad arrived in Okinawa on April 1, 1945

Dear Mother and Dad:

Sorry that it has been so long since I have written but while we were aboard ship the daily routine was so much the same that there just wasn't anything to talk about. The last few nites it got very hot and many of us took to sleeping out on the deck. One nite were very comfortably situated when about two oclock up came one of those frequent rainstorms and before we could move, we were all quite thoroughly soaked. But all in all, it was a very enjoyable trip and I think most of the fellows enjoyed it fairly well. But you can mark my words that it is sure a relief to be on land again. We got in the other day (April 1st; Battle of Okinawa began that day.) and haven't done much yet except get things squared away. I ran into a number of fellows that I went to school with back at Quantico and New River and it was very good to see them. My bunk mate at Quantico is down in a hospital here, having just come back from the last operation. I don't know how bad he's hurt but I am going to try and get down there in the nere future. We are living in tents now and aside from the fact that it is a considerable distance from the states, the place is not much worse than any tent camp in the states. As yet there is no water except what we carry in our helmets or pails that we have expropriated, but it is surprising how nice a shower you can take with your helmet, as well as wash your clothes, shave, etc. We have electric lights in our tent but some of them don't as yet. I spent the first day building a little furniture for the tent and you would be surprised how livable it looks. Built e a wash stand for my helmet and expropriated a five gallon bucket. Also have a writing table and a cabnet. The only thing about making a place too nice is that as soon as you get all the improvements completed, off you go to some other place. They have an outdoor movie that is showing some pretty fair pictures. The movie is proceeded by a very good news commentary, and of late, it sounds very encouraging. Certainly appears as if the European affair could very easily finish up shortly. Hope so. Haven't got a line on Mike, but I believe that he is in on the latest movement.

Right now I am writing this by Coleman Lantern light and the darn thing is just about shot. Needs another mantle. I got a new job today. Am now Exec. Officer of H & S Do, since we added a few new infantry officers to the company to take care of the training program. Sure hope that we get split up soon and get in a regular outfit. The uncertainty of a draft soon begins to get on ones nerves. Haven't got any mail yet but hope to have some in the next day or two. There was a mixup in our mail somewhere along the line. Don't worry, please. I'm feeling fine and in very good health. Say hello to everybody, Love.

April 8, 1945

Got your no. 5 letter today and have likewise received all the others. Our mail service is getting very good now and it is taking about 5 or six days to get letters from the West Coast.

Today a bunch of us went down to the beach swimming. I'm not kidding you, but  the place looked like Coney Island on the fourth of July. It is a very nice beach with the exception of coral rocks scattered all over the place. there is sure a lot of difference between the water here and that which we sued to swim in in Puget Sound or even down in Southern Cal. It is really nice. There were a lot of army and navy nurses swimming today too but most of them are pretty sad apples. (But they all had a man, you can bet your neck on that). I had a surprising thing happen while I was down there. I was walking along the beach and some guy came up behind me and gave me a swat on the back, but you would never guess who it was. Bill Blecken. I was just as surprised to see him as he was to see me. He's been out here with a ea Bees outfit since October and says that he has a pretty soft job. I'm going to try to get off one of these nights soon and go down and have dinner with him. His outfit is located about ten miles down the road from us so it won't be too hard to get down there. When I left Cal Lillian told me that she thought that he might be out around here but since I got here I didn't know where to inquire as to whether he was here. But you can tell his folks that he looks fine and seems to be having a pretty good time. At least, if he spends as much time at the beach as I would I'm sure he would be having a very good time. But it's certainly a small world.

I'm sorry to hear that Mable didn't fair so well with the SeaBee. Incidentally, when you write her next, you might remind her that she owes me a letter that I would more than enjoy receiving. also tell her that I was sorry that I didn't get down and visit with her friends in Carlsbad but I just didn't seem to get the time. (I just rewound and turned over this ribbon to see if it would make it any better and it did, now maybe you'll be able to read it without too much difficulty.)

Just got back from hearing the news and it certainly sounded good. they've just about got all the Jap navy sunk now so from now on there ought not to be too much opposition. The war in Europe is going very favorable too, and it won't be long before the country is completely cut up. The Okinawa campaign seems to be going very favorably too with casualties not too high.

