A Piece Of An Old Puzzle Is Found
Last night I got the answer, from a man who served alongside my father in the Pacific Theater.
It wasn’t like I never asked. I did. But Daddy would always kind of mumble something about being in G-2, the intellegence division of the army. Or, he would joke that he crawled across Alabama then crawled across the Phillipines.
One of my father’s old war buddies called my stepmother to inquire about any records my dad might have had about his time inside Japan after the surrender. I knew he had been in a few Japanese towns, including Kobe. I am looking through papers to see if I can find documents.
My dad’s old friend told me that he never told -his- children what he did in the war, either. He said they just did their job, came home, and went back to work.
But what a job. These young sergeants were attached to headquarters company for the 6th Army. They were assigned the task of collecting intellegence reports from Japanese-Americans who were questioning prisoners-of-war, looking over photos and other information obtained from the enemy, then writing reports to the commanders, colonels and generals at the headquarters company. It probably scared them to consider that what they reported might have a life-or-death effect on American troop movements on the battlefield.
My dad’s old buddy also told me that half of the day was spent training with Army Rangers. Their outfit would be in one of the first waves of the invasion of mainland Japan.
Now if fits together. Daddy had told me that he had all new stuff, new blanket, rifle, new trucks were coming in. The build-up toward the invasion was on.
I can imagine what he was thinking, after seeing reports that no doubt outlined horror after horror visited on American forces and their friends on the islands.
I know some of the photos he brought back are ghastly, and were kept away from my children until they were old enough to understand what they were seeing. Aftermaths of invasions, battles, fights.
I have read the actual intellegence estimates of expected casualities had The U-S had invaded Japan.
Chances are I would not be here.
So .. Thank you, Mr. Truman, and Mr. Oppenheimer, and Prof. Einstein.
It’s been more than ten years since my dying father called me to his desk and had me retrieve his “Ike” jacket from the closet. He had me help pin his medals in the proper place.
It all makes more sense.
I found out that, even as a young man, my dad had a sense of humor and liked to have fun. In the words of his contemporaries, he was a “regular guy”. That is, if any of those guys could ever be considered regular.
I thank God for that puzzle piece that I always wanted, but never seemed to be able to cajole from my dad.
I’M SO GLAD YOU GOT THE INFORMATION YOU’VE BEEN WANTING. IT MEANS A LOT TO US AND TO A NATION WHAT OUR " DADDY’S " STOOD FOR AND FOUGHT FOR - FREEDOM ! I WAS VERY FORTUNATE
TO HAVE A WONDERFUL FATHER AND LUCKY TO HEAR FOR MANY YEARS, MY DADDY TALKING OF THE TIMES AND SOLDIERS HE EXPERIENCED DURING WW II - I THANK GOD FOR HIM AND HIS DISTINGUISHED VALOR AND FOR ALL THE MILITARY THROUGH OUT THE YEARS FOR THEIR SERVICE.
MY DADDY LEFT ME AND MY CHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN WITH SO MANY HAPPY MEMORIES AND PRIDE UNSPEAKABLE. THANK YOU FOR THIS ARTICLE. LS
Wow what an wonderful story, Iisten to you and HHH every day that you are on and I can just tell you that I love the way that you all are so good at what you do. I am a 30 year old guy married with two children and I hope that I can bring to my kids and the people around me the the kind of greatness that you give us everyday on the radio. You are a really great person and I like the way you all report the truth and how it is "just the facts" not your opinion of those facts. Great job and keep it up.
Keith
What a great story. I am glad I got to hear it from you at work and then read it here as well. And I wish that I had some veterans in my family that I could have talked to about the war before they passed. I had the chance to meet a B-17 pilot last year. He told of the stories of his flights over Germany, 29 of them, The hours of tedium followed by minutes of terror. And 60 years later, he could still joke about things. Fascinating stories these men have, but it is just not in them to tell those stories. They did not, and do not, want to be heroes. But they were, because they did what we can only wonder if we would be strong enough to do under the same circumstances.
Great post Dave. I waited until today to link to it being July 4th, etc. Great stuff. My father is a Korean War vet, but was fortunately stateside during the war. He was in a commination team, and was training for a invasion when the armistice was signed. My father was destined to be the sixth man out of the plane on a drop and had a life expectance of six seconds if he went in. I like you thank the men that decided to end the war before my father went in, thus allowing him to have me. As always great work.
http://www.team-swap.com/wordpress/2005/07/04/a-solider-at-war/
It’s nice to learn a little more about a Grandfather I always knew, but always wondered about. I’m proud of who he was, who you are, and what I aspire to be.
Thanks to both of you for such good examples.