Foxhole Archives - Moss Letters

11 June 1945

Dear folks:

My writing has been delayed considerably because of a succession of events that made writing difficult. And I know you’ve been anxious too.

I’ve been bouncing over the roads today and I feel pretty tired and let down tonight but not so I can’t write you. On my travels today I saw Shuri and Noha including Shuri castle or what is left of it. You know the struggle it has been to take those places. I couldn’t describe to you the desolation and wreckage. Hardly a structure stands and everywhere there is rubble of stone and wood. Only a long two-story brick building remains to what was a city of 65,000-Noha. Bulldozers nudge around through the debris clearing roads and cleaning up, and preparing areas to live in. Shuri is equally wrecked. Shuri sits in a valley surrounded by hills and ridges that shelter catacombs of interlocking caves and emplacements. Every ridge is specked with these holes. From a high view the fields are potted with circular shell holes and occasionally a huge crater of a bomb or a large naval shell. And I saw our burned out tanks, many of them, stopped in a low place where the Japs probably used their suicide tactics of planting satchel charges on the tanks and blowing themselves up. Shuri castle has a few remaining pillars still standing. They immediately remind one of the Greek ruins. Now the Japs have been pushed into a very small pocket and there they will probably repeat their banzai charge and the remainder dive into the sea as they did on Saipan. It seems that the Japanese are entirely alien to what we believe about life and the standards we live by.

Yesterday I had a look at four freshly killed Japs who were killed in their cave. They had thrown a grenade at one of our men from their hole about half way up a steep bank. After we sneaked up and threw grenades and plenty of ammunition at them, someone looked in and they had died for the emperor. One had apparently held a grenade to his chest at the last minute for his chest was blown open and his face gone. In peacetime our government will spend thousands of dollars to find the murderer of one man but here a life seems worth little.

After coming in tonight I found I had four letters, two each from Mom and Dad—one from June. They certainly were appreciated and I’ve already gone over them many times. And I’ll read them many more. Now I’m the one who isn’t keeping up, but pretty soon I should be on a regular schedule. Yesterday had two Free Press dated back in February. I’m looking forward to the recent ones you kept.

Haven’t seen Dick or Duane yet but I think it won’t be too long. Probably the island will be secured soon and then it will be easier to get around. I would like to have Dick come over and stay a few days with me if it is possible.

I can’t say much about the demobilization deal except what I read and hear. I have more than 85 points and weighing everything I feel more optimistic than pessimistic about getting home in the next few months—although I have nothing to go on. Maybe it’s like a women’s 6^th sense. But if something doesn’t materialize I will lose faith in everything. I can hardly imagine being home again. A rumor today said those over 85 will see no more combat, but as I say it’s just a rumor.

Bob Meyers and Guyla Steele now—golly I can hardly picture it and Guyla a Russian. I don’t like that. Glad to hear Jim S. is getting married but sorry to hear his folks are leaving. I thought perhaps Phil and Carol would get married on his leave and was slightly surprised to hear they didn’t. Phil sent me a picture of her. She looks pretty sweet.

On the fruit orchard deal it would be mostly oranges and grapefruit and for the first couple of years a small truck garden to alleviate expenses. Our area is in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. I thought I would put some money into it and let Dick run the place and build up a first class orchard and do everything to produce a good orchard. To make expenses until the crop begins to produce Dick would raise a small truck garden and with the equipment I would buy, he could make money helping others spray etc. And I would come back and get the best job I could and make up some of the first year’s expenses. If I get home soon I’m going to look into it but of course I’m not going all out on it until I can find out a little more. I am anxious to talk to Dick about. I think he will like it. I know my buddy would not let me down, he’s square and honest as the day is long. He is a great guy. He is anxious to help me and he wants later to expand and then go together on a business of hardware there. We had great fun going all over it one night in a foxhole. And I know Dad would fall over backward to advise me. I’m very anxious to see the picture of the store. Nancy and Mom and Phil all write about what an institution it is getting to be.

