Hello to all!

[Skipper]

Hi David, thanks for this interesting input. It's great to see that "Jack's memoirs" are getting more popular every day. I can't get enough. The other day for instance I started reading about Bougainville Island. This is precisely because Jack told us he had been there too.

[Flying Tiger]

Heres a pretty good Q.

After everyone heard the war was over, what did all of you guys do when u heard the news?

[Jan7]

Originally Posted by Flying Tiger

After everyone heard the war was over, what did all of you guys do when u heard the news?

My uncle Juan heard this notice later means the spanish newspapers -Today is 83 years old-

• The surrender of Germany. three days later
• The surrender of Japan, one week later

Jan.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Hello,

V.E. day I think we were at mess when all the shouting and hooting was going on, someone said Germany had surrendered, I don't remember feeling much more than we were only halfway finished.

V.J day did not seem real to me at the time, my first thought was that it was a trick, or a trap.

[Skipper]

It must have been hard to beleive considering you experienced soldiers who'd do anything but surrender for years and then all the sudden realize they had surrended. Were you aware of the droppng of the two bombs or did that news not reach you yet?

[Flying Tiger]

about the time of 45, My Grand father was pulled from the Euro Theater to sell some War bonds. after he was sent back to the lines, he had a choice to fly with P-51's in the Pacific or Euro. He told me the reason he chose the Pacific is because he was sick and tired of seeing "Krouts".

My grand father escorted B-29's into Japan when he was in the pacific.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Hello fellas,

Just reporting in, still having a bit of trouble with one eye, not quite healed yet. I'll be back soon.

[Slipdigit]

Don't worry about us, Jack, you get your eye dialed in.

[macrusk]

Originally Posted by SouthWestPacificVet

Hello fellas,

Just reporting in, still having a bit of trouble with one eye, not quite healed yet. I'll be back soon.

Take care of yourself, Jack. But it is good to hear from you as I worry when too much time goes by!! I look forward to when you are back hale and healthy.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Hello All!

Thank you Michelle, Jeff, for your kind words.

[Skipper]

Don't worry, Jack is in better shape than ever and he"ll bury us all. For a start he's got some restored eyes whereas we are still ruining ours behind our screen.. good to hear from you again Jack!

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Skipper,

Did the package arrive safe and sound?

[ozjohn39]

Jack,


I was most intrigued to see that you were part of the 'Pensacola Convoy'.

Its diversion to Brisbane almost immediately after PH has always made me wonder just what was behind it. Had the decision already been taken that Corregidor was doomed and 'undefendable'?

It seems to me that that is what they had in mind and the convoy was more use in Australian than the Philipines.

Another thing, the evacuation of the Dutch from up north had a fleet of, I think, 5 Dornier flying boats full of Dutch civilians landing at Broome in Western Australia.

They arrived at exactly the same time as a squadron of jap Zeros, and the carnage was terrible, one Dornier had 20+ refugees and they were shot to bits as they were coming to a halt on landing, none survived.

There were 64 bombing raids on Australian soil and the first in particular was devastating for the national morale. The USS 'Peary' was sunk in the first raid, and the Darwin raid cemetery is at Adelaide River. about 25 kms south of Darwin, a very moving place. You would have gone through Adelaide River at least once. Three of the old fighter strips are still evident south of Darwin

I was at Shepparton in central Victoria at the time, and my earliest memory, probably about mid 1942, was of a man digging a HUGE hole on his side driveway to make a bomb shelter.

Jack, Australia remembers well just what 'The Yanks" did in WW2, and the city of Brisbane still holds 'Coral Sea Week' every May when a USN ship pays a visit, and is wined and dined by the citizens.

"Thanks mate"


John.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

John,

I think with the limited resources we had, and the fact our convoy was not prepared to fight a land or sea battle during our voyage, the Brisbane river was our best possible destination. Despite the fact we had armed the old Holbrook with our split trailed 75's chained to the decks fore and aft, with no real anti aircraft defense other than ground mount machine guns around the ships bridge.

If the flying boat you speak of is the same one I know of, it had landed, and was off loading at the dock with the civilians standing on the wing some holding hands of the women, and carrying bags, when the jap fighters came in about eye level low over the water shooting them to bits before they could go ashore.

I'm very aware of the numerous air attacks at Darwin, for quite some time it was only know officially as a one time event.

[ozjohn39]

Jack,

A small anecdote,

the town of Katherine, about 500kms south of Darwin, suffered ONE air-raid, by ONE japanese 'Betty' bomber, which dropped ONE bomb!

It killed ONE bloke standing near the runway!

How unlucky can you get!

And the first raid on Darwin hit the Post Office, and it killed the Postmaster, his wife and ALL his children. They are buried in a special spot at the Adelaide River War Cemetery. (125 kms south of Darwin, not 25km.)


The RAAF now has a major base just outside the town. It is called RAAF Base "Tindel' after the first American P.40 pilot killed defending Darwin in 1942.

LEST WE FORGET!


John.

[ozjohn39]

Jack,

You have me racing all over the internet at the moment.

Ever heard of an event called 'The Battle of Brisbane'? All Australian military history nuts have! It was but one of many that took place, mostly in Queensland.

;-)




The 41st Infantry Division


I would love to read you views.


John.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

G'Day John,

Yes, I remember "The Battle of Brisbane", it coined the nickname for those involved; "George street commandos".

At the time I was well on my way to Buna from Port Morseby, along with the 126th, to link up with the 32nd Div. on our stroll across the Owen Stanley range.

[Skipper]

Hi Jack those names are new to me . What is the Owen Stanley range? And as there a special reason to call the Battle of Brisbane "George Street Commandos?"

[Slipdigit]

Originally Posted by Skipper

What is the Owen Stanley range?

Chain of mountains in New Guinea. The Kokoda Track crossed it and was the site of a protracted fight.

[Navy CPO]

I joined this thread because I have found a bunch of Papers that were my Fathers. He was on the USAT Willard A. Holbrook in 1941. He was assigned to the band in the 147th field artilery unit from South Dakota. I have a number of letters that he wrote during the voyage to Honolulu and also 2 of the Tide N' Time Ships papers from Novemeber 26th and 27th,1941. Is there any of you that want to kind of help me fill in the blanks?
Navy CPO

[drakkula]

hello,

My name is Koji Nakamoto I am 20 years old from Japan, I am university student.
My gr