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Showing posts with label G-2 officer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label G-2 officer. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Leonard's Story: April 26, 1945

The Times Pony edition was printed for members of the U.S. Armed Forces overseas beginning at the end of 1942. Div CP would mean Division Command Post.
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                                                                                               Philippines
                                                                                               26th April

Dear Arnold,

     Received your V-mail of 6th April.  After what campaign?  We were
going to get a rest, but the situation changed  and here  we are kicking
the Japs around with everything or anything.  They are about as hard to exterminate
[ARROW] as cockroaches in a good old Calif home.  I am going up to work with the
Guerrillas, as an intelligence officer.  It should prove interesting.

[from ARROW above in margin]
but we are just the guys who can and are liquidating them

     Although the rest did'nt pan out we did get ten days of perishable
rations, and have had fresh meat and eggs for breakfast practically every day
day now for the last seven days.  However, it will soon be back to bully
beef and spam again.

     At present we ar set up in a coconut grove, near an ex-town ( completely
destroyed by the Japs).  The weather is hot and muggy, but it is better this
way than if it was raining all the time.  I sure hope we finish this deal
up before the rainy season starts.  I don't want to have to go through another
nightmare like we had on Leyte.  Of course we would be there during the
typhoon season, and I have never been wet so much for so long in my life.
We use to have to stand in ankle deep mud even in the chow line, and keeping
dry feet was just impossible, in fact keeping dry was impossible.

     We have had a little rain here, and I can see that this place will be a
regular mud hole too, when the rains come.  It rained just as much or more
on Bougainville, but the ground quickly absorbed the water.  Also it would
usually rain about the same time every day for a week or so, and then change
the schedule.  In Leyte is just rained all the time every day.

     Say I want to thank you again for the pen and pencil set, it is now one
of my prized possessions.  I don't know how I got along without it before.
Also thanks for the Air mail edition of TIMES Pony, that is something that
is hard to find around here, and they are always read to death.

     I have lost a lot of weight, and you probably would'nt recognize me now.
Things have been rough, and I am glad that you won't have to got through any-
thing like this.  It is no fun, believe me.

     A while back when we were at a certain extown, we had a bit of excitement
right in the center of the Div CP.  It so happened that I was duty officer
this particular morning, when I heard the guards open fire.  Now this in its
self is not uncommon, in fact I was cussing tthem out, because the bullets
were wanging around, and the only things they seem to hit are horses or dogs,
or just the ozone.  Suddenly a man came running up and said that they wanted
me to go over and search a Jap that they had killed only about a hundred yards
down the road from the G-2 office.  Now the interesting thing is that this Jap
was armed with a US .30 caliber carbine, and upon checking the number it was
discovered that it belonged to one of our men, and had been stolen from the side
of his sack while he was asleep earlier in the morning.  In the dim pre-dawn
light this Jap was thought to be a guerrilla, and was finally killed walking
down one of the main roads only about 100 yds from the center of town.

     Well I'd better close now, write soon.
                                                            love
                                                  [signed] Leonard



Saturday, June 14, 2014

Leonard's Story: March 24, 1945

OB would be "Order of Battle". Not sure if CBI is "China-Burma-India" theater.  SWPA is South West Pacific Area. Look alike their cousin Edwin died and Len is concerned about Edwin's mother Laura.
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                                                                                   Philippines
                                                                                   March 24

Dear Arnold,

     I am sorry I have'nt written you for such a long time, mainly
due to plenty of work.  In addition to being Order of Battle Officer,
my main job, I now go out about every/other day on G-2 liaison work.
This means every night that I come in I have to check over OB stuff,
and by the time I am through I am too tired to write anything else.
I guess you have been reading alot about this unit in the papers
upon occasion, its a damn good outfit, and probably the toughest
fighting unit down here, bar none, including the Rangers.  However
a personal situation has arisen between myself and the G-2, and I
think it best that I try to transfer, as I have the feeling that
a knife is constantly ticking me right between the shoulder blades,
and at the first chance it will slip in.  So far I have'nt offered
him that chance.  If I stay here I will probably get a section 8,
as I am fast becoming a nervous wreck.

     The other day I received the wings you sent me, and today I
received the pen and pencil set (the thing I needed most, as I had
lost mine) and the pajamas and slippers, which will also come in
very handy.  Thanks very much, things like that just can't be had
out here.