I’m glad you had a nice birthday and I wished I could have sent you something. (The Noha department store is very short on items). I know Dick and I and Phil will all be home soon to give you an inexpensive but most wanted gift—a big kiss.

And Mom I wouldn’t want you to go out west. Stay where you are and keep home what it has always been and always will be. Many people may soon regret having done that.

And I too want Nancy to go to school and for my choice, Nebraska University. And to have every advantage of graduating. I wanted to graduate in the worst kind of way and feel very badly sometimes because I didn’t. If I were still in school and took law, I would almost be out. I hate to think I will never get a degree. My days there were filled with association and acquaintance with learning, that are long remembered. I surely want Nancy to go and have all she needs to enjoy it.

I’m sure you finally got straightened out on my outfit and I have never been able to tell you. I’m feeling fine but I think I must feel like Dad sometimes—ready to blowup and sometimes I feel nervous as hell. I just hope I can soon see you. Minor differences will seem like nothing after this.

Well it’s beginning to get a little late (9 o’clock) and today may be another heavy one. But I’ll try to write often. You can now feel much reassured for it is almost over on this island and then we can have it easier.

Better stop sometimes although I feel like writing on and on if I could dig up the items.

Love,

1 June 1945

Dear Folks:

I haven’t written you for several days so I imagine you feel a little anxious. But the fact is, it has been so rainy and muddy that I couldn’t get myself to sit down to write. I think the worst part of the campaign is over, so you can feel much better. The hardest part has gone by for me, and I think the Japs are standing on their last legs now. For some time now there hasn’t been any shells come over, which is a great relief to me. And after the campaign is over, I think we will have it easy for a while, and get a little beer and movies.

Received a letter from Dad yesterday, about the only (thing) that has come in the past three or four days. Maybe the inclement weather has kept the mail planes down. Over 13” inches (of rain) fell in the past week, so you can imagine how the water must have been flowing around here. Contrary to the weatherman’s prediction that June 1^st would be the climax of the rain, today is sunshiny and sultry. Had a chance to get most of my stuff dried out. I had a lot of pictures in my billfold and they all got soaked. I have them laying in the grass now to dry out a little. But the sky always looks like another storm could break any time. Then they tell us the typhoon season begins around the 15^th. I’ve never been in a typhoon, but if they are like what I’ve seen in shows and read about, I’m not looking forward to them. But we’ll be expecting them and prepare for it.

Haven’t seen Dick or Duane since our visit quite a long time ago. But I know Dick is too far away to see me very conveniently. I don’t know where Duane is, but I’ll locate him after the island is secured. I wrote to Dick a week ago but haven’t heard from him yet. I’m sure he is okeh.

From my standpoint, nothing exciting has happened. Since the nights the Jap landed some troops behind the lines by airplanes, there has not been many planes over. Sometime ago I was standing on a hill looking into the bay when a Jap plane suddenly appeared without warning. Black flak hit all around him but he kept flying straight then dove straight for a ship. I was pulling like hell the gunners would get him before he hit the ship. He kept coming down then he burst into a ball of fire and hit the ocean. I felt like I did when the home team made a touchdown. Then after he hit a shell came whistling over and the six guys standing around my hole all dove into it, me on the bottom, with our heads as low as we could get them. You’d be surprised how fast you can move. But it was the only one and slowly heads began to reappear and then most everybody starts laughing when they think of how fast they got undercover. One night the 1^st sergeant and I were listening to the radio when we heard a whistle. Having no prepared hole immediately available, we both hit a small ditch which wasn’t long enough. My usual speed put me in the ditch first, and he dove on top, laying behind me with his nose in my buttocks, which was humorous when the excitement was over.

Haven’t heard from Wylma for a long time. Could you find out what the score is?

I haven’t had enough to start another page so I’m going to the aid station to work a crossword puzzle.

Love,

6 May 1945

Dear folks:

About an hour before church so perhaps I can write you a few short lines before then. Communion is being held today and as a special treat we will have an organ. A small portable one but it sounds good.

Mail is continuing to come in good—both 1^st and 4^th. Yesterday got a package from June and today two Free Presses and March Reader’s Digest, so I’m expecting the February package any time.

