Church Archives - Moss Letters

11 August 1945

Dear Folks:

It’s been sometime since I’ve written so I better settle down and get some written. Events have been transpiring fast and my morale has been improving. Last night I was playing cards when somebody ran down the streets yelling ‘turn on the radio’. We did and heard it say the Japs were ready to surrender. Although our battery didn’t take it hook, line, and sinker apparently the rest of the island did, because searchlights went on, and machine guns and anti-aircraft began firing, and the sky was colored with red tracers. It looked like a Hollywood premier. Although we know this may not be the real thing, something is definitely going on and perhaps this is the first step. The thought of the war being over is too much to grasp at once, and I know just how you would both feel if it is time.

Today I heard on the radio that a Jap emissary was coming here on a warship to discuss negotiations. I understand they want to leave the emperor in his position. Dad certainly called his shots good – Russia coming in and now talk of peace. At least it looks like you are quite the prophet.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I see on the bulletin board that an Episcopal communion [service] is being held at eight-thirty. I better go.

Last night after the excitement and after I had got into bed, the CO had a few of us in for some drinks. The first whisky I had tasted in ages, and it didn’t set too good with any of us. I didn’t feel so hot this morning and had to stand [during] inspection at nine-thirty. But we had the rest of the day off and tonight I feel pretty good. A pretty good show on tonight so I better go down.

A few days ago we worked an afternoon and put a floor in our tent. The first time I’ve had a floor in a long time. Well it makes pretty good quarters. We are having it pretty easy now, no wonder in the afternoons, but it’s almost too hot to work anyway. Played a little softball a few days ago and got a sore, swelled finger out of it. About as big as a weeny.

Men have been leaving every day on readjustment but they are still quite a way from my name. Each morning it looks like a railroad depot with guys shaking hands and saying goodbye. After living together for several years and going through operations together, you sometimes feel a little sentimental about seeing some of them go.

The magazines arrived – two big envelopes and a Free Press today. Also the mimeograph letters and styles came. Unfortunately the paper deal fell through, but we can still use them for other work.

Well this will have to do for another time. Sorry I didn’t write sooner but I’ll try to get on the ball a little more.

Love,

5 August 1945

Dear Folks:

Am burning up a little time waiting for a show so I may as well write. The show is ‘Blood on the Sun’ with James Cagney. Should be good. I’ve heard a lot about it.

Well today was Sunday so I didn’t do much. Went to church this morning at eleven, again tonight at six to a communion service. The chapel is something to be proud of – each Sunday it looks a little better. The chaplain now is a Mormon, and a pretty good one.

We also got paid today and I sent you another twenty bucks. Sounds like a few poker games are going now that some money is in circulation. I’ve been playing mostly hearts and pinochle nowdays.

Had a letter from Duane a few days ago. Wants me to be sure to see him – he has some pictures of Marge and the baby to show me. He also said Jack C. was going to get out of the Army – boy what a deal that is? I don’t see how he can do it. He always has it easy in his outfit and hardly know what combat is. Don’t let his decorations fool you – but when you see an Infantry guy or one like Dick you know they earned it. I heard a rumor today that all over 85 [points] would be off this island before the end of September. But let me warn you it is only rumor and I don’t believe anything until it actually happens. The CO told us again yesterday those of us with 85 would not go into combat and if the outfit left, we would stay. That is a big relief.

The other day we had a bunch of Okinawans come up to do some work in the area and they were all women. But how they can work, better than men. They are short and some pretty pudgy and most of them wear what looks like golf pants. A couple of young ones looked pretty cute but most look like the effects of a life of work and drudgery. Most of the civilians seem pretty cooperative.

Getting dark and that means show time so better get going. So until the next time.

Love,

29 July 1945

Dear Folks:

I’ve been taking it easy all day and so that the day won’t be completely wasted, I’ll top it off with a letter. Today is Sunday so this morning at eleven went to church. The chapel looks better all the time and now it is very attractive. Over the altar is a white ceiling of cloth that looks like it might be a parachute, and on the sides is blue silk cloth or rayon. The altar is lighted and has four candles on each side. Of course we don’t have the peacetime choirs but instead a speaker system plays hymn recordings and makes it seem much more like church.

I was just looking at your picture you sent me in 1942. Everyone thinks you look too young to be my folks.

Nothing new on getting home – just have to wait.

Plan to go to the show tonight and I hope there isn’t a flash red to interrupt it.

I’m plumb out of news so better call this enough for one more time.

Love,

22 July 1945

Dear Folks:

Sitting on my bunk in a pair of drawers trying to keep cool and trying to decide whether to write or just be lazy. Well I decided to do both – write a while then relax. Today is Sunday and it is a day off. A few days ago we moved into our permanent area which means rehabilitation and taking it fairly easy. Afternoons will be given to baseball or some kind of athletics. This morning I went to church at eleven o’clock in the artillery chapel. A simple but impressive altar was built by a couple of carpenters. It makes a better place than out in the open as it was before. Now we have a PX and a choice of four movies in the evening, also the Red Cross has a canteen but I haven’t been down yet. Having lights in our tent I hope to get some reading done also. We don’t black out in the evenings as you might think but it blacks out fast if a red alert comes in.

