On September 21, 1945 John finally got to go ashore in Tokyo

Japanese Post Cards

    
Japanese Bookmarks with a naval theme

Menu cover from Trader Vic's in Honolulu

A pocket full of Yen

  
Japanese Naval souvenirs
If you know for sure what any of these items are, please let us know.

Insignia Recognition Chart - move the wheels and see what the uniform will show.

One of John's prized possessions

The next section presents transcripts of selected letters from John to his mother from August 7 through October 1, 1945.
The transcriptions were done by his son Greg. Some include scans of the page being referenced.
    

      I guess you got last letter, saying that I'm on a destroyer now. I guess by the time you receive this letter the war will be over, but even if the war is over, I don't think I'll be home for over a year. Pharmacist's mates will be among the last to be discharged.

      I like my new duty fine. The other corpsmen and the medical officer are really swell. The medical officer is very young. I don't have much time, I will write again tomorrow if I have time. Much Love, John 

Dear Mom:

      We had the wonderful news yesterday. The news that that so many have waited so long to hear. The war is over, but it will be perhaps as long as two years before I can return to civilian life. I don't have enough points. I may be able to get more because of the fact you are dependent on me.

      Today we had holiday routine. Very little work about the ship and a turkey dinner, all the trimmings, V for victory cake and ice cream (the cake had V on it). Free cigarettes, cigars, and candy.

        (A 2-INCH SECTION IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS LETTER IS CUT OUT - BY CENSORS??) 

      Yes I guess I'll be for a while. Pharmacist's Mates will be the last out. Even the Pharacit's Mates with enough points are not going to be discharged for some time. Much Love, John.

        Guess what, there is no longer any censoring of mail.
         I came aboard the "692" August 7. We left on the 12th. Our orders were to proceed to Wake Island. If the war was over by then, we were to signal ashore and ask for surrender, if no surrender we were to shell the island, if the war was not over we were to shell anyway as every ship (almost every ship) that passes Wake used to throw a few shells. The war was over before we got there, but actually we never got there as orders were changed. I'm not sure if those were our orders in the first place.
         We crossed longitude 180 degrees the international date line on the 15th, the next day was the 17th, we lost a day. Arrived in Enwieetak atoll on 18th, left on 19th. Whe(n we crossed the international date line, I got a card certifying that I'm a "Golden…???" - CAN'T MAKE THIS OUT. If I cross the equator I get another card making me a "shell back".

PAGE 2…..

          For the past two weeks we have been from thirty to hundred miles from Japan on patrol duty. Today, earlier in the morning, we saw just over the horizon, off to port bow, the towering peaks of Mt. Fugiyama, the famous volcano of Japan. Most of the time we are with just one other ship, also a destroyer, but every so often we rendezvous with our task force. We are part of Halsey's famous 3rd fleet. There are a few British ships in our task force, including a British aircraft-carrier. I think she's the H.M.S. Indefatigable (??-CAN'T FULLY MAKE OUT THIS NAME). We will be relieved of this duty soon. I don't know if we'll ever get into Tokyo Bay. We are however included in the Japanese occupation forces. We may go to Guam soon. It's rumored that we'll return to "Frisco" soon, but I doubt it. It will probably be many months as this ship only left the states about two months ago.

PAGE 3.....

          The last time this ship was out she saw plenty of action and was hit by suicide plane at Leyte. She has shot down 8 Jap planes and sunk one ship. She has been through plenty of action, yet is only about 18 months in commission.
          I'll write more soon.      Much Love - John

September 10, 1945

Dear Mom:

      For the first time since I left Pearl Harbor, I received mail. Another "can" came alongside and gave us mail. They stretch a line between ships and run the mailbags over on pulleys……

      I'm glad we have no censor any longer. I can say whatever I want.

      We saw Mt. Fugiyama again this morning, but we still haven't been in any port since we left Eniwetuk about three weeks ago. Fugiyama was about fifty miles away and very faint. All we've seen of Japan is Fugiyama and a few cliffs from a very far distance. Doesn't look like much from a long distance.

