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Smitty, Everett A. Smith
A pictorial view of my father…
Everett Smith, about 8th grade
Everett Smith, Smitty, Camp MacKall, 1943
Everett Smith, top left, at 11th Airborne’s 1st graduation, 1943
Smitty aka Everett Smith, New Guinea 1944
Gen. Swing’s service staff in Japan, Smitty is far right, 1945
Everett Smith w/ Anna, his mother – Home at last!
Everett & Lillian Smith in Broad Channel, 1949
Happy New Year, Mom & Dad
Everett Smith, my father, Smitty, R.I.P.
There were many good times, just as so many other fathers gave to their children. May those other children and grandchildren of WWII continue to share their legacy.
I’ll still be around, but yes, this is the final post of Pacific Paratrooper.
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Military Humor –
NY Daily News, September 1945
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Farewell Salutes –
Operation Epic Fury
103rd Sustained Command
Nicole M. Amor – White Bear Lake, MN; US Army, Sgt., KIA (Shuriba Port, Kuwait)
Declan J. Coady – W. Des Moines, IA; US Army, Sgt., KIA (Shuriba Port, Kuwait)
Cody A. Khork – Winter Haven, FL; US Army, Captain, KIA (Shuriba Port, Kuwait)
Robert Marzan – Sacramento, CA; US Army, Chief Warrant Officer, KIA (Shuriba Port, Kuwait)
Jeffrey R. O’Brien – Indianola, IA; US Army, Major, KIA (Shuriba Port, Kuwait)
Noah L. Tietjens – Bellevue, NE; US Army, Sgt. KIA (Shuriba Port, Kuwait)
*************** *************** ***************
Claire E. Brittain Jr. – Aliquippa, PA; US Air Force, Vietnam, pilot, Colonel (Ret. 30 y.)
Carlos D. Cerna – Chicago, IL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Yeoman 1st Class, Bridge Talker, USS Johnson survivor, 2-Purple Hearts, 2-Bronze Stars / worked in the Apollo Space Program
Walter J. Gammon – Henrico, VA; US Navy, WWII, PTO, last survivor of USS Hoel & Johnston
James A. Grimes – Bronx, NY; US Navy, Vietnam, Naval Flight Surgeon, Lt. Comdr. (Ret.) / docent @ USS Midway Museum
Carlyle S. Harris – Preston, MD; US Air Force, Vietnam, pilot, POW (Hanoi Hilton), Colonel (Ret.)
Robert E. Ketchum – McCloud, OK; US Army, Sgt. Major (Ret. 29 y.), Medic
Jacob “Papa Jake” Larson – Owatonna, MN; US National Guard, WWII, ETO, Sgt.
Adred C. Lenoir – Clanton, AL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, last survivor of USS Samuel B. Roberts
Earl D. Lewis – Baxley, GA; US Army, Vietnam
James A. Lovell Jr. – Cleveland, OH; US Navy, aviator, test pilot, mechanical engineer, USS Shangri-La / 4-mission Astronaut/ author
Herbert A. Nelson Jr. – Kansas City, KS; US Navy, USS Midway
Dan S. “Wood” Satterfield – Granbury, TX; US Army, Helicopter chief, 1st Special Forces – Delta
Fred W. Smith – Memphis, TN – USMC, Vietnam, forward air controller, Capt. Silver Star, Bronze Star, 2-Purple Hearts
Ronald A. Sunberg – Ensign, MI; US Navy, USS Midway, mechanic
Tom Troupe – Kansas City, MO; US Army, Korea, Bronze Star / actor
Gary A. Wagner – McClure, PA; US Navy, USS Midway & Coral Sea
THE FAREWELL SALUTES WILL BE CONTINUED HERE
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TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU !!
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Smitty in December 1945 w/ the Sword Story
Christmas card
This was the Christmas card sent from Japan to Broad Channel, New York in December 1945. Anna Smith had been waiting to hear this news from her son Everett (Smitty) for over three years. On the back, it reads:
“Dear Mom:
This is the best Xmas card I’ve sent to you since getting in the army. I figured this would be what you have always been waiting to see, here it goes.
“I’m finally on my way, so don’t send any more mail.
Love, Everett
“P.S. I’ll keep you posted on my various stops.”
Smitty in Japan, at far right
Even though Smitty had earned his points to go home, he was still an NCO on General Swing’s staff and was required to finish out his duties as such. After going through combat in the South Pacific, it would be in peaceful occupational Japan where Smitty’s temper would get the better of him.
