November 13 and 17, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from Guam where he is marking his “7th month overseas.” They continue to wind things down as more and more men are being shipped back to the states. Dad details some of the preparations. “This coming Friday and Saturday we get flu shots mostly for the benefit of those fellows returning to the States. Seventeen of our planes for the group are going to leave for the States toward the end of this month. They won’t be coming back either. That will leave about 10 planes per squadron. Most of the 59 pointers will be going home on them. I still have 47 points.”
As far as how Dad is spending his time, he writes, “I don’t do a darn thing here; I just come out the line, go around to Tech Supply and fool around a bit, I then go to the Photo Lab and try to quibble a couple of odd photos from them. When they start preflighting the planes just outside of our quonset, I take off from the office and don’t get back until they stop.”
Although Dad’s work duties are generally slow he is keeping himself busy with other activities. As an observant Catholic, he writes, “This past Sunday I was down at the 20th Air Force Chapel where they had Confirmation ceremonies. We have an American bishop on the island. I don’t know how long he will be here but at any rate we got a bishop. You ought to see him! He’s got a beard and moustache, a big round belly and is short. He looks like an old country bishop, the kind you hear about who goes into the wilds of the tropics to convert the natives. He speaks good English. The reason I was down there was because I was going to be a sponsor for one of the fellows in my squadron.”
He also shares another bit of news. “About a week and a half ago about 28 Japs and an 18 yr. old girl surrendered to a truck passing by the road along our area. It happened about 0630 and a colored fellow told me about it about an hour later… He said they were clean shaven and I myself saw a picture of them in a Navy magazine and they looked pretty well fed. About 400 of them have surrendered since the end of the War.”
Dad writes about some other visitors that they have which have come out of the jungle. “In the 355th Squadron area they have two monkeys….The monkeys are the craziest acting creatures I’ve seen. They look so comical no matter what they are doing. They are born crooks and you have to watch your pockets as they can pick your pocket without giving you that tell-tale look that they have spied something in your pocket. All of a sudden they make a sweep with their paw along your shirt and before you know it, the crooked beast has your pen or pencil…”
On the 17th, Dad writes that the drawdown is continuing, “…they processed fellows with 54 points and expect them to leave Guam for the States tonight. They don’t ship them from Saipan as most of the high pointers since the 60’s left are here. …A day ago we got rid of all 55 to 59 pointers. …With my 47 points it appears that I will be on my way home around Christmas although I probably won’t make it for Christmas Day itself. I just hope they keep up the rate at which our fellows are leaving our squadron and that in the States they at least lower the Discharge down to 45 points at least…”
He writes about a special souvenir that all of the men received. “We have been given a picture story book of our 331st Bomb. Gp. as it was organized, all the way up to V.J. Day. …In the book are pictures of how the place looked when we first got here as an advance echelon, it was just a hole in the jungle, but now it looks OK with all the barracks and coral laid roads. Something our grandchildren are going to hear about.”
Dad’s copy of the picture book that was presented to all of the men in the 331st Bomb Group.
You might recall that in a previous letter, Dad addressed the issue of the food that was available to the men. He returns the topic noting that “Our chow has improved considerably. The last three days was appetizing and I hope we continue to get food fit for human beings.” That said, he still has a few complaints, “The Navy seems to have everything and if a Group wants ether extra sugar, or wood, they have to trade their share of liquor or beer allotted by the Supply Depot to get it.” Dad writes that the men are even picky about fresh meat. “We’ve had goat and lamb meat several times. This stuff the fellows despise very much especially the way the cooks prepare it. Anytime we walk into the mess hall and see them handing out goat or lamb meat, the fellows start making goat and lamb noises. ‘BAAA-AAA!’”
With the talk of food, Dad writes, “When I get back home, ma will have to get the milk man to leave an extra bottle of milk each day for a month just for me as I’m looking forward to wholesome fresh milk. I never hit a cow, and after being over here 7 months, I’ll shake hands with every cow on Falkowski’s farm.”
He signs off, “Well that’s about all for now. Best of luck and God Bless You.”