      I'll write again soon, was sure glad to receive your letter. Much Love, John

Dear Mom:

      We got into Tokyo bay yesterday. We'll be here for five days. I received eight letters from you. We were supposed to get liberty yesterday and today, but no boats came to take us ashore. 7 hours already today. Changed American for Jap money and was in whites. There's not much to see. Tokyo and Yokosuka are restricted. We have to go in (??a party??) and stay together. All we will see is Yokosuka naval base and Yokosuka town.

      I don't think I'll leave the ship while we're here. Two times I tried, I'll probably not try again. Nothing to see. I have about $14 worth of their money. It cost me that much $14. In their money it amounts to 2100 "yen". That's a fortune to a Jap I guess. One "yen" is less than 7 cents. There's more ships here than I have ever seen. Tokyo bay is immense. Can hardly see across. Tokyo is about thirty miles from here, I'm told. I can't see it. It's foggy in the harbor. Visibility is low. From what I hear the Japs are very friendly. Their all very hungry, will pay many yens for American candy, chewing gum, and cigarettes.

      Now that we're in port we have good movies. The other destroyer next to us has a movie too. Ours is first, then theirs, so we have a double feature every night. When we leave here, I think our next port will be Eniwetuk again.

      I'll write you again tomorrow and send a 10 yen bill to you. That's about sixty to seventy cents in American currency. Much Love, John 

Dear Mom:

      I finally got liberty. We could only go to Yokosuka, which is a very small town outside of Yokosuka naval base. It was the filthiest place I have ever seen. There were Japs everywhere. All were little, not much over five feet and were very humble and polite. For cigarettes you could buy the town, but we weren't allowed to take any. I got a few things. I'll send a little post card or something in each letter. Please save each thing I send. I'll write again soon. Much Love, John 

Dear Mom:

      Yesterday, I got liberty again. This time I went to Tokyo. What a place. Millions of Japs. All of them smiling and some bowing before you. They look upon us as their victors and they really show respect. All the civilian men are wearing pieces of Jap army and navy uniforms. Nothing else to wear. I took two rolls of pictures there. Tokyo is the third largest city in the world, yet from the time we left the ship till we came back, we couldn't get any food or water. You would walk for miles and see not a single store open. Huge areas were completely bombed out. All the beautiful pre-war color in Japan is gone. What was orange, purple, green, blue and other bright colors is now black, gray, and brown.

      The emperor's palace is one place I missed. Our doctor was there and said that every Jap that passes there, even in (c???????????) gets out and takes off his cap and bows toward the palace. I wish I would have gotten a picture of one doing that. I'll have another chance. We left today for Saipan but we're coming back soon so I'll get that picture of the Imperial Palace. Everything I send you, please put in a safe place. The biggest attraction in Tokyo yesterday for American sailors was the sight of a few American Army nurses who were on liberty. Tokyo is nothing like you'd imagine, unlike small towns like Yokosuka. It is not made of paper and wood. Downtown Tokyo is made up of very modern, western world buildings of stone and brick. Some of them are masterpieces of architectural engineering. They even have subways. I'll write a big letter all about Tokyo before we hit Saipan. Much Love, John 

Dear Mom:

      We're at Saipan now, we've been here for several days.

      Yesterday I took a group of men ashore to get their teeth fixed. At about 0700 in the morning we arrived at the dental clinic. After leaving them there, I caught a ride in a truck with a soldier and rode around a great part of the island. We went up tall hills, almost mountains. The roads were winding up and down, really a thrilling trip. There are caves all over the island. The Japs were really dug in here. That's why the Marines had such a time taking Saipan. There are signs all over the place saying:

                       DANGER KEEP OUT - JAPS HIDING - or something like this.

      There are still many Japs in the hills. They probably don't even know the war is over………………….Much Love, John 

October 1, 1945

Dear Mom:

      We're still at Saipan. At night anyway, in the mornings we go out on a run with a carrier. The carrier's planes are making test flights. We go out to pick up any pilots who might crash. We pull out at 0700 in the morning and return at about 1500 (3:00) in the afternoon…………..

      I don't know where we'll go next. We hear a different story every day. I don't know if we'll go back to Japan or not. I took several pictures in Tokyo and would like to take more. It sure rains a lot in Saipan. The last two nights we've had no movies because of rain. I'll write more soon. Much Love, John