Candid
insights and feelings from a 76th NCB CEC Officer.
Letters from Guam, Marianas Islands
A few excerpts from the Letters of Ralph Atwater, CEC, USNR, 76th
NCB, 1944-45, graciously provided by his daughter Nancy, with permission to publish.
Japanese
in Frisco ?????
20
August 1944
Its
Sunday on Guam, just another day as it will be for a considerable time.
I
saw a funny sight the other day. A kid of a(ge) 9 or 10 came down the road barefooted with a pair of our leggings, so long
on him they came to his knees.
This
Lt. Higgins I was telling you about told me an odd story the other night. It seems 11 Jap officers were cut off from their
forces in a fight. Rather than surrender they all joined hands walking towards the lines shouting, “You may take Guam
but you won’t get Frisco back”. Of course they were shot. But evidently they believed or had been told that Japan
had made a landing at Frisco and controlled it. Can you imagine where they got the idea that we would be fighting out here
if there were Japs in Frisco?
Longing
for home .....
6
November 1944
I’m
tired, weary and homesick. I want to go home.
Little
things appreciated .....
6
November 1944
Show
was good tonight but depressing. Katherine Hepburn, Walter Houston, etc. in “Dragon Seed”. Understand it’s
a fairly recent show, about the Jap invasion of China.
I
was given a little more work. I’m to supervise the erection of 3 tents to be used for recreation. One will have a pool
table, just received, with a couple of ping pong tables. Another will be a hobby shop, we have some nice equipment to go in
there. And the other will be a writing and band practice tent. All will have wooden floors. Actually it will take little time,
but I do appreciate even this.
Pride
in service .....
16
Nov. 1944
Your
husband is now a Lt. (j.g.), or rather will be in a few days when he has been sworn in as such.
Tough
and determined.....
17
January 1945
About
myself, you don’t have to worry kid, I’m about as tough as they come, I feel good, gained weight, and will get
out only when this war’s over, I’m afraid. Its not that I love this situation but I’m in it now and expect
to stick until its all over. To me a Jap is no more than a beast and until they are decidedly whipped, on their own homeland,
this job isn’t completed out here.
Fate
of the Seabees .....
20
August 1945
A
plan is also being started to get volunteers to come forward to state that they’d like to stay in the Navy as regulars.
…………..if fact there is no one in the Battalion that has expressed himself as willing. No one knows
but there seems to be a good chance that the SeaBees will continue, although reduced, to what extent no one can imagine, it
depends on congressional action. If a large Navy is kept the SeaBees may be of fairly good size and in the Navy is reduced
they (Seabees) may revert. Like previous to the war, to only a skeleton officer force in which there would be construction
only by civilians with the Navy using officers as inspectors. I want none of it, in any form. I don’t like the way they
operate (that is the Navy). Besides a reserve officer would get the raw end of any deal, it’s too much Annapolis.
Note:
Japan is now an allie of the United States. During WWII, however, the perception of the Japanese soilder and sailor,
and even the people of Japan was much different. Japanese forces, in particular, were thought of as beastly - this was
common thought by the American G.I.s, and probably for good reason. Many US troops were tortured and/or mutilated
by Japanese Imperial Forces personnel. Odd how things change over time. We now enjoy using many Japanase manufactured
products and our governments enjoy very good diplomatic relations.
