The Old Breed

Chapter 55

Rest Camp, Okinawa

May 15th, 1945

Dakeshi Ridge was much quieter now that the main assault on Wana had begun. It was surprising how quickly the Japs forgot about areas less than a mile away from the frontlines when the frontlines proved so pressing. The ridge that had been the sight of such fierce fighting before had now been fully secured, and without the constant night barrages from mortars and artillery usually sent down by the Japs, the dark mass was eerie. We walked past our old positions, now occupied by units of the 7th Marines. We didn't stop at Dakeshi Ridge, though, kept moving past, down from the ridge, down the road past our very first objective of the last few days, Hill 60. We were able to walk between our objectives within a few hours. To capture them had taken days. Such was the nature of this war.

We finally made our way into a rest camp, some tents already set up, more lying in wait for us to set them up. Foxholes and bunkers ringed the camp, manned by rear echelon troops. They stared at us as we walked by in column, stared at the muddy, haggard, shells of once lively men walk into their camps. These troops would not understand anything about us, had never seen places like Dakeshi or Wana. They were the lucky ones. They had a chance of coming out of this campaign intact. I had given up hope for the same thing for myself.

We settled quietly in, going about setting up the tents with automated motions, too tired to think, the only thought filling our brains one of sweet sleep, uninterrupted by Jap mortar or artillery barrages.

It was nearly six in the morning when I finally slumped down onto a hard wooden cot. There was a thin bedroll on the cot, a feeble attempt at comfortableness, a wool olive drab blanket, but no pillow. I used my pack in the absence of the pillow. My head had barely touched my pack, my eyes had barely closed, before I was already sound asleep.

5/15/1945

Dear Jen,

My unit has finally been pulled off the line again. I actually slept in a tent again. With a roof! It must seem crazy to you, but that brings such a stir of happiness in my heart. To be dry for once. To listen to the rain but for once not feel it. But nothing causes a stir of happiness in my heart more than the thought of you and little Sam. I pray hard everyday for the moment that we will once again see each other, in a new world, rid of the tyranny of the Japs. And, hopefully, now that the Nazis have been defeated in Europe, we will have more men to finish this job, this noble undertaking of ours.

The mud here is beyond belief. It is seriously unbelievable, to me also, even though to believe I only have to lift the flap of this tent slightly. I saw a man sink to his knees one time in this mud. And the rain is a constant presence, soaking everything, cold. I would like to say I have been surviving fine, however, these conditions have taken a toll on all of us. Last I checked, I've lost almost twenty-five pounds in the last month and a half. I can hear my mother's and your voice now, telling me to eat more. I eat a lot. We all do. Whatever we can.

As I've stated in previously letters, I cannot tell you where I am now, but rest assured for now I am safe. We are over a mile from the front, where Jap weaponry cannot get to us. You wouldn't believe how hard I slept last night. Like a baby. Like little Sammy perhaps. Although, if what you say is true, he probably doesn't do much sleeping over the amount of crying he does. How I wish I could live his life right now. Spend my whole day sleeping, crying, eating, and soiling a diaper, haha. Life would be so much easier...

Do not worry about me out here. I am doing fine. I have not taken my cross off yet, so I still have you and God looking out for me. I can feel it in my bones now. We're almost through with Okinawa. Soon we will invade Japan. Then one day it will end, and we will begin the process of recovering and, finally go home. I hope by next year I will be sending you greetings from Tokyo. I long for the day when this war will be over, and the one where I finally come home to little Sammy. And I finally come home to you.