THE SQUADRON PULSE
For the men of
the Fightin' 3rd Published in the Ryukyus Retto, Japan
VOL 2 No 3 Weekly August 19, 1945 3rd Airdrome Squadron, APO 245
VICTORY JAPAN WEEK
Never, never, never was there a more
jampacked week charged with the tension
of expectancy, despair, hope. Never had
people been so jittery. The exchange of
notes between the Allied and Japanese
governments was enough to make everybody
sweat blood, bite nails, pick their noses
and toes and get indigestion. Even bowel
movements were irregular. Overseas, hog-wild citizens were ready to cut loose
at the drop of a rumor. Once President
Truman made the announcement that the Jap
Surrender note was receivcd, people
beyond all control blew their tops. In
Frisco, they tore up things like Vandals
and it is doubted that the JAAF could
have done more damage. So much for the
stateside stuff...here, it was somewhat of a different color.....
....Sober, weary-eyed Joes felt the
staleness of their isolation...one can't
raise hell with a couple lumps of coral,
a mosquito net or a pair of dog tags.
When the news began to spread, men were
first suspicious, kept on working, or
remained on their sacks...some reached
excitedly for earphones and when they
heard the news for themselves,
smiled incredulously and lit a cigarette. Voices were hardly over a monotone...."I guess this is it...no it can't be...be 6 months
before we get home...now for Japan.....we'll be occupation troops...rather go
to Japan than stay on this damn hunk of
coral...hell with Japan, send me home...don't worry, the Japalapas will be
over again...don't trust 'em.....maybe
men with 85 points can go home now.....yeah, what about those below 85? ....
TS,
you know how it is...no shipping...I'll
be home by Xmas...Thanksgiving dinner
for me...I say next August...."
[cartoon captions:
IT'S ALL OVER, OVER THERE...
"GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR
HELL, BOYS...
BUT, PLEASE SPARE
THOSE DOCKS"
FRISCO]
ALAS, THE EMISSARIES
After four days of waiting, sweating &
rumor, the Jap emissaries finally arrived...here, on our little islet of Ie
Shima. August 19th will be a day long remembered by the world and particularly
by the GI's here, witnessing the occasion.
As early as 7:30 AM, anxious Joes, including your editor, began dribbling to the
strip to watch the skies. Within two hours
the dribbles had grown into a migration &
it was all the MP's could do to keep order.
Barbed wire and guards with fixed bayonets
eventually became the only answer.
By noon, the sun beating down on the lucent white coral strip had made many of
the GI's fidgety; eyes blinked and became
tired under the strain; the heat was oppressive, the waiting was worse.
At 12:40, eyes peered skyward. There
was a tremor of excitement...some men readied their cameras, jostled, and blinked up
into the cerulean sky again, others tried
to be everywhere at one time and ended up
no place, others remained calm and smiled
in relief. At last we had proof that the
Japs were sincere about surrendering.
The moment the first of the two Jap
bombers laid wheels on the strip, cameras
clicked and Ie Shima became historic. As
the Nip envoys, swank and trim in uniform,
but shorn of pomp and arrogance, trickled
from their whitewashed Betty bombers (marked with crudish black crosses [actually green - Ed.]), the crowd
cheered and jeered, but before too many
a GI's camera snapped the scene, General
Whitehead & staff, pressman and photographers had ushered the envoys to the
waiting C-54. Up to this time everything
had remained fairly under control.
It was not before the Japs began to taxi
their planes to the apron that all hell &
bedlam broke loose. As it usually happens,
a few eager GI's broke thru a section
of
barbed wire. This hole in the dyke was
all the encouragement needed--MP's, bayonets, barriers were no longer in sway.
The Jap crews, who had brought rations &
sake for livelihood, but, not understanding such fervid Yank enthusiasm, probably
thought their end had come. One with a
scared and dejected face, remained in the tail gun turret until MP's could break
thru and give him safety and transportation. But, if the Japs knew it or not,
the Yanks were too happy to hurt anybody.
SQUADRON PULSE
| VOL 2 No 3 . . . . . . |
August 19, 1945 |
| Editor . . . . . . . . . . . |
Pfc. Stringfield |
| Staff Writer . . . . . . . |
Cpl. Calkins |
| Assistant Typist . . . . |
Cpl. Harrell |
MAJOR MITCHELL COMMENDS Sgt. Majewski
for efficiency in establishment and operation of Squadron Exchange.
VEECTOREE
Now that the war's over, it is difficult to find words to fit the occasion.
But, I think that it can be agreeably
said that it was a cussedly long and a cussedly hard war.
While the 3rd was fudging and Whittemoring [referring to Major H.H.P. Whittemore, who was the squadron's commanding officer in Ohio] around in Columbus, griping at Myrtle Beach and getting seriously organized for overseas in Savannah, the war
in the South West Pacific was just beginning. In Papua, hard-fought battles in
the trails of the Owen Stanleys, at
Milne Bay and Buna-Gona had been won.
The Yank boa just beginning to constrict.
