October 6, 1946
The letter below was written by William on October 6th, 1946 home to his family from his station on Iwo Jima. In the letter he discusses settling into his new job on the island, new things he has discovered and learned about the island and it's previous Japanese soldiers inhabiting it, and discusses not following through on the "new" policy of discharging the military six months early after the end of the war. Below is the transcription of the text from each page of the letter for your reading ease.
Iwo Jima
Oct 6, 1946
Hi Folks,
And how are you all? fine I hope. except for a few minor details, I am also fine. Today it is Sunday night; at home it is Saturday afternoon.
Well, I'm slowly; but surely coming along with my job. I'm getting the new building into shape and we are now ready to move in. I went up to see my buddy, the adjutant (Lt. Crocett) About getting a vehicle. He immediately got on the hall And got me one. I have a class A Priority and can go anywhere anytime. so I guess that in about 2 weeks we’ll be really underway.
While working Saturday morning Allslnook (A fellow who was put in charge of all electrical equipment on the island because he is so good at it) came over to see how I was coming along. He
asked if I'd like to come along to look over an old Japs command posts wiring hook up. He knew that I was interested in electronics. so off we went. The place was well constructed due to the fact that this was Jap territory and they could build it up. We were looking at the P.A. system when we saw something behind the megaphone. After climbing up we saw that it was a Jap grenade wired up as a ‘booby trap’. We unwired it and took the damn thing down. It was made so that when a guy would throw the switch to speak it would go off. They had a tiny transformer hooked up next to the pin. when electricity went through the Transformer it would bellow out and push the safety pin out of the grenade. So we solemnly swore to check all equipment before being used. Just imagine that booby trap was sitting there for 1½ years. There are a lot of places here that hav-
en't been sapped out. Some of the caves smell from dead Japs. In one cave there was found a dead Russian, Frenchman, German, and Jap. You know that picture of the Marines raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi, We'll take a look at it in my room. That's what I'm living on. funny how I finally wound up here oh! These islands in the Pacific are queer and if you start thinking about them your spine will tingle. What I am standing on is nothing but cooled lava and Volcanic ash. underneath that is a hot lava and volcanoes. What if one should decide to blow its top? every so often on these islands shake. Once on Guam the lights were swinging back and forth and the old Barracks was a creaking. I never knew that a volcano was sitting right out in the sea 25 miles from here till this morning. it isn't an island it is just a volcano rising out of the sea
With smoke coming from the top. Ah yes, the land of intrigue. Well, quite soon I'll have had enough of intrigue. I saw the famous 4th Div. Of the Marine’s cemetery. Boy, if you see a fella from the 4th Marine Division you are good and that fella has been through a lot. I doubt if there are very many left. I really shouldn't talk so much about the war and stuff; but I can't help it, it is all around me everyday. You can't dig a telephone post hole in this place without hitting a body. I guess that four months will be enough on this place. (You can only stay here due to four to six months.) Due to no vegetation and poor water (Sulfur in it no matter what you do to it.) I'll have a lot to tell you before I'm through. I guess.
I know you must have read about getting out of the army 6 months ahead of time. if you're over here it isn't so easy. I may
as well just right out my 6 months here. If I started filing for a discharge under these new rules, it would probably take 6 months to get it through have here. and I'm sort of tired of moving around. Now that I'm assigned, I may as well write out four or five months here. Any how I couldn't get into college till next fall. (if I did try for this college discharge I probably wouldn’t get it till Dec. or Jan. - and this is too late to register for the spring term) I always get things the hard way anyhow. So I may as well make money over here than hang around with uncertainty till next fall. Don't think that I am gambling on anything. I haven't been paid yet and don't know when I will. You can now send those T shirts (size 34) And flashlight. Don't worry. My best to all.
Love, Bill