Non-nonchalantly going about his business at the headquarters of Camp Schimmelpfennig, Smitty just happened to glance through the glass partition that sealed off Gen. Swing’s office. Inside was an officer holding and admiring the Japanese sword that his commander intended to keep and bring home as a souvenir. Smitty didn’t think much of it at the time; he was busy and many people commented on the weapon. so he continued down the hallway. A short while later, the entire office could hear the general demanding to know what had become of his sword. It was gone.
Gen. Swing accepts Japanese sword at Atsugi Airfield
Major General Joseph Swing
My father didn’t think twice, this was his general. He went into the room and told Swing what he had witnessed. Without a second thought, the two men went to the other man’s office, but neither the man or sword was there. The officer in question showed a few moments later. When the general explained why they were waiting for him, the officer became indignant and professed his innocence (just a tad too much). My father said the air of tension in the room became thick enough to use a
Postcards received from a Cavite, P.I. woman
machete on. This was when Smitty’s temper went out of control and with one right cross – sent the officer through his own glass partition.
Of course, this action made it necessary to bust Smitty back down to private, but he didn’t care about that. He was still furious that the sword was never returned. It all could have gone worse if the general had not been there or if he did not believe Smitty’s word. Smitty said it was worth being busted just to wipe the smirky grin off the officer’s face. The officer, I believe, was a replacement and had not seen much (if any) combat, just a blow-heart. Smitty later offered his two Japanese swords to General Swing, but he refused. My father didn’t believe the general would have taken the Emperor’s own sword as a replacement. I can clearly see my father’s face contort when he thought of the thief and he would say, “That know-nothing mattress salesman from Texas!” I’m sure it was for the best that the two men never met again stateside as civilians.
Unfortunately, a similar incident occurred to my father. As he happily began packing to go home, Smitty noticed that an expensive set of carved ivory chop sticks he had purchased somehow had disappeared. They also were never recovered. (I had often wondered if the two incidents had been related, but I suppose we’ll never know.)
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Harold Allen Sr. – Enid, OK; US Air Force
Kenneth E. Blinkal – Chicago, IL; US Army
Robert F. Grant Jr. – Junction City, KS;US Navy, Vietnam, Chief Petty Officer, USS Midway
Leo R. Harlow – Brocton, MA; US Army, 11th Airborne Division
Boyd D. Lee – Lake Toxaway, NC; US Army, Vietnam, 101st Airborne Division, master rigger, Bronze Star, (Ret.23 y.)
William J. O’Neill Jr. – Chicago, IL; US Army, 188/11th Airborne Division, boxing team
Marciano Parisano – Cibolo, TX; US Army, West Point Class of 2023, UH-60 pilot, 1st LT., 228 Aviation Regiment
John T. Phelps – Zanesville, OH; US Army, JAG Service, Chief Legal Advisor to NATO, Bronze Star, Colonel (Ret. 30 y.)
Robert D. “Butch” Pynnonen – Negaunee, MI; US Navy, Korea
Jesse C. Tom – Honolulu, HI; US Army, Korea, 11th Airborne Division
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Japanese-Americans | the Nisei in WWII, part one (1)
Nisei soldiers
Smitty held the Nisei in very high regard and I would be remiss in neglecting to tell their story. Beside, one of these men might have been directly responsible for the safe return of my father. In reality, it would be near impossible to relate a story of the Pacific War without mentioning their service. Some of this unique intelligence force worked ‘behind the scene’ stateside U.S.A. or Australia, but many were up front and fighting at and behind enemy lines.
Smitty always had extreme appreciation for the courage, resilience and down-right crazy stunts they pulled off. They were capable of going behind the lines to acquire information or cut into the radio lines and all the while they remained quite aware that their own units might mistake them for the enemy when they returned. This did happen more than once.
Most everyone is aware of whom the Nisei are, but for clarification purposes, here are some of the terms that might be used in this section or if you continue with your own research:
AJA – Americans of Japanese Ancestry
MISers – the name used for students and graduates of the Military Intelligence Service Language School
Issei – first generation Japanese-American
Nisei – second generation Japanese-American, (this term is for definition only – Nisei prefer to state that they are American)
Kibei – Japanese-American who received education in Japan
At the language school, the students were crammed with courses and put on a strict schedule. Some courses included:
Kanji – a Japanese method of writing based on Chinese logographic characters
Kaisho – the printed form of Kanji and can only be read by someone who has memorized a great number of ideographs
Gyosho – hand written Japanese, very similar to the Palmer Method of Penmanship and is very difficult for Americans
Sosho – the shorthand version of Kanji and almost impossible for an American to learn. Most Japanese field orders were taken down by this method.
