Leonard's Story: September 29, 1944

                                                                                    Fri, Sept 29th

Dear Arnold,

     Although this typewriter is broken, in that the lines do not
space correctly, I am not going to delay this letter any longer.
There is nothing new here in the way of big items, however, a few
little things have happened.  By now you must have received at least
one or if I remember correctly it should be two.  I am glad that
you like your set up so well.  I see by your address that you have
moved.  How do you like your new lodgings?  We take some hikes here
too, in fact one every week.  They aren't nearly as interesting as
yours, all we see are jungled lined roads.  The one good hike they
went on I missed because of work.  They hiked up a jungle trail to
a river.  There were remains of the Japs along the trail, bones,
clothes, and shoes.  Lt Gassner picked up one of the shoes to
examine it and the foot bones still in it.  One of the other Officers
from Ritchie, who is in another division went on a three day hike
up to one of the trail blocks.  He said the terrain was extremely
rough, up and down, dense jungle, and dangerous swamps.   Coming back
he said they kept meeting natives boys who are used as carriers.
All the English they knew was "hello Joe."  As my friend
neared the perimeter and the end of his journey, he met one last
native.  He decided to beat him to the punch by greeting him first.
As the native approached within talking distance, my friend smiled,
and said "hello JOE."  The native smiled back and answered, "how
do you do sir."

     You are probably wondering what I meant in the first part of
the above paragraph by receiving one or two, one or two what?  I
meant one or at least two of my letters by now.  I might explain at
this time that although  the spacing is broken on the typewriter, all
those typographical errors are not due to a broken typewriter, al-
though I wish I could say they were.  Now that I have cleared up
these points, I shall proceed.  Today we were presented with a
baby bat.  We had a bit of trouble with him at first.  We put him
a small can that some peanuts had come in, and he got some of the
salt that was left on his tail.  He because very agitated and we
finally fixed him up by giving him a bath.  We then decided to adopt
him as our mascot, and after a lengthy discussion, decided that
the way we would feed him was to tie a string around his neck and
have one of the enlisted men swing him around so he could catch
insects on the fly.  Imagine being told to take a bat out for an
airing!  Another per we have is a little tree frog.  Every night
just after we turn out the light and crawl in our sacks, he beings
to bark.  Yes, I said bark!  These frogs sound just like a little
fox terrier with a lusty voice.  Gas ( Lt Gassner) clapped his
hands and shouted "Shut up."  This startled the frog and he did
as he had been bidden, but only for a short time.  Soon he regained
his confidence, and first gave little short bark.  Nothing hap-
pended, so after a few minutes he gave a couple of more experimental
barks.  He waited a few seconds and then opened up.  He has become
very impertinent, and now will not shut up not matter how hard we
threaten, curse, or shout orders at him.  My other tent mate took
a flash light and tried to find him last night, but the little

[page 2]
devil hid, and soon as Bach stopped searching for him, he started
up again.  We took the philosophy that it was just another jungle
noise among the manny Jungle noises, and went to sleep.  It is
amazing what noise one of these small creatures make.   They are
only about the size of a baby toad, but the first night you hear
one you think some kind of jungle wild dog is barking not far
from your tent.

     It has almost been confirmed that I am not going to stay with
this outfit, Lt Gassner outranks me by a number of months.  Some
of my fellow classmates ended up in Army Headqtrs, and some we
haven't heard from might well be in Theater Hdqs [arrow] such is fate.  We now be-
lievethat a mistake was made in our shipment, and we went to the
wrong place.  This sure is a hell of a time to find out.

                                                                                   [arrow] censored by LJNevis
     I guess Dad wrote you that he asked xxxxxxxxx [crossed out] a friend. If he
knew where APO 37 was?  And Since this fellow had just come back
From the South Pacific, as he had been wounded.  The fellow replied,
"Do I know where APO37 is, Hell I was in it."If you don't know
where I am ask Dad to tell you.  The reason I didn't mention this
fellows name is that it might be against security regulations to
tell anyone where it [circled, arrow] APO37 is.  The censor might take his name down and
turn him in.  In fact the censor is probably having a hemmorage now
reading this, if he does.  However I don't think he can cut it
out, let me know if he does.