[here he makes reference to his poor handwriting and need for a typewriter. BUT he thinks his is better than brother David's, and would appreciate it if David would type his correspondence. He also talks about Caroline, David's future wife.]

Letters from Camp Pendleton, California

We haven't found letters between November, 1944 and January, 1945.  He gives no hints to the reason, nor does he mention when he actually transferred to California.

January 30, 1945

February 13, 1945

 This is hardly legible, so I'll transcribe below......

2- In regard to this draft, it is composed of all types of men. There is in the Marine Corps a system of classification in which men are segregated acording to their specialty, ie--riflemen, carpenters,cooks, engineer personnel, ordinance, quartermaster, etc. When a draft goes out, it is composed of all types and these men stay together until they reach a distribution center somewhere out in the Pacific, at which time they are all divided up and assigned to various units in accordance with the present demand. At present, the officers in the draft are just acting as overseers, so to speak, that is, there is no organized units such as go into the field for combat. That all comes later. So the men that I have now are not engineers,necessarily. In fact, I don't think any of the[m] are. In one way it is kind of bad, since I am not gaining any practical experience at the job. I've got a company of 80 men that are more or less service troops. I take care of supplying the guard for the entire camp and the men that are off guard one day are used for working parties. So much for that, I hope it is a little clearer now. If it isn't, just ask the questions and I'll try to answer them. Still don't know when we are going to shove off. Guess nobody does, leastwise, any 2nd Lt's.

I don't know if you ever remember Tom Newsom over at the house [ΣΑΕ at Washington State University]. He was yell leader for a year. A big tall fellow. He was a good friend of Ostarello's and mine. Anyway, his mother lives just a few blocks from the Casseday's, so Sat we went over to see her. She had come up to Pullman on the mothers day when we pledged him and I had met her then,so I thought it would be nice if I went over and saw her. Tom is flying B-24's in India.

Got a letter from Bill Taylor today and he still seems to be in as cheerful a mood as ever. But he doesn't say a darn thing, all he can do is ridicule the Marine Corps which leaves me no alternative than to do the same to his organization.

Last nite our hut looked like the sleeping porch of the SAE house on some nite during pledge week. Somebody had gone out into the hills and picked up a bunch of cow bones and rocks and sagebrush and very cleverly filled everybody's bed with the stuff. It was hardly safe to leave the place for fear that when you came back you would find a dead rabbit in your bed. But anything to break up the monotony. Everybody is getting so firmly entrenched down

February 28, 1945

Dear Mother and Dad:

Just a short note before going to bed. Haven't written this week because I was kind of sick the first two days. Don't know what it was but my stomach was somewhat upset and kind of got me down for a while, but I'm okay now. It's just about the first time since I got in the Corps that I've been sick.

I did quit[e] a lot of running back and forth to L.A. this weekend as somewhat of a dirty deal was pulled on me, at least I thought that it was a dirty deal. I had previously been told that I could have the weekend off and sincer it was one of Mary's first sundays that she hasn't had to work, we had planned to go up in the mountains. But five minutes before I left camp, I was told that I had to work sunday and it was done in such a manner that it really burned me up. But you know that you can't buck it in this outfit so there is no use brooding over it. So I had to get back here sunday morning in order to go to work at nine. It was supposed to last all day but when I got here I was fortunate to find another lt. who was willing to take the co. out in the afternoon so I was able to leave at one. I was planning on coming back on the bus Sat. nite but the Cassedays thought it would be fun to drive me back early sunday morning so we got up at five, had breakfast and then started at six. It is about a two hour drive, but one of the water hoses broke on the car,and it heated up so bad that we couldn't go all the way. So I got out on the road and was lucky enough to catch a ride that was going right by camp, so I wasn't late. But it was too bad, because they had gone to so much trouble to try to get me down in time. But everything worked out fine in the end, as it always does. I would have like to have had them comedown and see the camp but maybe they can get down before they leave. Incidentally, do you think that you could scare up a couple of more gas stamps?

Mother, I'm at a loss to think of something to get Mrs. Casseday. They've been so nice to me that I'd like to get them something but at buying presents, I am completely at a loss. Maybe you could give me a few suggestions. And then I'll worry about trying to find it. I've looked in the gift shop here at camp and there just isn't a darn thing.

Will rite soon, but right now I've got to go to bed.

Love Bob