Kai Rasmussen
It must be noted that many of these men had family incarcerated in detainment camps and serving in the Imperial Army & Navy, but in school, on the job and in combat they loyally worked to do their level best. The language school began 1 November 1941 at Crissy Field, with Lt. Colonel John Wickerling in charge. His right hand man, educator and recruiter, Kai Rasmussen, was a primary force in the success of the school. He was a West Point grad who spoke Japanese with a Danish accent and would eventually earn the Legion of Merit for his efforts.
A move was necessary from San Francisco to Camp Savage, Minnesota. The change in location was largely due to the bigotry that had overwhelmed California at the time. The most influential white supremacists included: Earl Warren; The Natives Sons and Daughters of the Golden West; William Randolph Hearst and his newspapers and Congressman Leland Ford. Eventually, the school needed to expand and moved to Fort Snelling, St. Paul.
Rasmussen’s right hand man was John Fujio Aiso, an attorney out of Brown and Harvard and had studied at Chuo University in Tokyo. (He was originally assigned to a motor pool because the Army felt they had no need for additional lawyers.) Rasmussen traveled across the country in attempts to find candidates for the school. The Pentagon had kept the paperwork for the operations of the Nisei secret for three decades, but Smitty began talking about them once I was old enough to ask questions.
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Military Humor –
“AIM FOR THE CAT!”
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Farewell Salutes –
Larry Akeman – Marshall, MO; USMC
David D. Butts – Spokane, WA; US Navy, USS Midway
Berkley T. Cooke – Trenton, MI; US Navy, Korea, USS Midway
John T. Fulcher – Mineola, TX; US Army, Vietnam, 101st Airborne Division, Col. (Ret. 31 y.), Bronze Star, Silver Star, 2-Purple Hearts
Walter F. Griffin Jr. – Boston, MA; US Navy, Vietnam, SeaBees
Clayton “Whitey” M. Hilmoe – Pierre, SD; US Navy, USS Midway
Charles E. Lee – Allisona, TN; US Air Force, Chief Master Sgt. (Ret. 30 y.)
Paul J. Miller – Falmouth, MA; USMC
Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura – Gallup, NM; US Army, WWII, 442nd Infantry Division / Korea, Cpl., 3rd Infantry Division, POW, Medal of Honor
Larry G. Paige – Fredericksburg, VA; US Army, Vietnam, Sgt. (Ret. 22 y.)
Roy O. Rose Jr. – Moore, OK; US Army Reserve, Captain
John C. Sims – Louin, MS; US Navy, Korea, USS Midway
Jason C. Struve Sr. – Tucson, AZ; US Air Force, MSgt. (Ret. 24 y.)
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Smitty, Still in Japan
Japan 1945
No matter where he is or what he’s doing, Smitty will be seen touring the sights. In Japan, he also did his best to absorb the culture that surrounded him.
Smitty’s travels
Inside the above brochure, Smitty wrote, “Right after we left this place, it burnt down. This was really a million dollar joint! Wow! The girls here, by the way, are very nice. I like these people much better than the Filipinos.” (Just to remind the reader, and in all fairness, Smitty had lost his best friend to a Filipino Japanese sympathizer (makipilli) with a grenade booby-trap in his cot)
In October 1945, General Pierson was transferred back home. He was replaced by General Shorty Soule who had commanded the 188th regiment in both training and combat. He was later promoted to assistant division commander of the 38th Division and at this point he began to head the Miyagi Task Force.
Hereafter, the troopers began to return to the States as they collected their “points” and the replacements that were arriving were not jump qualified. Gen. Swing established yet another jump school, the fourth one in the history of the 11th Airborne. This one was established at the former Japanese Air Corps base near Yanome; about 15 miles from Sendai.
Following through with his own requirements that all men in the division be both paratroopers and glidermen, Swing started a glider school in the summer of 1946 at Yamoto Air Base. [renamed Carolus Field, in honor of Cpl. Charles Carolus, killed in a glider crash near Manila 22 July 1945]
Smitty in Japan
On the reverse side of the picture above, Smitty wrote, “a beauty of a flock of ducks were going by just as the jerk snapped the camera.”
The 187th Regiment, was by this time, now being called “Rakkasans” (umbrella men) by the Japanese, a name which stayed with them through four wars: WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm and the Operations of today.
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
“I told you to go thru the Parkway grass, but NOOOOooooo!”
Cause no-ones going to notice a branch-covered tank.
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Farewell Salutes –
Hugh Beasley – Oneonta, AL; US Army, Korea & Vietnam, MSgt. (Ret. 22 y.)
Mary L. Fetherolf – Fayetteville, GA; US Army, Adjutant General Corps, Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Ret. 30 y.)
Jacque D. Gregory – Prairieville, LA; Civilian, Veterans’ Administration (Ret. 36 y.)