I thought I better write too today because you have probably been reading about the Jap counterattack in which they landed behind our lines and we shot down 168 Jap planes. Well I was in my foxhole all night listening to artillery shells land but they did no damage, and aside from the tenseness all I got from it was more battle experience, of which I’ve had all I want. And Dick is okay. You can rest at ease about him.

My partner is trying to get me to buy in on a fruit orchard in Texas. His dad wants to sell it to him at $200 an acre for twenty acres or $4,000, and us split the cost. He figures in five years under normal years it will bring in an estimated $10,000 yearly and in 15 years will represent a value of 15 to 20 thousand. His dad has his own farms in Kansas and wants to sell the orchard. That’s a pretty cheap price. Right now his dad gets about $1,500 yearly but it is not all planted. Well it’s an idea and it sounds like a good investment but lots to think about.

Well better wash up a little for church so better get ready.

Love,

4 May 1945

Dear folks:

Just received a letter from Dad this afternoon and before I do anything, I’m going to answer it. I’m about as happy as you were on receiving my letter on meeting Dick for I know the news would be good to you. Probably by now you have received my letter of a few days describing our afternoon visit. I know how anxious you become as you read the papers but it isn’t as bad as that for me. Last night was hectic and one I would like to forget. The Japs shelled us about all night and so I couldn’t sleep. Boy, that whistle is bad to hear. I’ve felt like sleeping all day but I want to be good and tired for tonight so maybe I can sleep through some of it. We sleep dug in and it’s as safe there as any place. I hope we soon have their artillery silenced.

Censorship has also allowed us to reveal a little about the Special Attack Corps or suicide Divers of the Japanese, those guys that make you pretty nervous when riding on a boat. This is about the only way they can hit anything. I have seen them crash dive ships and once saw a boat in our own convoy hit. That’s about the first thing we think of on a boat when we see a Jap plane. Some time ago I saw a little item in my paper that I picked up from Radio Tokyo. It said the 63 girls and a professor had cut off their fingers and with the bloody ends, prepared Jap flags. Later they were sent to pilots of the Suicide Corps who vowed they would wear them in their caps when diving into American ships. Kind of crazy huh?

As things look from day to day, both here and in Europe, I become more confident of returning home, so now I’m just praying I can preserve myself through this one and then hope my wishes materialize. Surely they must. Perhaps when I get home we can play some of the poker you mentioned—you know poker is a part of the Army. I’ve played very little myself but occasionally to avoid boredom I get in a little game.

Well, I think my foxhole colleagues and I plan to have a little home prepared snack from our recent stock received from the ‘old country’. The ledge on our foxhole is pretty well filled up with canned goods so will probably whip something up if it doesn’t get too hot.

Better stop about here for one more time.

Love,

28 April 1945

Dear Folks:

Here I am again as is usual at this time of evening. About the only diversion after chow is listening to the radio and that doesn’t always appeal, and listening to the tales from Tokyo gets irritating. This morning while gathering the news, for interest I turned on Shanghai and listened for a few minutes to a commentary on military affairs. Of course Shanghai is Jap controlled. This morning he discussed the members of the Special Attack Corps or what we call suicide divers. They harp on this Corps quite a lot. American naval and casualty losses that he gave sound like evangelistic exaggerations. Many remarks they make seem the work of a simple minded child.