     I said let me know if the censor cut out any of the above para-
graph out.  Well this is about all the prittle-prattle I have
to tell you.  Write soon.

                                                             love,
                                            [signed] Leonard

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Leonard's Story: September 17, 1944

Notes: I suppose Fort McDowell was the one on Angel Island. Secret Command by Edward Sutherland starred Pat O'Brien and Carole Landis. Halmahera Island is the largest of the Moluccas, now part of Indonesia; the Japanese had a naval base there in the war. Moratai Island is also part of the Halmahera group; the Japanese had airfields there; the Battle of Moratai lasted from when Uncle Len is writing in September 1944 to the end of the war in August 1945. In Palau, the Battle of Peleliu (codename "Operation Stalemate II") took place from mid September to the end of November 1944. T/O might mean "table of organization and equipment", OCS is Officer Candidate School, and OP is probably observation post. This letter is typed on a typewriter.

                                                          Sunday, Sept 17, 1944

                                                          Sun 17th 

Dear Arnold,

     Well here it is another week gone by, thank goodness.

Life has stabilized it self down to a steady routine here,

except for a few little moments of excitement now and then.

Yesterday they killed a centipede a least six inches long in

the tent next to ours.  It was one of the ugliest creatures

I have ever seen.  They have a very wicked pair of fangs or

pincers which excrete poison.  When a man is bitten by one they

give him a strong done of morphine, and even then it does'nt

always relieve him of a great deal of agony.  Last night Lt

Gassner (the officer I work with) and I were playing cards,

when suddenly he stopped and said look down there.  Not two

feet away was a snake about four feet long, for a second we

sat motionless, the simultaneously we removed out presence form

the tent.  We cut his head off with a machete, and damn if that

body did'nt know that the head was gone, and it wiggled under/a

box.  It had a broad flat head, but we believe that it was not

poisonous, however we did'nt know until after we killed him.

These little incidents happen daily, the other day I felt some-

thing on my neck so I flicked it off casually and then found it

was a spider about two or three inches across.

     I have a 35mm Kodak camera that was issued to me, and the

other day I shot some pictures.  They turned out pretty good.

I got some fair shots of the natives we have around here al-

though they are a little small in the photo.  They are shy and

afraid of having their picture taken, and you have to surprise

them.  The hardest thing to get is paper to print them on, I

am going to find out if I can send the negatives home and have

them printed there, if so, I will ask mother to send you some

of the prints, especially the ones of the jungle, our tent, and

me with my butch haircut.

     Pardon me I have just returned from a show, SECRET COMMAND.

I saw this at McDowell, I never dreamed I'd see it out here again.

Friday morning we went up and observed the 155 medium artillery

firing on the sides of a volcano about three and a half miles

away.  Their fire is quite deadly, they adjust quickly and lay

down a neat pattern.  The volcano was a real live one with steam

rising out of the top and fissures in its sides. Through the

glasses you could plainly see the lava flow.  We had to go up

a trail to the top of the hill that was the OP.  The trails

around here are really rugged.  They claimed you could still

smell that peculair odor the Japs leave, but I could'nt notice

it. However, beside the trail lay an upturned helmet with a

bullet hole right through the center, a grime reminder of other

days.  I am getting it fixed up so I can go on a patrol up

[page 2]

the coast to a certain mission in enemy territory.  As soon

as we get a report of some more Japs in the vicinity, they

will probably send out another patrol.  I want to go along,

just once, to see what the interior looks like.  This is patrol

takes a couple of days or so.

     I am afraid I won't stay with this outfit, when they push

off on the next campaign.  There are two teams here although

the T/O only calls for one.  The other officer outranks me

by several months, plus the fact that it looks like eventually

I might lose one or both of my men to OCS.  I would like to

stay with them and see one operation at close quarters, however

it might be a better deal to stay behind, because the team that

stays may even be sent down to Australia and reassigned to

higher headquarters.  Gassner is married and says he does 'nt

partciularly care to see any landings.

     From all reports the war in Europe is moving along well.

A report this evening said they had penetrated the Seigfred line

in four places, and patrols are only 28 miles from Cologne.