William O. Jordon – Ripley, WV; US Navy, USS Midway
Gerald Ordiniza – French Camp, CA; US Navy, USS Midway
Nelson Rodriguez – Chicago, IL; USMC, Vietnam, Cpl., 1st Marine Division
David R. Rolston Jr. – St. Louis, MO; US Air Force, pilot/ USAFR / chief Engineer, MacDonald-Douglas (Ret. 30 y.)
August J. Sirianni Sr. – Pittsburgh, PA; US Navy, USS Midway, communications
Lonnie G. Tilson – Whitney, TX; US Navy, USS Midway
Kathleen (Kohler) Westmoreland – Arlington, VA; US Army, officer, Presidential Aide
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Letter XVI “Guard Duty” part one
“A Cold Watch”
15 January 1945, all of the 11th Airborne Division was on Bito Beach, Leyte, where they rested, re-organized, got re-equipped, re-trained and with a little time left over – they wrote letters home. Here starts Number 16 from Smitty….
Letter XVI Guard Duty 1/15/45
You have received many notes from me in the past that always seem to contain one line that went something like this, “Have to go on guard duty tonight ____.” Now in this letter I hope to be able to picture for you convincingly enough my first night on guard duty. Please remember, all through this letter, that this place at the time was threatened at ALL times by the Japs and never for one moment were we allowed to forget it — especially at night.
My first trick on guard was posted for the hours of 9 to 11pm with a four-hour sleep period before going on as second sentry relief. We were to be ready for immediate action. This was also the first time I had to stand guard with a loaded rifle, so instead of feeling safe and secure, it tends to make me that much more nervous and apprehensive.
At eight-forty-five sharp, we were called out, inspected and told the password and counter sign. We were then marched away, in a body, to our respective posts, told the special orders pertaining to that particular post and then left alone. The quick, short steps of the guard soon grow faint and they rapidly walk on until all you can hear is the beat of your heart.
As soon as I realized that I was alone and on my post, I tried vainly to pierce the darkness and see just where I was and what was around and near me. It generally takes from five to ten minutes before your eyes become accustomed to the darkness, but before that happens, I found out that your mind sees things and imagines most anything from a Jap standing or crouching down. You try to shake off the feeling, but damn it all — how can you?
After a while, you begin to see things in their true form and you notice that the standing Jap is nothing but a small palm tree and that sinister apparition is only some old debris or fallen tree. As these things unfolded before in their real form, I heaved a great sigh and relieved my tightened grip on my rifle. Boy! What a relief I thought and was just about to sling my rifle over my shoulder when suddenly I heard a noise.
I crouched down trying desperately this time to see what my ears had just heard, when again, I heard a faint sound — only this time it was in back of me or maybe on the side. All sorts of thoughts run rampant through your mind at this stage and mine were really running wild.
lonely out there
You try to remember things you were taught about for situations such as these, but at the time the lessons were given, they seemed boring and so you didn’t pay much attention. Now I wish I had listened and desperately tried to recall to mind what little I did hear. Seconds seemed liked hours, my legs were getting numb, but I was too damned scared to move a muscle for fear of giving away my position to whatever was around. “Where the hell is that man?” I thought to myself. Gosh, it sure was quiet and still that night. I even tried to stop breathing for fear it would be heard.
Suddenly, your eyes pick out a strange object that wasn’t there before, or so your memory tells you. You watch it for a while, then — oh, oh — it moves, sure as hell, it moved — there it goes again.
I could see it then, just an outline, but that was clear enough for me. I held my breath and at the same time brought my rifle up and aimed it. Now, I was in a mess. What if it was an American soldier out there or the next guard? The book covers this well, you remember it says, “Yell out, in a clear distinctive voice, HALT, at least three times.” That’s fine I thought, but dammit, the guy who wrote that isn’t out there with me now and I’d bet he wouldn’t yell “HALT” at least three times.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERY AMERICAN OUT THERE!
IF YOU LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY – THEN YOU HAVE PLENTY TO BE THANKFUL FOR TOO!
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Military Humor –
duty roster
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Farewell Salutes –
James A. Cain – Mt. Pleasant, IA; USMC / US National Guard, training NCO
Edward G. Comingore Jr. – Fruit Heights, UT; US Navy, WWII, Lt., USS Midway, Coral Sea & Tripoli, pilot
Long May She Wave, courtesy of Dan Antion
Edgar R. Fox (101) – Chicago, IL; USMC, WWII, PTO / US Army, Korea, photographer, Bronze Star
Jocob Gutterman – NYC, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Pvt. # 12020741, 803rd Engineer Battalion, POW, KWC (Luzon, Camp # 1)
James M. Hogan – Price Hill, OH; US Army, 2ndLt.
