The War Winds Down

Activity for the 163rd Liaison Squadron in July of 1945 had tapered off to the point our flying time was almost at a standstill. Okinawa was secured in late June and the need for our services consisted of a few courier missions and flying some VIP around, so they could satisfy their curiosity as to what Okinawa looked like from the air.

When we left the states we had a full complement of thirty two planes. We had lost four planes. Three in accidents in which two pilots had been killed and one plane shot down. The pilot was severely wounded but managed to get the plane back to a field created for an emergency such as this. We were waiting on four new planes to bring our complement up to specs. With time on our hands rumors were flying as to what our next assignment would be. Everyone had an opinion.

About this time orders came down to rig our planes so they could stay in the air six hours. We could normally stay in the air four hours. But with the wing tank of a fighter plane mounted in the back seat we could stay in the air seven to eight hours. It didn’t take a genius long to figure out where six hours of flying time would take us. It could be the Japanese Mainland or one of the Islands between Okinawa and the Japanese Mainland. We had a good idea where we were headed, we just didn’t know when. Since no time table was set as to when the installation would need to be completed we figured we wouldn’t be moving for three or four months. But, probably before 1945 was over.

By the first of August we were living as good as could be expected. All resistance on the island had come to a halt and pilots were having trouble getting enough flying time required to qualify for flying pay. In my case that was forty eight dollars per month. The supply sergeant was trading rides for things that made living as reasonable as possible under these circumstances. We had generators furnishing lights for all the tents, cots with air mattresses, mosquito netting, enough wood to floor all the tents, movies every night and a mess hall, so we no longer had to eat our meals out of a can.

Since we had a lot of time on our hands one topic that came up often was what your plans were after the war. My answer to this topic was, as always. I don’t know. Even though there would be many tragic events ahead it was obvious the war with Japan was about over. The war in Europe had ended and anyone in the pacific theater over forty years old could put in a request to be sent home. One man in the squadron met this qualification and he accepted the offer.

One thing the army taught me was don’t believe the bull that was passed around as the truth. If you accepted what you heard as the truth you would have thought nearly everyone drove Cadillac’s and always had a pocket full of 100 dollar bills. I was beginning to realize a person has to be able to distinguish between hot air and the truth. At this time it began to dawn on me the people around me were no smarter than I was. Their only claim to fame was their education did not stop after high school. We had heard Congress had passed legislation called the GI Bill. Every month you served honorable in the armed service you were entitled to one month of schooling of your choice. I also, realized that my high school diploma did not qualify me for college. I knew I had plenty of time to get every thing sorted out.

This was all abruptly changed with the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan and the end of the war in August of 1945. My knowledge was so limited I did not know what an atom was or what could happen if it was split. Instead of thinking about the next invasion we immediately started wondering when we would be headed back to the states.
The Invasion of Japan had been scheduled for the first week of November and we were scheduled to go as soon as a landing strip could be constructed. This would have been within a few days of the initial landing.

Thousands of ships had been unloading supplies for months and Okinawa was nothing but a mammoth supply depot. The invasion would have been complicated because a Typhoon (Hurricane) hit Okinawa as the surrender ceremonies were taking place in Tokyo Harbor. We would learn later winds of 150 MPH were recorded across the island.

The strategy for the war in the Pacific was a simple one. Take islands necessary for operations for the eventual invasion of Japan. This was carried out with such precision many islands were left to wither on the vine. When the war abruptly ended with the dropping of two atomic bombs it became necessary to transport officers out to islands near Okinawa to accept their surrender. Tom Barwick, a friend and fellow pilot, and I were designated to taken a major general and his aid to one of these islands about two hundred miles off the coast of Okinawa to accept their surrender. As we flew over the island we could see the harbor facilities had been destroyed and the one runway that existed was pocked marked with bomb craters. We picked out a spot and landed. As we were getting out of the plane the navy plane, a PBY, that guided us to the island, waged his wings and headed back to Okinawa. From the Typhoon that hit Okinawa, all we experienced on the island was a strong wind and some rain. What we would see when we returned to Okinawa was almost unbelievable.

When we landed we didn’t know what to expect. The island commander had been told to expect us as the war was over. He drove up to the plane in his command car followed by a truck with several soldiers riding in the back. He got out of the car smiling, bowed and saluted the General. The Island commander was so cordial you would have though we were allies. They had been told to stash all weapons which they did. Our weapons consisted of four 45 semi automatics. The general and his aid, who was fluent in Japanese, left with the Japanese commander to work out the surrender details.

