USS PRAIRIE (AD-15)
TOKYO BAY, JAPAN 14 OCTOBER 1945
DEAREST FAMILY,
AFTER A WEEK OF NO MAIL (NO FAULT OF YOURS, JUST USUAL NAVY TROUBLE AFTER MOVING TO A NEW LOCALITY) I WAS THRILLED TO RECEIVE THREE LETTERS FROM YOU THIS AFTERNOON !
ALL YOUR LETTERS WERE POSTMARKED OCTOBER FIRST, WHICH MADE ME LAUGH, FOR THAT WAS THE DAY WE SAILED FOR TOKYO. THE TONE OF THE LETTERS SEEMED TO IMPLY THAT I WAS CLOSE TO COMMING HOME. I TOO HAD FIGURED THAT WAY. BUT IRONICALLY ENOUGH, HERE I AM AND HENCE THE CLOSENESS TO GOING TO UNCLE SUGAR SEEMS PRETTY REMOTE, FOR IN KEEPING WITH PRAIRIE TRADITION, WE NEVER STAY LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS IN ONE SPOT. NEVERTHELESS, TRADITIONS HAVE BEEN BROKEN, AND I AM HOPING OURS IS, BUT SOON, BUT THEN, ONLY AFTER I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO GET INTO TOKYO. I HAVE A RECREATION TO THE FORMER JAP NAVAL B BASE TOMORROW, WHICH WILL BE MY FIRST STEP ON JAPANESE SOIL, THEN ON THE 22ND I RATE REGULAR LIBERTY INTO TOKYO ITSELF, WHICH WILL BE THE BIG THRILL.
YESTERDAY, WE MOVED FROM THE BAY INTO A SMALL INNER HARBOR AND ARE NOW LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED YARDS OFF SHORE. WE'RE CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET A GOOD LOOK NOW. IT IS HILLY, AND GREEN-WHICH IS PLEASING. RIGHT HERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GREAT NAVAL BASE, BUT ALL THERE IS STANDING ARE A FEW CRANES- LARGE TO THE JAPS, BUT MINIATURE IN COMPARISON TO THOSE AT MARE ISLAND. MOST OF THE ACTUAL WORKS ARE RIGHT INSIDE THE HILLS WE LOOK AT AND ADMIRE. IT IS SAID THAT THE FACTORIES UNDERGROUND RUN FOR MILES. I WOULDN'T DOUBT IT FOR THERE ISN'T ANYTHING OUTSIDE, ANYWAY THAT'S LEFT STANDING.
PAGE TWO
THE BOYS RETURNING FROM TOKYO ON LIBERTY STILL UPHOLD THE STATEMENTS THAT THE JAPS ARE STARVING, MORE OR LESS, AND THE CITY ITSELF IS WELL GROUNDED IN SECTIONS. THE FELLOWS ARE REALLY AMAZED AT THE SMALLNESS OF THE PEOPLE. FOR ONCE SOME OF OUR SHORT SAILORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL SOMEONE ELSE SHORTY. A CARTON OF CIGARETTES WILL BRING UPWARDS OF TWO HUNDRED YEN (ABOUT $17 AMERICAN MONEY) AND THE JAPS FOLLOW THE AMERICANS AROUND WAITING FOR THEM TO TOSS AWAY A BUTT. THEN WHEN HE DOES, IT ISN'T SAFE, FOR A DOZEN JAPS WILL DIVE ON THE THING BEFORE IT REACHES THE GROUND. A LOT OF GUYS TOSS THEM IN PUDDLES, JUST FOR SPITE.
ONE CANT HELP FEELING SORRY FOR A STARVING PERSON, BUT THEN, THEY ARE STARVING ON THEIR OWN HOOK, WE ARE NOT ROBBING THEM OF FOOD FOR THE NAVY FEEDS ITSELF. BUT IF CONDITIONS WERE REVERSED, IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH IMAGINATION TO PICTURE WHAT THEY'D DO- SO ALL SYMPATHY IS LOST. ALL THESE THINGS ARE WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD- BY FIFTY DIFF-
ERENT MEN, SO IT MUST BE TRUE. THEY ARE HUNGRY, FOR MEN COME OUT IN SMALL BOATS AND WAIT FOR TRASH AND GARBAGE TO BE TOSSED OVER THE FANTAIL OF THE SHIP, ANYWAY, I WILL SEE FOR MYSELF NEXT WEEK.
THE PICTURES FROM CANADA WERE SWELL. MAN, HOW DORA HAS GROWN. TEMAG NEVER CHANGES, ALWAYS THE SAME OLD HEAVENLY SPOT, AND I'M STILL COUNTING ON A BIG REUNION WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. IT'S A MUST.
MOM, I'LL DO MY BEST TO GET SOME BLANKETS ETC, BUT IT'LL HAVE TO BE NEAR WHEN I GET DISCHARGED (IF EVER). IN FACT, THE NAVY IS ASKING MEN TO STOCK UP ON SUCH THINGS WHEN THEY GET OUT, DUETO THE SHORTAGE OF SUCH ARTICLES IN CIVILIAN LIFE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT COSTS A SAILOR JUST AS MUCH ANYWAY- I BOUGHT ONE BLANKET, A SWEATER, A PAIR OF SHOES AND FOUR UNDERSHIRTS LAST WEEK FOR$17.55. SHOES COST 5 DOLLARS A PAIR.
PAGE THREE
OH, THE POINTS HAVE BEEN LOWERED TO THIRTY NINE FOR ENLISTED MEN. I STILL HAVE 27 SO IT DOESN'T HELP ME MUCH, BUT IN TIME I'M BOUND TO REACH THE GOAL.
THE SHIP IS GETTING RID OF ALL HIGH POINT MEN AND THOSE WITH TWO OR MORE YEARS OVERSEAS. IT HAS LEFT THE RADIOGANG IN A TERRIBLE CONDITION. WE HAVE LOST OVER ONETHIRD OUR FORMER NUMBER, YET ACCORDING TO PEACE TIME STANDARDS, WE STILL HAVE TWICE AS MANY- 25 WHEN WE SHOULD ONLY HAVE 11. YET OUR WORK HASN'T EASED A MITE. WE ARE NOW FORCED TO STAND EVERY OTHER WATCH AND EIGHT HOUR MIDS. IF WE ARE CUT TO ELEVEN MEN, THE RADIOMEN ON THIS SHIP WILL NEVER GET OUT OF THE SHACK. EVERY TIME WE ASK FOR REPLACEMENTS WE GET A SCOFF AND A REMINDER OF OUR OVER COMPLIMENT- YET COM FIFTH FLEET- (HALSEY) WON'T LET US SECURE SOME USELESS CIRCUITS. WE HAD A FLAG ON BOARD WHICH LEFT, BUT FORGOT TO TAKE ITS WORK WITH IT.
BEFORE I CLOSE--- I SAW FUJIAMA (SP-) FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST FRIDAY. MOST OF THE TIME A MIST HAS KEPT IT COVERED, BUT FRIDAY WAS CLEAR AND BRIGHT- SO I CHALKED ANOTHER MUST OF TOKYO OFF MY LIST.
LOTS OF LOVE,
[Signature: "Bud" in handwriting]