Carlton C. Holcombe – Villa Rica, GA; US Merchant Marines/US Army, WWII, APO (Alaska)
Yuen Hop – Sebastopol, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, SSgt. # 39137797, B-17G waist gunner, 368BS/306BG/8th Air Force, POW, KWC (Bingen, GER)
Dorothy F. Jones (103) – Rock Hill, SC; US Navy WAVE, WWII, PTO / Civilian, Veteran’s Administration
George C. Murphy – Bucyrus, KS; USMC, WWII & Korea, 2 Purple Hearts
Bret L. Sukert – Port Townsend, WA; US Army
Charles H. Woolery – Ashland, KY; US Navy, USS Enterprise / TV host & actor
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Letter XV “LANDING”
Letter XV Landing Somewhere in the Philippines
Dear Mom,
We landed here in the Philippines yesterday morn, but before leaving the ship, the Japs treated us with their honorable (?) presence in the form of bombing planes. Shore batteries kept hammering at them in the gloom of a misty a.m. and the tracer’s bullets reaching up to the planes made a very pretty but gruesome sight. The way those tracer shells can pick out the planes you would think that they had a score to settle and just can’t wait to even it.
We landed finally on the beach, being taken to it in those much touted and not highly praised enough landing boats. How boats can ground themselves on land the way they do and still get off again unscratched is really a marvel. Those boys who handle them also deserve a lot of credit and, as Winchell would say, “A great big orchid is due.”
The natives here were real friendly and helpful in a dozen different ways. They ran up to the landing boats as soon as the bow of the boat sunk its bottom into the beach and helped us carry off our burdensome equipment. It reminded me of Penn or Grand Central Stations with porters running helter-skelter all over the place. The only thing missing to make the picture complete were the tell-tale red caps on their heads.
It wasn’t long after landing that we were organized into work groups and sent off to our chores. Work kept on until we were hours into the night despite the fact that again, Jap planes came over. I am happy to report that they will not be able to do so again, that is – not the same ones.
November 1944: Two Coast Guard-manned landing ships open their jaws as U.S. soldiers line up to build sandbag piers out to the ramps, on Leyte island, Philippines. (AP Photo)
During the day we were handed K-rations for our dinner and after the excellent food we had aboard ship, they sure tasted like hell. Just before dark last night, we were allowed a few moments to ourselves and at once set to work getting our tents erected. Here again, the native men came in handy helping us to either put up the tents or dig our slit trenches. Of course they don’t do any of this work for nothing, but for items such as undershirts, trousers, soap or most anything in the line of clothing.
I will write more about the people in a later chapter. After all, you can’t do well to write about them on so short an acquaintance. Right now we are busy setting up a camp decent enough to live in. Having a few minutes to spare in between tents. I thought I’d write this down before it completely slipped my unretentive and feeble brain. There goes the whistle calling us back to work now, so until the next ten minute rest period, I’ll close with loads of love and car loads of kisses,
Love, Everett
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
“Damn fine road, men!”
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Farewell Salutes –
Louis R. Adams – Commerce, GA; US Navy, Rocketdyne Engine Tech. / Lockheed; McDonnell-Douglas
Bernard J. Calvi – North Adam, MA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Pfc. #11017556, 17PS/24th Pursuit Group, POW, KWC (Luzon Camp# 1)
Robert Hopperton – Berea, OH; US Navy, Lt.JG, USS Graffias, cargo officer
David E. Kelly Jr. – Burlington, WI; US Army, Vietnam & 1st Gulf War, Sgt. Major (Ret. 27 y.)
Gordon N. Larson – Seattle, WA; US Army, WWII, PTO, Pfc. # 19030403, Bat.B/59th Coastal Infantry, POW, KWC (Luzon, Camp # 1)
John L. Lester Jr. – Vienna, VA; US Army, Vietnam, 101st Airborne Division
Ralph L. Mourer – Denver, CO; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, SSgt. # 37341296, 732BS/453BG/2BW/2nd Air Division/8th Air Force, B-24H radio operator, KIA (Salzwedel, GER)
James W. Swartz – Webberville, MI; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Sgt. # 6913111, 17PS/24 Pursuit Group, POW, KWC (Luzon Camp # 1)
Alexander “Russ” Telfer Jr. – Citrus Springs, FL; US Navy, Petty Officer 2nd Class, boiler tech., USS Kearsarge & Midway
Herber R. Worley – Bell, CA; US Army, WWII, PTO, Pvt. # 19057074, 1/31st Infantry Division, Bronze Star, POW, KWC (Luzon Camp # 1)
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“Land” Letter VII
New Guinea hut
For a period of almost five months the 11th Airborne Division would receive jungle warfare and intensified combat unit ground training in the primitive land of jungles and mountains and thatched huts and the native population fondly called, Fuzzy Wuzzies. The Papua brigades and Allied forces, that fought in what constituted the Cartwheel Operations before the troopers arrived, made this landing possible.
