Sunday, May 1, 2016

Letters From Arthur #9: 11 June 1944, Hawaii

by Jess Clackum

Just a week earlier on the afternoon of 6 June, the 77th landed on Guam under the command of Major Gen Andrew Bruce. There were no landing vehicles to transport the troops from the sea craft to the beach line, so the troops, had to disembark and wade hundreds of yards to the beach.  It took several hours for all the troops to land on shore in time to turn back the enemy counterattack. Transport vehicles had to be hauled ashore by bulldozers. It would be more than a month before the 77th would have all of their field artillery ashore including the 304th, 305th and 902nd battalions.

Dearest Sis Mae:

I received your first letter several weeks back and I answered you pronto, and today I received your second in which you wrote a few words for Mother. I was indeed glad to hear from you and especially that you were visiting mom, I sincerely hope everything is fine. Why not? After all, a fine mother and you are a fine girls, so there's no reason you two shouldn't hit it right. I have often wanted to write you in the past, but either I traveled the country too darn much to do much writing or I wasn't sure of your address. And I have written Bill in the past and his last few letters always come back to me. I often wondered why? Honest I'm disappointed in him. Perhaps I shouldn't be too hasty, but after all, I always wanted to keep in close contact with you both, then a complete silence and no mail from Bill and then no mail from me.

Well - from now on I shall write you as often as I can even if I might be kept busy. Anyway, believe me when I say my thought are always with you and of the Dearest. I expect to go to Honolulu soon and I will definitely make it my business to send both you Dear and Joan something appropriate of this beautiful Island. Mom sent me Bills address but I'm not sure of its accuracy. Is he in the MP outfit now? Yes - when I was in Virginia I got home sometimes but just to see how mom & dad were, my friends are all in service now so I really had a terrible time in New York, and I do miss them all especially Jean, Eddie, Connie (she is in the Spars now - almost three months).

Someday, after this war is over, I hope to see them all but I know that some of them will not be the same. I myself sometimes find my nerves going to pieces. Perhaps someday we'll have a real reunion and believe me, I'm looking forward to the not too long victory. Would like to hear from Bill, and I shall write to you always, my fondest regards to Joan and my love to you.

Your loving brother

Arthur

Wish I could write to Anne but I haven't her address and I did get the blades from Mother.

Thanks a million

Honey--A.                               

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