I see by the bulletin board that censorship regulations here permitted more leniency in writing so I thought I would tell you about some personal experiences I’ve had. Last night started out quietly although the air raid siren sounded about sundown. After hearing a few artillery shells crunch some distance away, I managed to get asleep but woke up with a start around ten thirty by the thunder of anti-aircraft guns. Then I heard a plane swoop over pretty low so I sat up and peeked over the top of our foxhole. As I usually do I woke up my buddy. It seems better to have company at such times, although perhaps I sometimes get over excited. Whenever a Jap plane gets anywhere near, the sky fills up with red tracers and little dots of bursting shells. When I first woke up I saw a great burst of fire but I couldn’t tell just what it was. In most cases the planes don’t come too close to our position so it’s more of a sideshow for us. A round of applause always goes up when a Jap plane is hit – most of them burst into a ball of flames and crash. Finally the excitement died down and while trying to get to sleep again, the shrill shreik of a Jap shell whistled over and drove into the mud. It was a dud, thank goodness. The sound of shells heading your way, and the later bursting crunch so hard on my nerves and I think everyone feels that way. When a shell sounds it takes about 1/10 of a second for everyone to jump in a hole. But we found the Japs many times harder and it is a mystery to me that all Japs in the island are not raving maniacs. The bombardment on L-Day was the biggest and most devastating thing I ever saw. It is source of great confidence in our forces to see battleships, cruisers and destroyers lined up pounding the Japs where it hurts the most. The sky was filled with our aircraft and the Nips dared not come near. About the only time they can pull a raid is at night. I came ashore on L plus one and we were all surprised by the orderly cultivation and rolling green hills, by far more like our own, a civilized place than what we had previously seen. I think this [is] enough on this subject.

I told you before that I had been on Leyte but I didn’t’ tell you I was on Midway also.

Had two letters today – one from each of you, but not very recent. In Mom’s letter was many clippings and the pictures of Nancy and Phil. It seems to me that Nancy looks an image of Mom, and so grown-up I could hardly believe it.

I’m glad Jack paid you a visit and I hope it made you feel better. I also think he has changed for the better and Jack seemed very considerate during our visits on Saipan and Tinian.

Boy it seems like lots of babies are being born back there, Alice C. again and J. Lupher. How many does that make [of] Luphers? I wish I had some of my own and every time you write about fixing up the place, I try to hope that someday I’ll be fixing mine the same way. Dad made a lot of good comments about home and so forth and in every one of his letters, I think we get a little closer to each other.

The talk with everyone now is rotation – those planes are turning up again and I think most of the older fellows are expecting to get back in a few months. And somehow I feel the same way. Even the thought of getting home seems like a dream.

Better taper off I guess – I’m feeling fine and living careful, so don’t worry.

Love,

26 April 1945

Dear Dad:

It seemed such a treat to get your letter today that I thought I would address this one to you, even though you know it is for you both. Well a few minutes ago I finished typing the daily newssheet and have my lead arranged ready for the evening. Also for tonight we had a can of bacon leftover from our rations and I see my buddy has the stove out so we’ll probably have quite a treat tonight. That bacon in cans is very good stuff. This guy I bunk with I’ve known for a long time, and we have become close friends, although at times we use words on each other. He is from Kansas where his father has a large wheat and cattle ranch. He is very likeable and always cheerful, as a matter of fact he keeps my spirits up. He is married and I think I know about everything about his wife. His name is Cliff Blount just in case sometimes you may want to know.

On the island here there’s quite a number of horses and lately it has become the fad to get one of your own and ride him after supper. The battery looks more like a calvary outfit and often we have a short rodeo for a laugh. I did a little riding but I don’t go for it like some of these guys.

Your letter today was interesting and full of good comment. You are doing a good job and I know our absence has made both of us wiser and more appreciative although it worked more on me. I was glad you got my letter about being in Okinawa but know it will make you more anxious. It won’t last too long and then I’m sure we will have it easy for a while including shows and a little beer. Talking about horses and everything you probably can’t reconcile it with combat but there is the other side alright. About every evening the Japs start shelling and a shelling is nerve wracking but aside from the time one landed about 35 yards away, they haven’t been too close. Several men were only five or ten feet from the shell and came out unscratched so you can see the good of a foxhole. It doesn’t take you long to dig in. Haven’t seen Dick for a few days but hope he can stop by soon. He told me Diz Carroll had already had enough war. The reason the bonds sometimes arrive late is because they are sent only when we are paid and occasionally we can’t be paid every month.

I know you would like to see your business continued and especially to have one of us take. I know what it means to you regardless of what you say in your letters. I think we will keep it going and if Minatare can weather any decline after the war, I agree with you that it has many possibilities.