Quartermaster Corps
The Dobodura area that the 11th A/B would make their home was inherited from the 5th Air Force. The first order of business was for the 408th Quartermaster trucks to deliver the pyramidal tents.
Letter VII Land 6/8/44
Dear Mom,
Well, here we are on the island of New Guinea. From what we can see if it so far, I know we’ll never go hungry as the coconut trees are as thick as a swarm of bees.
We started for our area in trucks after all the rumors said we’d walk and we “Oh!” and Ah’d” all throughout the trip. Not wanting to show the natives here how smart we are, the driver proceeded on his own when lo and behold — where were we? I don’t know, no one knows, so right away we all knew that wherever we were — that wasn’t where we were supposed to be.
Now, of course, we weren’t to blame, as after all, this is a strange and new place to us and they didn’t give us a Socony road map or a compass reading, so no matter — drive on — come what may. Of course, some large and strange appearing trees which grew in the road had different ideas and no matter how hard we hit them, they consistently set us back. How they ever managed to find a road to grow in is beyond me, but then they were here before us. Naturally, after the way they treated our truck, we gave them a wide berth, eventually leaving the road al together.
When after what seemed like hours, we finally found our area, much to the delight of the lower hind part of our anatomy. Then, our shoulders and backs had to haul our bags around until we found our tents. This was done very systematically: someone had the idea of first asking the captain just where we belonged and he proceeded to take us there. We could see at once that this place was no place for us and got right down to thinking up goldbricking alibis.
Work here is the main word we soon found out, and might I add we are all still trying to duck, but it seems that as soon as one finds a spot in the woods, oops I mean jungle, the tree-chopper-downers come along and there you are not only up to your neck in work, but also find out that now your haven is so exposed as to make it useless again as a hideout.
You might wonder what all this labor is about and also expect to find out in this chapter or letter, but no, it shall never be. I’m saving that for the next installment, which I’m sure you will be breathlessly awaiting.
Regards to all.
Love, Your son, Everett
Obviously, Smitty wasn’t the only soldier this happened to!!
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Military Humor – 
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Farewell Salutes –
Bernard J. Curran – NYC, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Pvt. #11017039,17PS/24 Pursuit Group, POW, DWC (Camp # 1, Luzon)
Robert L. Deitrick – Coudersport, PA; US Navy, Korea, aircraft mechanic, USS Coral Sea, Palau & Midway
William E. Eby – Deschutes County, OR; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Cpl. # 19021222, 409 Signal Company
Francis Favreau – Morrisville, VT; US Navy, USS Midway
James Earl Jones – Arkabutla, MS; US Army, Korea, 2nd Lt. Rangers, HQ Co/38th RCT / Beloved actor
William C. Love Jr. – Chicago, IL; USMC, Vietnam / USMC Reserves
John A. Noble – Rochelle, GA; US Army, Vietnam & Middle East, Colonel (ret. 28 y.)
John Tarbert (24) – Port Deposit, MD; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, SSgt. # 6947526, B-24 gunner “Mairzy Doats”, 703 BS/445 BG/8th Air Force, KIA (GER)
Charles A Vorel Jr. (19) – Omaha, NE; US Army, Korea, Pvt. # 16282238,Co B/1/19/24th Infantry Division, KIA (SK)
Jack E. Weber – Lake Jackson, MO; US Navy, Korea, USS Midway
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“I’m not coming out till Tuesday!!”
Courtesy of: Bob @ birdofbittness
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Gen. Swing’s sword
Gen. Swing accepting the sword w/ Gen. Eichelberger
Even though Smitty had earned his points to go home, he was still an NCO on General Swing’s staff and was required to finish out his duties as such. After going through combat in the South Pacific, it would be in peaceful occupational Japan where Smitty’s temper would get the better of him.
Non-nonchalantly going about his business at the headquarters of Camp Schimmelpfennig, Smitty just happened to glance through the glass partition that sealed off Gen. Swing’s office. Inside was an officer holding and admiring the Japanese sword that his commander intended to keep and bring home as a souvenir. Smitty didn’t think much of it at the time; he was busy and many people commented on the weapon. so he continued down the hallway. A short while later, the entire office could hear the general demanding to know what had become of his sword. It was gone.
Cpl. Smith is standing far right
My father didn’t think twice, this was his general. He went into the room and told Swing what he had witnessed. Without a second thought, the two men went to the other man’s office, but neither the man or sword was there. The officer in question showed a few moments later. When the general explained why they were waiting for him, the officer became indignant and professed his innocence (just a tad too much). My father said the air of tension in the room became thick enough to use a machete on. This was when Smitty’s temper went out of control and with one right cross – sent the officer through his own glass partition.