You have undoubtly heard that we have hit the Halmaheras at

Moratai Is. and also Palau.  We had been looking forward to

this event for some time down here.  When the war is over in

Europe and we can really move down here in full force, it is

going to be beautiful to watch the slaughter of those little

yellow bastards.  If we can meet their armies on some open

terrain suitable for mechanized tactics, we should be able

to hand them a hell of a pasting.

     How is fall coming in the eastern states? I imagine it

is quite pretty.  Well write me when you can get a chance.

                                            love

                                [signed] Leonard

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Leonard's Story: September 8, 1944

"Looey" is probably lieutenant here. Uncle Leonard still recounted the regularity of the rain on Bougainville some fifty years later when talking about his experiences to me in the early 1990s. He said you could set your watch to it as it came daily at 3:00 pm, then in a week or two would shift to 3:30pm, and after a while shift another half hour later.

[typed, page 1]

                                                                                  Sept 8, 1944

Dear Arnold,

     How is the new second looey, enjoying same, it least you give

that impression in yourtwo letters of the 28th.  By the way the

V-mail arrived neck and neck with the airmail.  The longest five

months I have ever spent were in OCS.  I know just about how you

feel, for it isn't only getting a commission, but its getting out

of that damn candifate or cadet training. At first I felt slightly

uncomfortable and conspicous, especially when I was by myself, but

that soon wears off, and things settle down to a grind again, however

a slightly higher standard of grind.  I am glad you got in such a

nice setup, keep it up.  I don't know why I was in such a hurry

to get overseas, but take it from me this is not the way to see

the world.  The only glamour and heros are at home, there ain't

any such creatures out here.  It is all sweat, scare, mud, blood,

and work.  There is nothing like the states, stay there as long

as you can, because if you rush out here you will find your mighty

convictions have all been in vain, and it is too late to go back.

So work hard and stick to your job, you will be sent out here soon

enough.  However don't work too hard, try to get a little fun in

now and then to store up some good memories, they come in handy

out here.

     The sense of humor of the men out here give you an idea of

their attitude.  If  movie soldier says, "I want to go over there

and get those yellow monkeys, give them hell, or anyother cinema

patriotic remark he is hooted and laughed off the screen. They

walked out of Danny Kaye's UP IN ARMS.  They only crack a smile

at some of the best jokes of the radio comedians, then again some

little insignificant thing will knock them out.  However they still

have a sense of humor as shown in some of their signs.  The one over

the dispensary reads, " Montgomery's Clinic Specialist in the skin

and its contents.  Our mess hall, semi-tent structure, is titled

               Tearoom.  The other day I saw a truck named Lack-a-

nookie, and so it goes.

     We had an earthquake here the other night, however it was not

very severe.  Since there is an active volcano near at hand I suppose

it had something to do with it.  Earthquakes are not rare occurences

here.  The rain is even more frequent, in fact it is daily, and

generally comes in on a time schedule.  This afternoon we really

caught a deluge, but then it cools things off.  The biggest bother

here are the many insects.  I always seem to be able to pick up

at least several new bites every day, spiders, mosquitos, ants,

and a few unidentified things inflict a more or less constant

and equal proporation of bites.

[page 2]

     I have'nt run into anybody I knew at home, although there

is probably someone near at hand, however I don't get around much

anymore.  Send me Stadt's and Kennedy's APO and if they are on the

island which I doubt, I will look them up.  Well lieutenant keep

on the ball, and write soon again and don't omit any of the

luxuries, I can dream can't I.

                                            love,

                               [signed] Leonard

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Leonard's Story: August 23, 1944

[typed]

                                                                       Aug 23, 1944

Dear Arnold,

     Received your letter yesterday along with the first mail

I've had since I left.  Congratulations! It sure was great to

hear that you had received your commission, and that you were

assigned to Harvard.  It was a long hard struggle but I think

you will find it is worth it. How do you like it Lieutenant!

I was still at Ritchie on the 14th but was probably out when

you called on the phone, we did'nt leave until th e next day.

I bet you really surprised the folks by dropping in on them.

Four days at home after all time you were away was really a

short vivit, I know becuase that was all the time I had.

