Monday, March 14, 2011

August Explanations

Camp Stoneman was used as a debarkation point for WWII and Korea.  Thousands of men went through there.  Any of you that have been in the military know that there is plenty of nothing to do a lot.  Those in charge have to make up things and the troops know this so they become a little passive aggressive.  The funniest thing is when they were all marching about, about 150 Dad says, and were halted in front of a company headquarters.  As soon as they were left alone, all 150 scattered simultaneously.

His orders to shoot anyone who tried to escape when he was at a detention camp must have been sobering. 

He mentions several people again but the only one who I sort of remember is the guy named Zink, I think he lived down the street from us and his family owned a dry cleaners in Fairmount for awhile.  I guess he was not too mad a mom because he sold her his car.  He seems to be with all the guys who had the "special" training. 

The ship must have been an experience.  He had never been on one and I thought it amusing that he said when the sea got choppy, that it was "the roughest he had ever seen." 

I thought it interesting the way he washed his clothes on the ship.  I wonder how many guys threw their clothes over the side and lost them because they didn't tie the rope tight enough.

The last letter I posted just exudes his fascination with Yokohama and Japan in general.  It was the first time he had ever been out of the country and you can tell how excited he was.  I remember very vividly the stuff he sent back and still have several of the items.  I had a denim jacket with all the patches he sent sewed on and was quite the hit at school and the silk embroidery jacket he finally did buy and sent home.  It was reversible and very colorful.  I have no idea what happened to either jacket.

Dad is getting ready to take off from Yokohama and really does not know where he is going to be stationed yet. 

No comments:

Post a Comment