70 years ago – Guam Recaptured

When J.B. wrote these missives, he was 59 years old and part of the U.S. Marine invasion force to retake Guam and determine friend from foe. These are his exact words although I have corrected some spellings and any additions/clarifications I have added will be italicized.

9 Aug.

My dearest Sweetheart –

Your first letter on a Jap tablet. We now have everything the Japs had here. The boys are mopping up now. I’m sorry you haven’t been where you could get the papers. I must have been mentioned in some of the papers because so many correspondents talked to me and took my name and home town. They took pictures too. Then today I raised the flag with impressive ceremonies. Nearly 8000 natives sung “America” and “God Bless America”. then a song they made up. They cheered and cheered, threw there arms around one another. A native had hidden the flag and presented it to me. Then I had a bugle we captured from the Japs. The pole was out of bamboo from the jungles. The correspondents were there and many pictures were taken. Wish you could have seen it.

Oh, how I need the clothes. Get Tonise in on the “Bundles for Guam”. Get going honey. Have been checking all the camps for Mrs. Sawada. Can’t find her. No Japs got away so she is either dead or still hiding. The big job is building this place up again. It is already under way. You are a sweet lovely lady and I love to tell you so. You are a sweetheart and wife all rolled into one. I love you precious and I’ll keep telling you

– Your devoted Daddy

Leave a Response