However I think you will agree it was worth it. Flying is

the only way to travel.

     I am now on an other island in the SouthPacific. I was

on Guadacanal for a short time.  thingsare'nt too tough here,

in fact I was a little agreeably surprised at the way they

have things fixed up around here.  Very civilized.  My assign-

ment is a little screwed up but I think it will work out in

the long run, but I don't know how far I will have to run?

We are treated very nice, and it look slike this is a good

oufit.

     It is going to take us a little while to get straightened

around and set up.  I don't know how long I will be here,

probably not over several months. It looks like the work

may be rather interesting, I only hope we can do what we

came out here to do.  We are camped in an areawhich is near

the center ofa rather large perimeter. Roughly the perimeter

extends from the beach some six or eight mile inland and is

more or less the same dimension in width.  Most of this area

was drained and clear of the water and dense jungle growth.

They have done an excellent job of fixing the place up and

it is quite liveable.  Please don't hesitate to describe your

pleasant surroundings, it makes me think of better days.

Of course there are a few Japs somewhere around the outside,

bu they keep their distance and are not bothersome. In fact

they don't even blackout here, and have'nt done it for quite

some time.

     I am sure sorry I did'nt get up to see you before I left,

but it was just impossible. Tell Ed hello next time you see

him and tell I would be glad to hear from him. And don't

hesitate to write yourself soon and often.I think I'd better

close until later, the bugs have about taken over the place.

They are busy flying around trying to read what I'm trying to

type, and I don't like to work with somebody or things looking

over my shoulder. Lets hit the ball lieutenant and go to MIT.

                                 from your loving brother

                             [signed] Leonard

GO TO NEXT LETTER

Leonard's Story: August 19, 1944

In this V-Mail letter, we see Leonard is the censor. (I don't know what the '18' is at the bottom of the v-mail.)

_________________________________________________________________________

Print the complete address in plain letters in the panel below, and your return address in the space provided on the right. Use typewriter, dark ink, or dark pencil. Faint or small writing is not suitable for photographing.

          TO LT Arnold H. Nevis              FROM  Lt. L J Nevis

                Unit 3510                                        APO 45751

                TS-Yale Univ.                                  c/o Postmaster

                 New Haven, Conn.                         San Francisco, Calif.

        LJNevis

[CENSOR'S STAMP]     SEE INSTRUCTION NO. 2         (Sender's complete address above)

Dear Arnold                                         19 Aug 44

     Please forgive me if you are now a Lieut. and if so congratulations

of the highest order. Well I am now on an island, somewhere in the

Pacific. The weather is hot and humid, it reminds me of North Carolina

in July. It really knows how to rain here, it feels like you were

under Boulder Dam and the bottom fell out. I can hardly wait for the

rainy season to start.

     The more I see around here the more I wonder why I tried so hard

to go overseas. Of course I am disappointed that I did'nt get to go the

other way, but I guess things are not to hot over there either. So

don't get rash and attempt to jump on a boat. You'll see what it is

like soon enough. Besides the more training you get the better off

your men and you will be.

     Write and let me know what you are doing now, and just becaus e

you don't receive an answer, don't let it stop youfrom writing another

letter. I don't know when I will be able to mail another letter.

     I have'nt received any mail since I left, and if I keep moving

about I don't know when it will catch up with me. You might include

news of Flavell, Fischer, and some of the other fellows from home.

And say hello to them if you see any of them.

                                        Love

                                           Leonard

HAVE YOU FILLED IN COMPLETE              REPLY BY         HAVE YOU FILLED IN COMPLETE

      ADDRESS AT TOP?                                 V-MAIL                       ADDRESS AT TOP?

18

GO TO NEXT LETTER

Leonard's Story: July 21, 1944

[July 21, 1944, page 1]

U.S.ARMY

                             July 21

Dear Folks,

     I am now somewhere

in California (thats all I can

say). The trip out here was

uneventful, execpt for the filthy

condition of the car. We came

out "Tourist" in an old pullman

car. They finally got the air

conditioning working the day before

we reached Calif., at least

we were cool crossing the desert

of Nevada.