     We are still at it, with no breaks.  Its a tough life, especially
for the kids in the Infantry Companies.  I have'nt had any close
calls lately, in fact I am starting to become a little less anxious
about rushing right up and looking at things, too many people are
collecting insurance on deals like that.  Its too bad about Edwin,
he was the type that would get right up there and really mix it up.
I hope Aunt Laura won't take it too hard.

     I guess you will be fixing up to come overhere soon now.  If
you are ask to accept another job in the states, take it.  I guarantee
you won't be crazy about being in CBI or SWPA.  Frankly I am ready
to come home now, who isn't, but that is'nt the way it works. I
guess the best way to figure is this; If you go home now the job
won't be really done, so its best to stay out here until it is
done correctly, even if it takes two more years. [ARROW] The only thing     (What
I am worried about is after we do a good job out here of knocking                 am I
off the Japs to the proper proportion and into the proper attutde,                   saying!)
will the boys in the marble buildings at home do a good job on
the peace?

     I am tired tonight, and I think I will go to bed.  I will try
to finish this tomorrow.

[handwritten]
     Well Bud I am going to wind this
up and get it off you you  Inclosed
you will find a description of our landing
Notice it was written 5th Feb I came
across it straightning up my files, and
found that I never had a chance to mail it.
The censoring was done by me, although
actually what I cut out has been
said in the papers (and more too). Write
soon.
                           love
                              Leonard

P.S. Thanks for the card(s)
     Thanks for the TIME SUBSCRIPTION



Thursday, June 12, 2014

Leonard's Story: January 15, 1945

In this letter Mac would of course refer to General MacArthur. G-2 is military intelligence, but of a higher rank than Uncle Len, who was S-2. EM would have been an an enlisted man. BAR indicates the Browning Automatic Rifle. And CCC stands for the Civilian Conservation Corps. 

I have been reading up on Operation Te-Go, the Japanese Paratrooper Attack on Leyte of December 7, 1944. The mission of Te was to attack several U.S. airfields, destroy planes on the ground, burn supply dumps and disrupt logistical operations. In particular the goal was to retake the Buri, San Pablo, and Bayug strips and destroy Tacloban and Dulag fields. The harmonicas, jewsharps, and other instruments were played as signals by the paratroopers immediately after landing; for instance, headquarters was to be identified by the sound of a harmonica. The mission was however hampered by bad weather and coordination problems with the ground units resulted. This was to be Japan's last major parachute operation in the Pacific. 

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                                                                                     Philippines
                                                                                     Jan 15th

Dear Arnold,

     So you like my letters?  Personally I think you are trying to kid
me, as some of them did'nt sound like much to me.  When the Hqs moved
back to the beach I was left keep up the Order of Battle part of G-2,
and finally the Asst G-2 left and I stayed behind to run G-2 with one
EM.  I got in a good rest, as there was'nt much to do.  Our action
consisted of patrolling, and little groups of stragglers were being
knocked off at the rate of about three or more a day.  The other day
the remaining elements of the division turned over the sector to an-
other unit, and we all went back to the beach, or as the boys say,
"to a rest area."  When I got down here I found that instead of a
rest I had to go back to work, things to come you know.

     So the 11th Airborne Div and LJN have gone through their first
campaigns.  It was rough in spots, but it was a good starter and some
valuable experience was learned and earned by all.  However, I am afraid
that it is just a sample of the future, and we have many battles to
go.  According to the latest regulations down here, if you have two
years in you can apply for a 30 day leave, and with three years over-
seas service out\here you are eligible to apply for rotation. I am es-
timating my return to the states in 1946 in the late fall.  Any man is
crazy to want to come out here, and I admit I was nuts. If you take all
the letters I have written you and spread them out on the floor, and then
compare all of them, I think you will find that for every little in-
teresting word about something I've/seen or done you will find ten other
words bitching about being down here, or rather what it is like down
here.  It is'nt that I don't want to do my share of the war, but here
is the way I look at it.  Some men will have to go overseas while others
will have to stay in the states, its the way the cards are stacked.
But if you have a chance to stay in the states a little longer, then you
are just that much smarter if you take it.  To think I turned down a
beautiful job in the states.  So brother if you get a crack at sticking
around in civilization a little longer grab it, for I am certain that
eventually you will get over here.  Well I guess you won't listen to me,
so come on over and see what its like, some guys are just naturally hard
to convince.