Of course, this action made it necessary to bust Smitty back down to private, but he didn’t care about that. He was still furious that the sword was never returned. It all could have gone worse if the general had not been there or if he did not believe Smitty’s word. Smitty said it was worth being busted just to wipe the smirky grin off the officer’s face. The officer, I believe, was a replacement and had not seen much (if any) combat, just a blow-heart. Smitty later offered his two Japanese swords to General Swing, but he refused. My father didn’t believe the general would have taken the Emperor’s own sword as a replacement. I can clearly see my father’s face contort when he thought of the thief and he would say, “That know-nothing mattress salesman from Texas!” I’m sure it was for the best that the two men never met again stateside as civilians.
Smitty, in Japan
“The guy snapped the picture just as a flock of geese flew by.”
Unfortunately, a similar incident occurred to my father. As he happily began packing to go home, Smitty noticed that an expensive set of carved ivory chop sticks he had purchased somehow had disappeared. They also were never recovered. (I had often wondered if the two incidents had been related, but I suppose we’ll never know.)
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Norbert Antor – Comstock Park, MI; US Army, WWII, ETO, Purple Heart
Milton T. Bauer – Newton, KS; US Air Force, Korea, pilot, Distinguished Flying Cross
Traditions of Honor & Respect
Wiiliam A. Gardner – Allentown, PA; US Army, Korea / asst. chief scientist for NASA projects
Wing O. Hom – Boston, MA; US Army, WWII, ETO, Co B/7/3rd Infantry Division, KIA (Cisterna di Latina, ITA)
John L. McGraw – Summit, NJ; US Navy, Jacksonville Naval Air Station
Bobby Osborne – KY & OH; USMC, Korea, Purple Heart / Grand Ole Opry singer, “Rocky Top”
Anthony J. Palmer – Grove City, PA; US Army, Korea
Paul D. Rooney – Somerville, MA; US Coast Guard
Donald D. Shorr – Forest Hills, NY; US Navy, WWII
Ricky Z. Simon – Delray Beach, FL; US Army, WWII
Garrett A. Sullivan – Cambridge, MA; US Air Force, Korea
James W. Thompson – Wheeling, WV; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Corpsman w/ USMC
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AM I TOO LATE FOR MONDAY?
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Japanese-Americans | the Nisei in WWII, part one (1)
Nisei soldiers
Smitty held the Nisei in very high regard and I would be remiss in neglecting to tell their story. Beside, one of these men might have been directly responsible for the safe return of my father. In reality, it would be near impossible to relate a story of the Pacific War without mentioning their service. Some of this unique intelligence force worked ‘behind the scene’ stateside U.S.A. or Australia, but many were up front and fighting at and behind enemy lines.
Smitty always had extreme appreciation for the courage, resilience and down-right crazy stunts they pulled off. They were capable of going behind the lines to acquire information or cut into the radio lines and all the while they remained quite aware that their own units might mistake them for the enemy when they returned. This did happen more than once.
Most everyone is aware of whom the Nisei are, but for clarification purposes, here are some of the terms that might be used in this section or if you continue with your own research:
AJA – Americans of Japanese Ancestry
MISers – the name used for students and graduates of the Military Intelligence Service Language School
Issei – first generation Japanese-American
Nisei – second generation Japanese-American, (this term is for definition only – Nisei prefer to state that they are American)
Kibei – Japanese-American who received education in Japan
At the language school, the students were crammed with courses and put on a strict schedule. Some courses included:
Kanji – a Japanese method of writing based on Chinese logographic characters
Kaisho – the printed form of Kanji and can only be read by someone who has memorized a great number of ideographs
Gyosho – hand written Japanese, very similar to the Palmer Method of Penmanship and is very difficult for Americans
Sosho – the shorthand version of Kanji and almost impossible for an American to learn. Most Japanese field orders were taken down by this method.
Kai Rasmussen
It must be noted that many of these men had family incarcerated in detainment camps and serving in the Imperial Army & Navy, but in school, on the job and in combat they loyally worked to do their level best. The language school began 1 November 1941 at Crissy Field, with Lt. Colonel John Wickerling in charge. His right hand man, educator and recruiter, Kai Rasmussen, was a primary force in the success of the school. He was a West Point grad who spoke Japanese with a Danish accent and would eventually earn the Legion of Merit for his efforts.