I think I wrote about Ernie Pyle’s death and it was a blow to everyone. Just when he was about to tell homefolks about the Pacific war. I’m sure the men in Europe will find the war here much different. No prisoners here, it’s dig them out and exterminate like cockroaches. I don’t mind if Mom puts my letter in the paper that I first wrote but I don’t think it is much of a letter. I was really not in a literary mood and could have made it much better.

Well it’s getting pretty dark and we are to do the bacon frying before dark so I better ring off for another time.

Love,

16 April 1945

Dear folks:

Just received a V-mail from Mom, a letter from Gram and one from June so while there is a lull in things perhaps I better take advantage of it. You said you received a letter from me, the latter part of March and also that you didn’t think I was feeling well. As a matter of fact I wasn’t at that time. I was hearing about Okinawa and of course that isn’t anything to look forward to. The past two days have been hot ones and I don’t mean weather alone, and two days ago I was about as scared as I have yet been. A Jap shell hit about 35 yards from me. I was in a foxhole and the shrapnel passed over my head by about 2 feet going into the office, ripping a leg off a chair and going into several reams of paper. Other boxes were hit and our tent was full of holes. Undergoing a shelling is nerve wracking and I’m still uneasy. It probably isn’t over with yet. Now we sleep in foxholes and while walking around always subconsciously watching for a place to duck.

With the great air activity around I have seen several Jap planes shot down and hardly a night passes but what the sky is filled up with red tracers and ach ach bursts. Naval planes are in full support of the operation and yesterday while eating I could watch plane after plane roar in and drop their bombs or let go their rockets. The rockets make a loud hissing roar and explode with great concussion. If I felt more like it, I would like to write you a long account but just don’t feel up to it.

However I’m feeling fine and taking precautions and hoping above all I can see you this year.

The boxes I received were in good condition and everything was eatable and the cokes were especially good. Received a few Christmas cards yesterday so perhaps the packages will yet come.

Had a letter from Phil yesterday and answered it right away. I’m so glad he got in the Navy. At least he won’t have to live in foxholes and will always know where his bed is.

I’m going to stop and I’ll write you as often as possible and don’t worry for we’ll all forget it when we are all together again.

Love,

15 April 1945

Dear Phil:

I was so glad to hear from you and equally glad that you got in the Navy. Right now I’m sitting in a foxhole in Okinawa hoping the Japs don’t send any artillery fire.

Received a bad scare yesterday morning when two shells hit only a short distance from me. Shrapnel wrecked one of our chairs and ripped our tent. I hope we don’t get a reception tonight.

Well, you are in the service Phil and if you are in long you will perhaps see many things you couldn’t see before. You will find the war is no picnic. It is rough, dangerous, tough, and keeps you from home for a long time. It has been almost four years since I was there. I hope it won’t be as long for you, and I don’t think it will.

I’m not much in the mood for writing but soon I will do better. Take care of yourself and I know you will. I will be thinking about you often and hoping that soon we can all be home together.

Love,

13 April 1945

Dear folks:

Time to write you a few lines before another day ends. I was deeply affected by the news of the President’s death this morning and it seems impossible that such a great man and one so close to the heart of the people, has passed away. The world certainly has lost a great man, and it will be a long time before history can replace him.

From the radio and news reports you must be receiving of the fighting here, you can tell it must be a hot spot. I have seen several Jap planes shot down and heard the whine of their artillery shells. The days are not so bad but I sometimes get a little jittery at night. A foxhole can become damn important, a hole in the ground but a blessed little hole.

Am feeling fine and eating good. Went to church a day or two ago, a little hard to hear for the firing and uncomfortable sitting on gas cans. The chaplain gave me an Episcopal prayer book and I read it.

Love,

23 March 1945

Dear Folks:

I’m afraid this won’t be much of a letter but any word is good I know. Just received the news of Phil’s induction into the Navy and I feel wonderful about [it]. That will be much better than the Army. He will always know where his bunk is and will escape the uncomforts of foxholes and C rations. He will be alright.

So very little has happened I’m very short on news so this will about be it. Am feeling good again but always have you on my mind and wonder when I can see you again.

Love,