     Well its all over now, and I can sit back and relax and think of the
tragic, gruesome, miraculous, and the humorous incidents.  Like the time
a patrol was hunting down some Japs they spotted in a ravine.  One of
the men made a wide circuit and crawled down into the bottom of the
gully where the Japs had been sighted, and he was in such a hurry that
he forgot to tell the other members of the patrol that he was going
down there.  Up on the rim of this little canyon the BAR man was cover-
ing the advance when he saw a figure sneaking down along the bottom.
As he opened fire the figure jumped behind a bush, so the BAR man gave
the bush the business.  When the patrol had finally pushed down there,
the BAR man found that he had killed his buddy.  One of the other men
grab him him just he was trying to turn the gun on himself.  In another
incident some troops were crawling towards a Jap position which was
under our mortar fire.  As they had to advance across an open area,
an airstrip, it was necessary to keep dropping the mortar shells in
until the men could reach some cover on the far side of the strip.  As
they were slowly crawling forward on their bellies, a 81 mm mortar

                                             1

[page 2]

shell hit one man right in the small of the back.  No this is not one
of the gruesome tales, as the shell was a dud.  Now of the shells that
were being used very few were duds, but just think, the that hits
this man does misfire.  A few hours later a medic found him, as even
though he had been hit by a dud he was throught to be dead, and turned
him over.  He suddenly regained consciousness and sat up, complaining
about his back.  Upon examination it was found to be all black and blue
with a knot as big as your hand where the shell hit him.  The medic
taped him up, and several days later he was hiking around again.
I always smile when I think of what happened fifteen seconds after
the paratroopers had jumped from their planes, naturally I am refering
to the Jap paratroop attack we had.  Most of us had scorned the previous
air raids, and had not bothered to dig any foxholes.  Even on that event-
ful night it did not occur to me to get into a hole, as I was busy
watching the AA show.  Then in a flight that came right over us the
paratroopers started to jump, practically in our laps.  We stood there
watching them come down, hardly able to believe what we saw.  Then it
seemed like one thought occurred to everyone just about the same time.
"I had better get in my hole."   But, gulp, there were many who did'nt have a
hole.  There was the damnest mad scramble for shovels that you ever
saw.  I could have made a fortune right there and then if I had had
any shovels to sell, but I was more interested in fixing up a hole
myself.  We were just out of range of where they landed, and consequently
it did'nt do us much good to shoot at them, although the machine gunners
around us opened up and did get some in mid-air.  Well thats the way
it goes, I could probably fill several pages of these little incidents,
but many I could'nt write about, and the rest would probably become
boring.

     Well everybody is now talking about cock fights.  The GIs have
seemed to have taken quite a liking to this great Filipino National
sport.  The only fight I saw was one little sparring exhibition the
day we landed here, put on courtesy of some little villager to show
his appreciation of the return of Mac and the boys.  At the first
opportunity I am going to try to see one of the big official bouts
that are being put on here.  You can slap down a 300 pesos bet and
get it covered ($150 U.S. value).  But I will save all descriptions
and wait until I can personally witness one fo these spectacular
bloody exhibitions.

     Brother please, why pick on me?  I don't want to remember any
of this that is too unpleasant, in fact the more I forget the better.
I am going to eat now and will finish this later, excuse please.

                                               2

[page 3]
                                                           16 Jan [45 written in]

