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BALDWIN Earl Letter 1 Oct 1982



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  • Title BALDWIN Earl Letter 1 Oct 1982 
    Short Title BALDWIN Earl Letter 1 Oct 1982 
    Source ID S442 
    Text Dear Marcia;
    ....
    I also got a nice letter from Jackie today. She visited Boys town and enjoyed it. She plans to stay about 3 months.
    ....
    I was in an anti-aircraft unit. We were suppose to fire at and knock down or deter enemy aircraft. We had 40 MM guns as well as 50 caliber machine guns. I also had technical training on 90 MM and 120 MM anti aircraft canons. I spent 14 months in Ft. Bliss Texas where I had several months schooling. I then had one month infantry training at Ft. Ord, Calif. We then went to Ft. Lawton, Wash. where we spent a week before shipping out.
    We docked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and were assigned to a replacement depot. When we left stateside no one knew our destination except top echelon. We zigzagged all one day and night because of enemy submarines in the area, but saw no action. We saw whales spouting in the distance, dolphins following th ships and many schools of flying fish.
    We were aboard a Liberty ship and crowded conditions. We had one rough night and most of the men became sea sick. This ship would not only pitch up and down but roll sideways. A larger ship would have been much more stable. The stools (or heads) were all connected to one long drain pipe and with the ship would roll in one direction, all the refuse would shoot out the end stool and all over the floor. When it rolled the other way, the same thing occurred. You can maybe imagine the stench and the inability to walk on the slippery floor. The stools had no seats and the sea sick men were hanging onto the bowls for dear life.
    I was on of the lucky ones. I was on the verge of sickness, but managed to maintain my cool. We had salt water showers that required a special soap and still left you with a salt residue on your skin. Doesn't this sound awful? I imagine hundreds of thousands of soldiers would have traded places with me.
    Luckily this was the most perilous part of my service.
    After orientation on the island, I had jungle training. That was an experience. We had night missions through jungles so that you could be feet above ground and not know it.
    Before my jungle training was over, I was reassigned. I thought I had had it. I was returned to the replacement depot and picked up my remaining gear and headed out in a jeep. Everything was so mysterious. No one seemed to know the score. I was dropped at an underground telephone central to await further transportation. If anyone knew anything, they weren't talking. I assumed that I was headed for some remote Pacific Isle. (Isn't this exciting?) After an endless few hours I was picked up in another jeep and we headed out to parts unknown. (To me at least.)
    Eventually we started climbing up the mountains. (Today there is a tunnel through these mountains.) When we reached the Pali Pass, the driver said, "hand onto your hat."
    I thought he was going to skid around a corner. How wrong I was. When we rounded the corner, a blast of air nearly overturned the jeep and I not only grabbed for my hat, but also a hand hold.
    The wind is tunneled up thru these valleys and seemed to converge at Pali Pass. The legend says, that King Kameha-Meha drove his enemies over the cliff and the wind blew them back.
    We finally arrived at Kanoeke Bay and my papers hadn't yet arrived, so I spent the night there. The following day my papers arrived and I was assigned to an auto aircraft unit near Waimanelo.
    We were to guard an air strip where a-26 Bombers landed. Our battery was located smack on the beach, while other batteries were scattered around the perimeter of the airfield.
    Could you ask for a better place to fight a war? Thousands of miles from the scene of combat and smack dab on the beach that would surpass Waikiki, except for the surf. I had it made. Outside of a few tense moments, we had the world by the tail with a down hill pull.
    Shortly before the war ended we had amphibious training in preparation for a landing somewhere.
    Fortunately, it wasn't necessary. I was discharged March 1946 about 3 days before my 30th birthday. Ethel had no idea when I would arrive but met me at the train in Kalamazoo.
    ....
    I am still writing me memoirs but it isn't as easy as the original. They are a long way from being complete.
    ....
    We are planning on going to the cabin for a week starting Oct 8th. Is there any chance that you could go with us or join us? We would have a whole week to peruse the photographs and the postcards. This will probably be our last trip north this year. We want to be there for the autumn colors.
    If you can arrange something, please let us know.
    I wish we had our Christmas shopping done.

    Love and best wishes from
    Uncle Earl and Aunt Mae

    P.S. If all wars were like my experiences, I would be in favor of them. But unfortunately they aren't. 
    Linked to (1) Earl Chester BALDWIN 

  •  Notes 

    • This is a portion of an Earl Baldwin Letter to Marcia Shears - Dated 10-1-1982


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