     I have been into San

Francisco a couple of times,

its rather an expensive place

these days. The weather up

in this area has been rather

[page 2]

cool. However I like it here.

     I have been censoring mail

all morning, it gets quite boring

after a while, everybody says about

the same thing. There isn't much

that I can write about.

Except that I am fine and

everything is going well.

     You now send air mail

to me for 6¢. Please drop

me a line, I don't know

how long I'll be around this

area, I don't think it will long.

If I get any time off 3-4 days

I come home. However this

is very doubtful.

             Love to all

               Leonard

GO TO NEXT LETTER

Leonard's Story: June 23, 1944

Note: VOCO means "Verbal Orders of Commanding Officer"

[June 23, 1944, page 1]

              UNITED STATES ARMY

              CAMP RITCHIE

              MARYLAND

                             23 June

Dear Arnold,

     I have just received a six

day leave. Eighteen hours after

finishing the course I was alerted.

I am due back the 29th. I

am trying to fly home, I have

a priority which will take me

through, however, it is raining

here and the weather has been

bad all week so I don't know

if I will be able to make it.

If not I'll come up to see you

sunday night. I don't know

how much time I'll have

when I get back from leave.

If I fly home, I'll try to

get a 24 hour VOCO sometime

[page 2]

soon after I return and go up and

see you some night. I'll say hello

to the folks love

                 Leonard

GO TO NEXT LETTER

Leonard's Story: June 20, 1943

[June 20, 1943, page 1]

(A A)

CAMP DAVIS

NORTH CAROLINA

                             June 20, 1943

Dear Arnold

     So you're in the army now!

Well it isn't too bad, although

I think it will take you about

four to six weeks to get use to

it. I imagine you will get a deal

similar to the one the UCLA

ER.C. boys got, thirteen weeks of

basic training and then O.C.S.

     Army life isn't too bad,

fairly good food, clothes, nothing

to worry about, $48.40 a month for

spending money (they deduct $150 for

lanudry), a bunch of fellows to

horse around with, and the work

isn't too hard. You do have to get

use to somebody thinking for you

and telling you what to do all

the time, lack of women and

homey things, tough sgts who have

only a mouth and no brains, and

                     -1-

[page 2]

lack of contact with the outside

world.

     Don't buck or try too hard, try

to do your bucking so that although

you don't work any longer or harsher

your stuff always looks just a

little bit better than average.

Watch yourself during obstacle

courses, calesthenics, and heavy

work that you don't injure or hurt

yourself, I've seen a lot of fellows

break an arm or leg or hurt themselves

lifting. The result is that you get

hospitalized and set back a couple

of months. However always do you

part and don't ask to be let out of

something or go on sick call unless

it is really necessary. If you are

asked to drill or take charge of

a group of men, do just that,

don't be superficious but do "sound

off" and don't let anybody get

                     -2-

[page 3]

away with anything.

     You'll meet all kinds of

fellows from the guy that can't

read or write and doesn't take a

bath but once a year to the

fellow that can speak several

languages and has only the best

tastes and manners, yet both

are just G. I., Joes. Well I've got

some personal stuff I have to

buck so I guess I'd better

close. The best advice I can think

of is what an old soldier gave to

me. "Keep your mouth shut and

you bowels open." and you'll do

O.K.

                  Your brother

                   Leonard

                     -3-

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Leonard's Story: June 14, 1943

I don't know why there is a year's gap here and I suspect that some of the 1944 dates are wrong.

+++++++++++++++

[June 14, 1944]

          UNITED STATES ARMY

          CAMP RITCHIE

          MARYLAND

                             June 14, 1944

Dear Arnold,

     I am sorry I can't make

it this week end, I will still

be in this special class. I am

sorry I didn't write you yesterday

when I received you letter, but I

had a rough test this morning (3 hrs).

This is the toughest course I have ever or

ever want to take. We figured the other

that it is about equivalent to an 8 unit course

in three weeks (24 units at tech), the amount of

memory work is almost unbelievable. I finish

the 21st of May, six more days of this hell

in class and one day off to study. So

I hope we can get together soon after the

21st write and set the date.

                             Love

                             Leonard

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