A detail of Japanese soldiers was left behind. To our surprise one of the Japanese soldiers could speak fluent English. He told us he would come back that evening, bring some wine and we could talk. Since they were no longer the enemy what would a little fraternizing hurt.

Sure enough about four PM the soldier that could speak English and one of his friends returned. They were riding a motorcycle with a side car. As he promised they had two bottles of wine. They apologized for the wine to start with. As he opened the bottles I knew why. The wine was fermented from garlic pods. He said it was all they had to make wine with. The first order of business was to toast the end of the war. They gulped their wine down. Tom and I held our nose and drank ours. It wasn’t very pleasant. It was hard to believe that four short weeks before this meeting we were doing every thing possible to destroy each other. Now we were drinking a toast to the end of the war.

It was clear the friend of the soldier that could speak English and did not understand a word that was being said. But, he smiled and laughed at every thing that was said. He was enjoying himself.
We had talked for a while and the Japanese soldier had not told us where he learned to speak English. I mentioned he had no accent and wanted to know where he learned to speak English so fluently. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor he said he was in Japan visiting relatives. When he was a small child his parents had moved to Hawaii and he had attended schools in Hawaii for 12 years. Since he was not an American citizen he was drafted into the Japanese army. He wanted us to tell him how he could get back to Hawaii. This was way beyond our expertise. How strange things work out. If he had been in Hawaii when the war broke out he would probably have been a member of the Japanese battalion that fought the Germans in Italy or an interpreter for the US Army.

This Island was of no strategic value. Two runways could have been built, but only single engine and twin engine cargo planes could use them and they would always be taking off and landing in a cross wind. Our English speaking friend wanted to know why the US Marines never landed. I had no idea but I do know if they had he wouldn’t be talking to us.

We heard the second day that holes in the runways were to be filled and the general had ordered two C-47 cargo planes to come in. These planes could almost land anyplace and take off on a very short runway. As these planes were landing two army trucks rolled up. There were about thirty five or forty women in the trucks. As they got out of the trucks it was obvious they were dressed in their best and brightest clothes. The island commander arrived about this time. They all stood at attention and bowed. He said a few words, bowed and left. Since my English speaking friend was not there I did not know what the occasion was, what was said or who the women were. They boarded the two planes and I assumed headed for Okinawa.

The aid to the general arrived at the field and told Tom and I one of us could leave if we wanted to. We flipped a coin and I had my choice. I choose to leave for Okinawa as soon as I could get every thing in order. When we flew down the Navy PBY did the navigating since we only had a compass to guide us. Going back to Okinawa was going to be a little more treacherous. With the compass I had a handle on direction but nothing to give me an indication which way the wind was blowing. By looking at the white caps on the ocean I had an indication of the direction of the wind, but not how strong, this would only be an estimate. I knew I could afford to miss Okinawa to the left as there were many small islands strung out for about 100 miles. But, I could not afford to miss it to the right as there was only ocean for hundreds of miles. As I left, Tom’s last words were make sure you over compensate to the left.

As I left the island the ocean was calm and practically no white caps. I knew, from this, the cross winds would not be very strong. I picked up my compass heading and put a little left crab into the plane and headed for Okinawa. About ninety minutes into the flight I began to see small specks on the horizon and knew I was on target.

What I didn’t expect to see was the devastation the typhoon had left. Before the typhoon hit there were hundreds of ships unloading supplies or waiting to unload. Many of these ships were hundreds of yards inland after the typhoon. They ranged in size from small landing craft to large cargo vessels. Any tent or building that wasn’t anchored in some way was gone. The planes that could reach a secure base had left. As I flew over our area I could see the havoc the typhoon had caused. We had twenty eight planes before the typhoon hit. After the typhoon we had fourteen planes that were able to get off the ground. As I landed I thought everyone would be discussing the damage the typhoon had caused. But to my surprise, everyone was discussing the number of points they had. The army had devised a point system for rotation home. Your rotation home depended on troop ships available and your points. My total was somewhere between seventy-five and eighty. If I was lucky I would probably be headed home by the middle of December.

- L.D. Todd

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