Mr. Jack,

My father was like that. He was an artillery gunner, signaller, dispatch rider, and later Artillery General's driver. He also had some other tasks that I am still trying to get from the records. He was also a boxing instructor in BC prior to the war and fought in matches in NW US as well. I tried to describe his post-war behaviour it to a genealogy group when I did a presentation on the military on Remembrance Day a few years ago.

His children and grandchildren grew up knowing to never sneak up on him to go Boo - which would have been a temptation since the grandchildren called him "Grandpa Boo" from playing Peek-a-Boo. We always spoke or made a noise if approaching him from the rear, or at the edge of his peripheral vision, or if he was snoozing. He did not even use an alarm clock that rang - he had one that flashed a light and it was enough. Dad also never drank in bars - he only drank in Mess halls (in RCAF post-war) or the Legion on Rembrance Day where there were others who understood how to behave - as he said he only knew one way to fight and it was to the death. I just saw "The Best Years of Our Lives" again and understand much more now what the filmakers tried to represent.

He also mentioned learning how to sleep anywhere it was safe and especially if it was clean. He amazed co-workers for most of his life at his ability to catch a few minutes sleep at the drop of a hat and at his alertness upon awaking. He was like it all his life.

As mentioned previously, thank you so much trusting us with your personal memories and stories. I know from my Dad that it is not something easily done. I commend you for risking it in order to help us understand and remember what it was like back then.

With my deepest respect, Michelle

Fishing with hand grenades? Way to go! I suppose the natives also showed you which was the food you could find in the jungle, such as roots , fruit, herbs, juice etc.. Coconuts must have been tasting terrible after all those months. Did you manage to capture some Sake from time to time?

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Hello Jack, I came accross this picture and thought you might be interested to see it.

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Do you happen to know where is this picture from?

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Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of their leaders. All you have to do is tell them that they are in danger of being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.
--Hermann Goering

No idea, it looks like a jungle scene but it could be anywhere.

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Pictures of Japanese flyboats here. Identification would be welcome.

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The first aircraft is the Kawanishi H6K5 Mavis. It had excellent range but little armor. In this picture you can see a very large torpedo attached to the side of the aircraft.
The second aircraft is the Kawanishi Emily H8K1. The best flying boat made by anyone during WWII. It had armor, range, speed, and lots of firepower.
The next aircraft is the Nakajima E8N1 Dave. It was last used during the Battle of Midway and then went to training squadrons.
The next aircraft is the Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe. It was a Zero on floats
The last picture is a later version of the Emily. H8K2 version (I think).
Hope this helps..

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Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

It does TA, cheers! This should be a nice surprise for Jack.

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I was wondering how people were chosen to handle the men killed in action ?
Did the consciouses objecters have to handle the bodies or someone else ?
It seems like they would have to do something with them quick since the heat would decompose them quickly. Were all of the KIA sent back to the states or are some buried on the islands ?

Do you know what the Japanese did with their dead ?

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Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

I heard that the Kamikaze left some hair or nail clips at home so that these could be used at the funeral for those who did not return.

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Hello fellas,

Interesting photos, the dispatch mail call photo takes me back, the expressions of the men in the left and right foreground tell a thousand words.

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All the Best
Jack

Glad you liked it Jack and glad to hav eyou back. I was getting a bit worried but I suppose you had thousands of things to do.

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Thank you Skip,

Didn't mean to worry anyone, the the family is making a big to-do out of my birthday, putting out 91 candles tonight might require a firehose.

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All the Best
Jack

All right!!! Congratulations Jack. That's going to be a huge Birthday cake too I guess. Any WWII related literature on your gift list or do you prefer other things?

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Thank you Skipper,

I've acquired much more than I can ever spend or use, I'm doing a little reverse gifting at this point while I still have my Witt's about me.

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All the Best
Jack

Well I will let you enjoy your family then . I will try to look fore more pictures for you.

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TA152,

I'm sorry, I missed your questions.

Much depended on the situation, there were graves registration units, when possible we would pick up and carry men we lost, some were detailed, most didn't need to be asked.

If we lost a man on patrol during an island recon, we left him. There was no burial, no rifle stuck in the ground with his helmet as a marker the way Hollywood films may show, if you did bury one, the japs would know there was more than one American on the island, they would dig him up if they did find him. An artillery strike or a bombing is about the worst to be seen in regard to remains, it looks more like a butcher shop fell to earth, you look for remains up in the trees hanging from branches, or spattering on the vegetation.

Sometimes there are very few remains to recover if a man took a direct hit, the insects are a factor, as well as birds, land crabs, and ants, taking bodies to bones in a week or so. This is gruesome to explain but to answer the question, the climate caused bodies to blacken, the torso would bloat, if the remains had no way to vent, they would split and burst.

The japs would burn their dead, we buried them with buldozers, later in the war flame throwers were used to eliminate the dead.

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All the Best
Jack

I can handle that part for ya, Mr Jack. It will just take me a while to get the truck there.

Like the gifts of your memories and thoughts that you are giving us here? We appreciate it.

I saw the picture in your profile and assumed that it was a fairly recent picture of you. Am I correct? If so, you don't look what I think a 90 year old man would look like. The years have been good to you.

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Best Regards,
JW

Happy Birthday ! I am so glad you learned the computer to share how things were in the Pacific. So many just refuse to learn anything new after a certain point and stay in the past. I wish more were like you and I am glad you are on this forum !

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Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

Thank You, Skipper, Jeff, TA152.

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All the Best
Jack

Congratulation's good sir, im very proud to have met you and listened to your stories.

Would you have rather taken your path Atlantic wise or Pacific?

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Time is only enemy you'll never get rid of.