Then came the new-fangled 3rd Airdrome
Squadron, landing in Brisbane. Gen. MacArthur excitedly called on Gen. Kenney. "They've landed," he said. Kenney stood in
wondrous silence at first, then in a
twitter of joy, shouted, "If the 3rd is
here, then my only word is, Forward."
And forward it was!
Wherever went the Fifth Air Force, so
went the 3rd. Of course, we all know that
the 3rd didn't win the war single-handed,
but our record is nothing to be sneezed
upon. To no other unit must we look up.
We could always be counted on to do anything, no matter how dirty a job,
no
matter how bad and dangerous the conditions. Never did we falter or fail....
Now that the big task is finished and
the Japs whipped, the 3rd can proudly &
justly share the victory. We can now
glance at our scars, bruises, rot and
say, patting a sore stomach, "We've done
a damn good job." All we want for thanks
is a speedy return home and all the privileges a veteran's
got coming to him.
OH HAPPY DAY
GRAPEVINE --By X-2
WAR NERVES: Up to the time the war ended, Charlie LoMagro was having one hell of a
time. A Jap bomber in the vicinity &
John T. Goodman's sniping wit were just too much. Now with peace upon us, only
John the Tormentor stands in Charlie's
way.
SEQUEL to the movie Two Down and One to
Go is Three Down and No Transportation. [Two Down and One to Go was a half-hour propaganda film produced by the U.S. government in 1945. The title refers to Germany and Italy having been defeated, with Japan still to be dealt with. The film can be viewed on YouTube. - Ed.]
HARRY WEISSMAN says that he wants to go
to Brooklyn. There's a certain tree that
he read about, he wants to see. Trees,
evidently must have a warm place in the
servicemen's heart. Joyce Kilmer [author of the famous poem Trees - Ed.] also
spoke of trees...even Rosenblum likes trees---the
kind that grow money.
GIVE LAUNI a red shirt, Mac's monkey (on sale) and an organ grinder and what would Naples have that we don't have...
...
Women!
JACK ANNERINO takes great pride in his
dog "Squeaky." He claims that Squeaky
is thoroughly tent-broken; that is, he
goes outside to do the ole business.
Mac's monkey is quite the opposite, however. Impish and mannerless, he finally found a way to get into Mac's hair the
other nite.
INCONSISTENCY: While the world whoopied
in celebration of Victory, and while
drooling radio commentators were telling
the people in dramatic voices that, "No
longer sentinels would have to
stand
watch by nite" and "No longer will men
be forced to cringe in foxholes or spend
sleepless nites," the Japs came over.
After almost two hours of confused aerial activity, the All Clear sounded.
When the Club opened a few minutes later
(9:30) to sell off what little "gas" was
left...customers were scanty. Why toast
to peace if it had not yet come.
POSTSCRIPT: It gives a funny feeling to
the stomach to see our fighters and bombers idle on the strips. One has to pinch
himself occasionally to make sure that he
is not just dreaming pretty dreams.
MY DAZE
by r.v. calkins
NOW IT BE TOLD
Armed Forces Radio, 12 August 1945: "The Allies have
answered Japan's peace offer in which
Japan has asked to keep
their emperor. As announced earlier,
Emperor Hirohito may remain provided he take his orders
from a Supreme Commander, who will be an American. This reply
has already been transmitted to Japan
through the neutral source, Berne, Switzerland.
An answer is expected from the Japs sometime tomorrow. We will now read
for you the full text of the terms, followed by the full text of Japan's peace
offer, followed by the full text of the
Potsdam Conference.........."
Armed Forces Radio, 0800, 13 August:
"No reply has yet been received from Japan regarding our answer to their peace offer.
Our answer was transmitted thru Berne,
Switzerland, the neutral power.
We will now read the full text of both
messages, and the complete text of the
Potsdam Conference........."
Armed Forces Radio, 2200, 13 August:
"Up to this hour, the White House has received no answer from Japan. The news correspondents in Washington are considerably upset, and are nervously pacing the White House lawn.
The following is a complete text of the Potsdam Conference......
"
Armed Forces Radio, 14 August:
"The world still waits for Japan's answer.
According to the White House,
no reply has been forthcoming from the neutral emissary
in Berne, Switzerland. To keep
you up to date, we will now read in full
the complete text of Japan's peace offer, our reply,
the Potsdam Conference, the Dumbarton
Oaks proposal, and the Articles
of Confederation..........."
WHAT
CAUSED THE BIGGEST SWEAT
THE
U.S. EVER HAD??
Now
it can told: The answer is to
be found in a Domei broadcast, 13 August, which stated: "The Japanese Government
received only this morning, Monday, an
answer from the United States,
through Berne, Switzerland. Thus, the
Japanese Cabinet has had only 12 hours
in which to consider the reply........."
WHAT CAUSED THE DELAY OF THE
MESSAGE FROM THE U.S. TO JAPAN??
Let us go back to 12 August 1945. The
place is the State Department of the Swiss
Government, Berne, Switzerland. It
is 2300 or 11:00pm Alpine Mountain time.