A move was necessary from San Francisco to Camp Savage, Minnesota. The change in location was largely due to the bigotry that had overwhelmed California at the time. The most influential white supremacists included: Earl Warren; The Natives Sons and Daughters of the Golden West; William Randolph Hearst and his newspapers and Congressman Leland Ford. Eventually, the school needed to expand and moved to Fort Snelling, St. Paul.
Rasmussen’s right hand man was John Fujio Aiso, an attorney out of Brown and Harvard and had studied at Chuo University in Tokyo. (He was originally assigned to a motor pool because the Army felt they had no need for additional lawyers.) Rasmussen traveled across the country in attempts to find candidates for the school. The Pentagon had kept the paperwork for the operations of the Nisei secret for three decades, but Smitty began talking about them once I was old enough to ask questions.
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Military Humor –
“BECAUSE DOORS ARE FOR SISSIES.”
“AIM FOR THE CAT!”
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Current News – 
Please hop on over to Pat’s blog to help share a veteran’s birthday! Click HERE for equips!!
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Farewell Salutes –
Ruby Atchley – Pine Bluff, AR; Civilian, WWII, ammo plant
Jerry G. Cooper – Hattiesburg, MS; US Army, Vietnam, Captain, 101st Airborne Division, helicopter pilot
Tabe de Vries – Ljmuiden, NETH; Dutch Underground, WWII
Harry E. Elston III – Warren, OH; US Army, Vietnam, H Co/75th Infantry Rangers
William Hodge – New Haven, CT; US Army, WWII, Sgt.
Clyde H. Lane – Greece, NY; US Army, 503/11th Airborne Division
Thomas C. Mayes, Jr. – Coral Gables, FL; US Air Force + Reserves, Captain
Douglas L. Townley – Tonawanda, NY; USMC, WWII
Robert E. Weisblut – Washington, D.C.; US Army
James A. Whitmore – Mesquite, NV; US Air Force, Electronic Warfare Officer on F-105’s & F-16’s
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Smitty | Still in Japan
No matter where he is or what he’s doing, Smitty will be seen touring the sights. In Japan, he also did his best to absorb the culture that surrounded him.
Inside the above brochure, Smitty wrote, “Right after we left this place, it burnt down. This was really a million dollar joint! Wow! The girls here, by the way, are very nice. I like these people much better than the Filipinos.” (Just to remind the reader, and in all fairness, Smitty had lost his best friend to a Filipino Japanese sympathizer (makipilli) with a grenade booby-trap in his cot)
In October 1945, General Pierson was transferred back home. He was replaced by General Shorty Soule who had commanded the 188th regiment in both training and combat. He was later promoted to assistant division commander of the 38th Division and at this point he began to head the Miyagi Task Force.
Hereafter, the troopers began to return to the States as they collected their “points” and the replacements that were arriving were not jump qualified. Gen. Swing established yet another jump school, the fourth one in the history of the 11th Airborne. This one was established at the former Japanese Air Corps base near Yanome; about 15 miles from Sendai.
Following through with his own requirements that all men in the division be both paratroopers and glidermen, Swing started a glider school in the summer of 1946 at Yamoto Air Base. [renamed Carolus Field, in honor of Cpl. Charles Carolus, killed in a glider crash near Manila, 22 July 1945]
Smitty, in Japan
On the reverse side of the picture above, Smitty wrote, “a beauty of a flock of ducks were going by just as the jerk snapped the camera.”
The 187th Regiment, was by this time, now being called “Rakkasans” (umbrella men) by the Japanese, a name which stayed with them through four wars: WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm and the Operations of today.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
John W. Archer III (102) – Mount Holly, NJ; US Army, WWII, 5th & 7th Armies
Jackson W. Baumbach (100) – New Cumberland, PA; USMC, WWII, PTO
Patricia Carbine – Aberdeen, SD; US Army WAC, WWII, ETO, nurse
Ethel (Marder)Donley – New Bedford, MA; US Navy WAVE, WWII, Pharmacist’s mate
Charles W. Eeds – Durant, OK; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Cpl., 48th Materiel Squadron, POW, DWC (Cabanatuan Camp)
Michael T. Ernst – MA; US Navy, SEAL, Chief Special Warfare Operator
James E. Farley Sr. – -Columbus, OH; US Merchant Marines & US Coast Guard, WWII
Obed D. Howard – Corsicana, TX; US Navy, WWII, PTO, coxswain for Adm. Nimitz
Martin L. Nass – NY & La Jolla, Ca; US Navy, WWII, USS Topeka
Leroy M. Slenker – Portland, OR; US Army, WWII, PTO, Pvt. # 19004368, 75th Ordnance Depot Co., POW KIA (Luzon, P.I.
Mark Williams – Delray Beach, FL; US Air Force, pilot,
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Pacific Paratrooper 