Had two letters today one from Dad and one from Gladys Davis who is now Mrs. W. R. Johnson. She’s pretty happy. I certainly think you and Dad should go to Denver and take a good vacation and just do nothing or whatever you feel like and the longer the better. I hope you go. Dick and I will not be in combat and you shouldn’t be disturbed as you were last year. So you better be sure and do it.

Sent you a check for $108.00 about a week ago so let me know if you get it. You should also get four bonds for the months of March, April, May, and June.

Nothing new to report on getting home although my hopes are still high.

Glad to hear you are better Mom and perhaps the vacation will do you some good.

This is about all I have so until next time.

Love,

7 July 1945

Dear Folks:

Kind of late to be writing but I’m feeling kind of fidgety and restless while waiting to go to bed. Kind of a tiring day, so darn much paperwork it seems, but a shower brightened me up a little. It seems like the guys can always rig up a shower no matter how scarce materials are. Gas drums and a few pieces of gas pipe make up the installation.

A few nights ago I saw the show “Mrs. Parkington”. I thought it was very good. As yet we don’t have movies in our own area but it shouldn’t be long until we do. Wasn’t able to get done in time tonight or I would have gone. The hot rainless days continue seeming to weigh you down by the sultry heat, but the nights are pretty decent although some nights I don’t cover up until pretty late in the morning. Last night a few Japs around kept me awake, machine guns, and flares going off. Don’t think I’m in much danger because it isn’t as bad as it sounds. Really what it turns out to be is more of a sideshow for many of us. Last night a Jap got caught in a flare in the middle of a road junction and he was a gone pigeon before he could get away. Anyway, about one o’clock I finally got to sleep. Then this morning two or three Japs were cornered in a cane field and I sat on a bank watching the guys surround it and toss in grenades. Working in the office I don’t go on patrol but sometimes when things happen close I can get a spectator’s look.

Well tomorrow is another Sunday and I hope we can get a chaplain for services. Probably we will. How I’d like to sit in St. Andrews in Scottsbluff and be in a quiet, real church. I wished you could have seen the Episcopal Cathedral in Honolulu. It was certainly beautiful. For a long time after I left Oahu, the church sent me their publications and on Saipan I received two invitations to dances. I wasn’t able to attend [ha].

Dick and I haven’t been able to get together again but I’m sure we can have a few together soon. I don’t know where Duane is but probably he’ll show up one of these days. I told Dick about the newspaper article about meeting Duane and he laughed plenty and said it was a lot of beans.

It’s almost nine o’clock and I have another letter to write so I better stop. My getting home continues to look good and of course now knowing I can get out, it is hard on the patience. But I can hold out a little longer after so long. All I can think in our postwar plans is getting back to school.

Well au revoir.

Love,

24 June 1945

Dear Folks:

Another Sunday just finishing and it had its small share of something different. Today at three we had Protestant services and I find myself liking the chaplain more every day. Also a super special treat this morning was fresh fried eggs – the first since Leyte and one of (the) few specials in the past year. And almost as good as a big red apple. I could eat a bushel of them.

My morale was braced somewhat today by the rumor that all men with points over the critical score would be home by September. But I can’t let myself believe it because it would be too big a letdown if no soap. All kinds of stories have their followers – here’s another – men with enough points will be kept in a pool until sent home. I hope a few of the good ones materialize.

Had a letter from June a few days ago. She says she may head for Europe to see Loyd.

Have you done any ‘casual’ investigating about Wylma? I’m very anxious to hear from her.

Well I can’t find much else to write about but at least it’s a letter.

Love,

17 June 1945

Dear Folks:

Rather quiet this Sunday afternoon so I better grab hold of myself and get a few letters written. A few minutes ago I just returned from church services in the mess tent. The first we have had in three weeks due to the situation.

It is continuing (to) dry and today it is very warm but a slight breeze is blowing that makes it cool in the shade. Mosquitoes are bad at night but of course we all have nets and take Atabrine to curb malaria. Also planes spray the island often and it keeps the flies down to a minimum. They come soaring over very low letting out a white trail of insecticide.

Well, the Japs are now very compressed on the southern end of the island and I hear we have only about a mile to go – should be over in a couple of days. Our artillery has been sitting up a constant barrage. I suppose the Japs are about gone nuts now. Our sleeping tent is setting upwind of one of our gun batteries and every time they fire, the smoke blows down right over us, and it smells exactly like rotten egg gas, but we get used to it.

