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USS SAKATONCHEE (AOG 19)
FPO, FRISCO, CAL.
APRIL 1, 1945.
BRYANT COLLEGE SERVICE CLUB
BRYANT COLLEGE
PROVIDENCE, R.I.
HOWDY-
JUST RECEIVED YOUR NICE LETTER AND I WANT TO SEND MY THANKS FOR THE THOUGHTS THAT WENT WITH IT.
THIS SHIP IS IN A FUNNY CATEGORY – WE’RE STRICTLY NAVY, BUT WORK FOR THE ARMY AIR CORPS 90% OF THE TIME – AND THIS RESULTS IN OUR BEING IN THE FORWARD AREAS ALL THE TIME. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH IN BEING ABLE TO GET ENOUGH OF ABOUT EVERYTHING WE NEED – EXCEPTING FRESH FOODS. IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO SEND ME A REAL APPLE OR ORANGE, I’LL SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS. ALL KIDDING ASIDE, WE’VE NEVER LACKED FOR SMOKES. GOOD CANDY IS A PROBLEM – DUE TO THE DELAYS IN SHIPPING PACKAGES AND THE HEAT ENROUTE TO US. THE CLIMATE IN THE SOUTHERN PHILLPINES IS REALLY WARM – ESPECIALLY TO CANDY. IF, HOWEVER, YOU CAN FIND SOME CANDY THAT WOULD STAND UP IN THIS HEAT, I SURE WOULD APPRECIATE A COUPLE OF PIECES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OFFER.
AS FOR THE LIFE I LEAD – I CAN’T COMPLAIN AT ALL. WE ALL PUT IN A FULL DAYS WORK, BUT WHO EVER HEARD OF ANYONE IN THE NAVY OVER-WORKING? I CAN’T SHOUT MY EXPLOITS TO THE STARS, FOR THE LITTLE ACTION WE’VE SEEN WAS SO LITTLE (THANK GOD) THAT THERE’S REALLY NOTHING TO IT. WE HAVE BEEN IN ON ONE INVASION, BUT EVEN THAT WAS ONLY A FARCE – FOR THE JAPS FLED DURING THE SHORE BOMBARDMENT AND NOT A SHOT WAS FIRED UNTIL AFTER THE BEACHHEAD WAS OURS. BUT I WILL TELL YOU A STORY THAT WILL MAKE YOUR BLOOD BOIL. I HOPE IT DOES, FOR MAYBE THEN SOME MORE OF YOU WILL REALIZE WHAT TYPE OF AN ENEMY WE ARE FIGHTING OUT HERE IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC. (IF IT’S A GIRL THAT’S READING THIS, MAYBE YOU BETTER PUT THIS LETTER DOWN NOW). ON THIS INVASION WE WERE ON – THE JAPS WERE TAKEN COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE AND HAD TO MOVE OUT IN A HURRY. THE HILLS THEY HAD TO HIDE IN WAS NO PLACE TO TAKE THE 250 AMERICAN PRISONERS THAT WERE BEING HELD HERE. I BELIEVE SOME OF THOSE AMERICANS WERE SURVIVORS OF BATAAN. THE JAPS DID THE NATURAL THING – CONSIDERING THEIR CRACKED MINDS – AND FORCED ALL THE PRISONERS INTO A FOXHOLE (ONLY LARGE ENOUGH FOR 10 MEN ORDINARILY), FILLED THE PALCE [sic] WITH GASOLINE, AND SET IT AFIRE. NO, THAT IS NOT PROPAGANDA, FOR I SAW THE CHARRED REMAINS MYSELF THE DAY AFTER IT HAPPENED, AND IT WAS CHILD’S PLAY TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
I’D BETTER SIGN OFF NOW – IT’S 2:30 A.M. WHERE YOU ARE, BUT I STILL HAVE MY QUARTERLY REPORTS TO GET OUT.
THANKS AGAIN FOR THE SWELL LETTER AND THE THOUGHTS,
HARRY I. GOLUB
LT (JG) , CD, USNR
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