I've Seen Okinawa

U.S.S. OCELOT (IX-110)

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Sunday 7 October 1945, 11:45 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Finally got ashore today.  Now I've seen Okinawa.  It must have been a pretty place before the war.  There are still many spots resplendent with wild beauty.  However wherever a town or village stood, there is just a mass of rubble.  Naha has very few structures still standing and those that are minus a wall, roof or both.  The enclosed snap taken by another officer last week is typical of the appearance of most buildings.  I visited numerous towns and villages.  In fact the majority are in even worse shape than the one pictured.  Only piles of ruble and rock.  On the other hand the land is quite fertile.  Outside the vicinities of villages and towns, trees, bushes, sugar cane other vegetation and flowers (especially hibiscus) make for beautiful scenery.

          The island is quite hilly.  In the hillsides, thousands of caves can be seen. There are numerous burial tombs in the hills. The hollowed out interiors have altars and a space for burying the dead.  Undoubtedly the Japs holed up in these tombs and had to be blasted out.  Many of them are sealed up now, though most are still open.  However I wasn't curious enough to look into any of them.  I'll believe what others said as to what is on the inside.

          There are many Jap prisoners and they are working willingly without being under guard.  They got about six cents a day as Jap soldiers. Now as prisoners of war they get forty cents or more a day.  Why shouldn't they like the change?  The natives are dirty.  Though not antagonistic, they still are not friendly.  They live in reservations.  Up till September 15 they couldn't leave those areas.  Now however they have the run of the island.

          We got ashore about 9:30 and rode around steadily until three o'clock so we saw plenty.  In fact I've seen enough and don't care to go ashore again.  I may make a run in just to buy some military currency as souvenirs.  Enclosed is a ten sen note worth about six cents.  I plan on buying 200 one sen notes and mail them to patients with greetings from Okinawa. Two hundred will cost sixty-six cents and I think that'll be good advertising.  Don't you?

          I got four letters today, two from you, one from Libby and one from my mother.  All of the 27th.  You seem to be getting quite a bit of teaching.  That should keep you busy and that is also good for you.  Linda's school problem: as soon as peacetime adjustments are made and a normal routine resumes, it will correct itself.  In the meantime, we and she will have to make the best of it.

          Tonight's movie was a stinker but the shorts were interesting.  The program is enclosed.  I'll sign off.  It is past midnight and I'm tired and sleepy. Goodnight darling, how about paying me a visit in my dreams tonight?

Love,

Gil

Photos of Naha

          

Dreaming of You Day and Night

U.S.S. OCELOT (IX-110)

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Friday 7 September 1945, 7:00 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello Sweetheart how is my "bride" to be?  It is still raining and hasn't stopped since yesterday morning.  The monsoon season (rainy) is supposed to start in October but I guess it is just a little early this year.  However I'm not complaining.  It has cooled a lot and the temperature is down to about seventy-five degrees.

          This morning, I did some dentistry for a change.  I was busy until 11:00 A.M. and then I secured.  I'm planning lots of salads for our lunches next week and hope the officers like it.  Monday we'll have fruit salad, toasted cheese sandwiches and ice cream.  Wednesday, a salad with pork.  Friday, shrimp salad.  Then there'll be tenderloin steaks, chicken, turkey and roasts for dinners, so we should have a good menu.

          We are still leaving on Sunday the 9th.  Although the war is over we will travel in convoy (twenty-eight ships) with three escort vessels and we'll all be blacked out.  Some Jap subs are still unaccounted for, so we aren't taking any chances.

          I was surprised with a letter of the 27th from you and am I pleased.  I'm sorry you aren't enjoying the vacation like I hoped you would.  Guess we're a little different from the Siegers in our likes and dislikes and I don't mean vacations alone.  We always did enjoy being together and always will.  But we don't like roughing it.

          Tonight we have a good movie and rain or not I'll be there.  It is "Sally, Irene and Mary" and should be good entertainment.

          I still can't write a long letter. As soon as I hear from you I'll go to town telling you what you want to know.

          Goodnight my love.  I pray we'll soon be one again.  Dreaming of you day and night.

Yours alone,

Gil

         

Censorship Ain't No Mo

U.S.S. OCELOT (IX-110)

c/o Fleet Post Office

San Francisco, California

Tuesday 4 Sept 1945, 9:30 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello Honey, the lid is off.  Censorship ain't no mo?  Fire away.

          Briefly here is what happened when we got to Pearl.  Commodore Carter, Commander of Service Squadron Ten was looking for a flagship and since the Ocelot had no definite duty to perform, she was it.  For nine weeks we lay along the dock while the shipyard equipped the ship for his duty.  A service squadron has the duty of supplying food, clothes, ammunition, fuel, personnel and anything else you can think of to the fleet.  The Ocelot was the floating headquarters and we housed about 85 officers and 700 men on our ship.  Squadron 10 grew by leaps and bounds and soon there were several divisions functioning at Eniwetok, Ulithi, Leyte, Saipan and Okinawa.  When Commodore Carter went back to the states, Rear Admiral A. E. Smith relieved him as Commander of Squadron Ten.  In addition, Service Division 101 under Commodore Du Val also was established aboard.  Now that the war is over, the Squadron is breaking up.  101 is going to China and Korea and Squadron 10 to Okinawa and then Japan.

          Here's the good news.  The Ocelot is very old and has no place in a peacetime Navy.  There are many newer vessels suitable for flag ships.  Admiral Smith has asked for another and is supposed to get it within thirty days.  Further the Ocelot has no heating in crews' quarters and isn't suited for duty in a cold climate.  So the scuttlebutt is that as soon as the Squadron gets its new flag ship we'll go back to the U.S. for decommissioning.

          I've never even intimated it before but we did have a few visitors while we were in Ulithi.  I saw a tanker torpedoed and sunk about 2000 yards from our ship.  One night before the movies while we were singing Red River Valley, two Jap planes flew overhead.  We all cussed them out thinking they were our own.  The reason for the cursing was that they were flying very low and without lights.  Anyway the Randolph, a carrier, was about 1000 yards astern. Suddenly one of the planes dove and the whole anchorage lit up.  There were numerous casualties but the ship was repaired and back in action in two weeks.  We've had other lesser excitements but we came through OK.  I'm surprised you never read about it in the Outlook.  Dave saw the item about it which was broadcast by Tokyo Rose. He cut it out and sent it to me.  He hoped you hadn't seen it and didn't call your attention to it lest you worry unnecessarily.

          So much for that.  Today was quite a busy day for me but no dentistry, just collateral duties.  We are slated to leave for Okinawa on the 7th and it'll take 5 to 6 days to make the run.  We will be anchored in Buckner Bay so if Leon does ship out tell him to look for me.  The Ocelot is a famous ship and anyone who has seen duty in the West Pacific knows about her. He shouldn't have any trouble finding it.

          Just think Darling in another month or six weeks I may be homeward bound.  I get so excited just thinking about coming home to you and the kids that I wonder how I'll act when the thought becomes a reality.  

          We had a good movie tonight.  Gary Cooper and Loretta Young in "Along Comes Jones" was it and quite good.

          I got five letters and a card all from you but they were marked the 22nd and 23rd of August.  I've already received some of the 25th so all the news was old.  By now you are home and I hope the stay up at Lake Arrowhead was real nice.  Yes Dear we have a honeymoon to go on and I hope it's real soon.  I'm a lousy writer of love letters but when I get back I'll prove personally that I'm no amateur.

          So Sweet, I'll sign off.  Goodnight and pleasant dreams.

Love

Gil

Outlook Article About Bombing of the Randolph