     Due to etc, etc I did'nt finish this letter yesterday, but will
try to finish it off this morning.  About the remembering, I would
just as soon forget about most of my experiences out here.  There were
plenty of men from the last war that remembered and tried to tell how
rough it was, people would'nt listen because they did'nt want to
listen, and it will be the same thing twenty years from now.  In fact
those that did listen were the pacifist, and they did more harm than
good by their islolation policy.  These same people believed that any-
thing connected with war was bad too.  So there were the men, including
many generals and high ranking officers, who had fought in World War
I, and who tried to tell the people that it was hell, and that to
prevent another war we should build up our army and navy.  The pacifist
grasped only the first part of the idea, and with their conviction
that anything connected with war was bad, they were for cutting down
the army and the navy and opposed to any ideas of national defense.
Naturally the communist clap their hands with glee and jumped on the
band wagon, and I am sorry to say that many of our church leaders also
had a great deal of influence in this movement.  Even CCC was watched
like a hawk to see that no military training crept into their daily
schedule.  In the last mass-slaughter bout people decided that when
the war was won, then the peace had been won.  This time we are think-
ing a little different, but how far ahead will we think?  There are
men today who are advocating a  large post war army, and already there
are those who think that this is unecessary, and that armies are bad.
I think that every young man should be made to server one year in the
army, in a carefully laid out program that would include more than
just squads east and west.  The men should be mixed from all states,
as from my experience I found that this is a good means of breaking
down many of the prejudices of sectionalism.  They should be given
excellent medical and dental care, which would make for a better
healthier race of Americans.  They should be taught some or several
minor trade practices, such as mechanics, welding, clerical work,
etc.  They should be taught to use their iniative and to develop
leadeship abilities.  in other words they would follow a carefully
conducted program that would not only benefit Uncle Sam, but would
also be a benefit to each individual man.  No, not everything connect-
ed with mar is bad.  Think of the medical, aeronautical, chemical,
electronical, and even fertile (pertaining to birth rate) developments
as a results of this war.  However, it is deplorable to think that it
takes a war to producce such advancements, and weighed against the
havoc, destruction, and misfortune that war evolves it is doubtful
that it is worth the price.  No brother, the placard does not read
"You must remember," but instead it says, "Lest we forget."  It is
easier to kill the cub than to fight the lion.

     Frankly I am rather disgusted with humanity as a whole.  It has
not changed greatly or appreciatably in the last 2000 nor even in
the last 6,000 years.  The Id is just as powerful in man now as it
was then, although perhaps now it does not have quite the same amount
of freedom as it had then.  When man gets to the point where he can
disregard or eliminate the common and judicial laws, and follow laws
stemming from the golden rule, and when man is able to abolish all
law inforcement agencies, then he will not have to worry about wars.
For I believe that war and policemen will go out together, and when
men are able to do this, they will no longer be the men that are about
today.  Brother we consider ourselves covilized just because we
wear clothes, read, make love at home in a bed usually with our wive,
use a toilet, and pay five dollars a year to the American Red Cross.
                                                 3

[page 4]

But brother lets wise up, we are primitive, crude, and under develop-
ed in the full sense of the word civilized.  Between us and the coming of
Christ there are only 100 generations, back to the beginning of written
records of civilization  300 generations. To nature that is only
a few grains to the twll known drop in the bucket, in other words
we are not too far distantly related from our fathers the Cromagnon
and the Neanderthal men.  There are animals in exsistence today that
can have their ancestorial history traced back for 10, 20, or some
even back over 30,000 generations.  So you see Bud, your chest is
a chamber of primitive passions, and your head a bank of crude ideas.
But your ideas, and perhaps your passions may be the implements that
will give us an impetus to a future world of nobile, pure, and peaceful
ways and means of living in a 1,000, 5,000, or 10,000 generations
from now.  But will the children of your children's children's ....
offspring give you credit?  No, they will say that the man that lived
100,000 yrs ago was a very crude fellow, and the differentation
between you and the Cromagnon will be as great as our's is between
the Cromagnon and the Neanderthal man.  When you look at infinity
you can't see it, but you can see some point between you and infinity,
and if you go to that point and then pick out another point in the
direction of infinity, why eventually after an indefinite length of
time you will reach infinity.  So if we can pick out some point
on the curve in the right direction but within the limits of our
known capabilities, then we know we can and will reach it.  But if
we start off in a direction in which we can't see the end, then
we will reach no end.  In other words, lets look at man as he is
today, and what he is capable of doing or becoming, and then lets
proceed to do it.  When we get it done we can then make another
estimate and choose another mission.  And as long as man has hair
on his chest, will kill for lust, money, or power, and as long
as that type of man is in exsistence, there will be wars.  So the
immediate problem is to prevent that man from doing those things
which are detrimental to the progress and welfare of society, and
when we have curbed and destroyed this threat, then we can proceed
to attempt to change the race and our way of life to prevent
reproduction, not only in a biologicacl manner but perhaps more
important in a environmental manner, of this type of individual.

    Now do you see what happens when you write letters like that!
I won't apologize for what I have written, you started it and you
deserve it.  Well take it easy Bub, and write soon.

                                         love from
                              ye olde crusty caveman (horny too)
                              [signed] Leonard


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