The office of the Swiss Foreign Minister
is brightly lighted. Two men are in the
room. One has a mop with which he vigorously rubs the floor.
The other is dusting the furniture.
The tall man's name
is Fyord Barhdl. The short one is Gustaf Ulberg. [These are fictional characters. - Ed.]
Neither of them speak English.
They are talking in Swiss:
FYORD: Ah, Gustaf, what a beautiful nite
it is, outside.
But we must remain in
this here State Departmen building and
clean it up. We cannot go out and enjoy
the night - outside.
GUSTAF: Why not tell me something I don't
know? This job I have had only two days
and already I am about to blow my top.
Rush, rush, hurry hurry; what is all this
excitement?
FYORD: Ah, international politics, no
doubt. Foreigners are always having trouble with each other. I believe the Americans and the Japanese have declared war
against someone--possibly the Poles.
GUSTAF: (Wiping the large mahogany desk
furiously) Bah! How I detest politics.
I tell you, Fyord, if things do not become
more peaceful here, I shall resign and go
to work with my brother.
FYORD:
What does he do?
GUSTAF: He works for Mr. Gruen.
Every
watch Mr. Gruen makes, my brother checks
for accuracy.
Sometimes he carries 15
watches in his pockets at one time. Always he is winding, winding. You know how
popular watches with Swiss movement are. [In fact, Dietrich Gruen was not Swiss. He was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States at age twenty. With his sons, he founded the Gruen Watch Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. - Ed.]
FYORD: Ah, speaking of Swiss movements,
have you seen the new dancer at the Hague
Theater? Last night when she came on the
stage----
GUSTAF: Halooo! Look, Fyord, the Foreign
Minister has left his briefcase on his
desk. How thoughtless of him.
FYORD: Ah, well, we can't leave it there.
Suppose you take it over to his house.
GUSTAF: I? How do I know where the Foreign Minister lives? Besides, I am very
tired.
You had better take it to him.
FYORD: My wife would not like it if I came home too late in the morning. She is
planning to have a baby. Wait. Let us
get Olaf, the elevator operator to take it.
He goes off duty in a few minutes.
(He calls Olaf in the office. Olaf looks
like Mortimer Snerd.)
FYORD: You see, Olaf, all you have to do
is drop this briefcase at the Foreign Minister's house. He will probably
give you a centime for doing so.
OLAF:
Hunh?
GUSTAF:
Simply take this briefcase to the Foreign Minister's house, understand?
OLAF: Yah, but I got to go home and drink
my Ovaltine.
FYORD: Very well, take this briefcase home with you,
and after you drink your
Ovaltine, you can take it to the Foreign Minister's house. Not the Ovaltine, the
briefcase, understand?
OLAF: Yah, I guess so. Goodbye.
(He takes off with the briefcase.)
FYORD: So much for that. Look, Gustaf,
the moon is rising. What a beautiful night it is, outside.
If only we were
through cleaning the State Department
building, we could go outside and-----
(THE FOREIGN MINISTER RUSHES IN,
BREATHLESSLY)
FOREIGN MIN: Shades of William Tell! What an outrageous price to pay for dinner!
I'll never eat there again.
(He hurries to his desk, and stops suddenly and gasps.)
FOREIGN MIN: Good God, where's my briefcase?
GUSTAF: Oh, we thought you had gone home,
your honor. We didn't know you were working tonight.
FYORD: Yes, we certainly thought you had
gone home.
FOREIGN MIN: Great heavens, what did you
do with it? What happened to it?
GUSTAF: Olaf, the elevator operator took
it over to your house.
FYORD: He was going home to drink his
Ovaltine first.
GUSTAF: Oh, yes, that's true. By the
way, Fyord, we forgot to tell him where
the Foreign Minister lives.
FYORD: So we did.
FOREIGN MIN: (Frothing at the mouth) DO
REALIZE
WHAT WAS IN THAT BRIEFCASE? IT WAS A NOTE FROM THE UNITED STATES TO JAPAN.
IT COULD END THE WORLD WAR!!
FYORD; Ah, politics again. Well, your
honor, I am very sorry such a mistake
was made, but Olaf will eventually find
your house.
FOREIGN MIN: BUT THIS CAN'T WAIT!! THE
FATE OF WORLD DEPENDS ON IT!! QUICK,
WHERE DOES OLAF LIVE?
GUSTAF & FYORD: I don't know.
FOREIGN MIN: (Throwing books, ink bottles
and papers) GET OUT! YOU MORONS, YOU HAVE
RUINED ME! YOU HAVE RUINED THE
SWISS GOVERNMENT!
(Gustaf and Fyord duck and hurry out.
Outside, they pause to catch their breath.)
GUSTAF: What a disagreeable man! Well,
tomorrow I shall start working for Mr.
Gruen.
FYORD: Ah, yes. I think I shall take
another fling in the field of entertainment.
Nord Hljef has advertised for a
yodeler for his band.
GUSTAF: Do you suppose Olaf will find
the Foreign Minister's house?
FYORD: Ah, we shall see.....
END
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