I’m still very fine and comparatively safe and little excitement has happened for me. All I’m afraid of is a Jap sneaking in at night, but we are well protected, so that isn’t much of a threat, just a possibility. About a week ago two of them tried to slip in the motor pool but the boys spotted them and fired at them. But they got away and before leaving dropped their packs, both full of grenades.

Just a second ago a guy brought me two letters, one from Dad and from Nancy. Nancy says she doubts if it rains as hard here as at home – well 13 inches in a week is a lot. Never saw it rain that much in Nebraska.

Now that things appear to be loosening up on getting home, I’m getting impatient. Between you and me I figure I’ll hit the September or October quota, but don’t bank too heavily on it. I just cannot imagine myself back with you and enjoying myself at home and being completely independent, at least for a while. But I feel certain I will see you this year and not as Nancy says, by the time she graduates – that’s much too far away.

No, I never get enough of your letters, dad as you say, to the contrary. I’m always watching the mail orderly and it’s very seldom I walk away from a mail call without anything. You do a good job of writing and I know it’s a big job writing to three of us but I hope soon that it will be cut to two, by me getting home.

Love,

3 June 1945

Dear Folks:

Early Sunday morning right now, so I decided to observe it in my own little way and write you a letter – a long one if the material will present itself.

This morning isn’t the customary sunshiny day like most Sunday mornings – but the sky is overcast and the ground like a cow barn in winter. This “midnight soil” the Japs used to fertilize the soil lends a fowl odor to the whole area and smells especially bad in tents. It got to raining so hard that we had to put up a pyramidal tent. We couldn’t bail our holes fast enough. But aside from the rain, the situation has been quiet for me. Apparently most of the Jap artillery has been knocked out for I haven’t heard a shell in a long time. I’m always afraid a Nip will try to sneak in the area but so far they haven’t and now that the campaign is so far along, I feel easier. I hear the boys at the front are going good now and General Hodge says that organized resistance is almost over. I’m sure you can feel easier about us.

Little mail lately but I hope the mailman comes back with an armload this afternoon. They go after mail every day no matter how bad the roads are – some days it’s quite a trip. No packages yet but some of the boys are receiving packages from March so I’m expecting mine soon.

I started out to write quite a letter but I’m about washed up already. Hope to go to church today if the chaplain can get through. I’m feeling fine and just hoping that before another operation, I can get home and Dick too.

Well, I guess this (is) all.

Love,

27 May 1945

Dear Folks:

This is a trying position to write a letter in – lying on a cot propped on one elbow.

Yesterday had three letters – two from Mom and one from Dad – one of Mom’s had the baccalaureate service in.

Probably you have been reading about the heavy rains here—if you can believe all of it—for it has been raining the last 4 days in torrential proportions. Some of the things that went on during the heaviest part of the rain should be worth a six page letter, but I’m too cramped a position and too low “morally” to do it. The first night it began about 4 in the morning. Feeling I was comparatively well protected, I turned over and went to sleep and woke up later to see the water about an inch from the bottom of my cot. So I got up and in a driving rain, cut a drainage ditch out of the hole. That eased the situation some but everything on the floor was soaked. Finally the rain kept driving down and soon everything I had was wet. And since then have had no opportunity to dry them out. Quite a number of the boys dug holes into the side of a bank, and as the water flowed over the side, the banks finally caved in, covering cots, etc. Kind of humorous in a miserable sort of way. The aid station was under four feet of water and early in the morning they were wading around moving out and trying to find lost equipment. Fortunately our office was comparatively dry, the only one that escaped. The morning after the big rain, I went (to) breakfast and saw a guy sleeping on some ration boxes. He was forced out of his overflowing hole. Remember the last thing you told me to do was not to get my feet wet. Well, tonight they are soaked but luckily my blankets are dry. I could say it looks like it’s clearing up but every time I do, it starts in again. Oh, to be a civilian again.

Last Thursday night was an exciting one. On that night the Japs attempted to bring in airborne troops but at the time I didn’t know it. There was the usual ach-ach-searchlights and I saw three shot down. The main thing I have to worry about is falling ach-ach fragments. I saw one Jap plane fly over and drop five eggs in a neat row.

I guess the road was so muddy the chaplain couldn’t get through. Anyway, there was no Protestant service.

Well, I want to dry out my feet a little and get organized for bed so I better cut short. I don’t have a cold – feel fine but pretty tired of the mud.

Love,

20 May 1945

Dear Folks:

Only time for a few short lines tonight but I know you want to hear. It’s a little after supper now and at four o’clock attended a Protestant service. The crowds get bigger each Sunday – probably these combat conditions account for some of it. Getting a bunch of GI’s to sing without an organ, in tune, is something to hear.

Put in a pretty good day all in all, and feel a little tired tonight.

I guess I better tell you about our showers because I think it is a tribute to GI ingenuity. We have three gasoline drums sitting on (a) bank filled with water and the center drum has a heater in it. Having hot water showers at a time like this is something.

Very little this time but not much to write about.

Love,