1945 WWII letter from 10th Army private on Okinawa

$65.00 CAD

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Letter written by Private C. R.  (Rodger) Miller 36971708, who was in the 10th Army Transportation Section.  Written in the early days of the long battle for Okinawa.

Letter sent to family in Huntington Woods Michigan.

April 15, 1945
Dear Folks,
As you know I am on Okinawa Island...I was not in the invasion. We are quite a ways from the heavy fighting & only have a few snipers & such left in our area. We lay out in the harbor for some time before coming in. Came in yesterday morning…Our area is on a little ridge with a few trees…Find it much warmer in our pup tents….I am sure going to miss the good food we had aboard ship.
While we were in the harbor I pulled night guard quite a bit so could watch the big Naval guns shell the Island. They really pasted ‘em! Most of the fighting is at the southern end only 4 miles from Naha the capital. As you have read our forces are deadlocked on those ridges...Both sides are using large amounts of artillery, could hear it last nite.
Pulled guard last nite for 4 hrs...We heard some sniper & machine gun fire quite near us they seem to be clearing the Japs out however...
The section we are in was once quite populated by the natives there are little huts & houses all about. Most of them were wrecked by bombs…It looks as tho they left in an awful hurry cause there is clothing & dishes all over…
One very interesting feature here are the huge burial vaults of the natives. I haven’t looked really close at one yet, but they seem to be made of concrete. They are usually built into the hill side & some have a roof covered with sand…
I am very surprised at the amount of shipping in the harbor. There are hundreds of ships both navy & army. They have several floating piles set up…
I met several fellas on the boat that were from Detroit…I imagine George is here on the island, He joined the 34th Corps & they are here…
We heard the other day about the Pres. death. It certainly is a shame & at a time like this. He had a lot of foreign pull. I hope Truman makes good. I don't know much about him. I have a feeling he was one of Roosevelt’s stooges & may not be so hot, Time will tell tho!
We got hold of a rumor that Germany surrendered but know one can get it officially confirmed yet...
Rodger

 

Envelope has ‘U.S. ARMY POSTAL SERVICE APO APR 17 1945 357’, censor stamp and receiving postmark 'DETROIT MICH. APR 30 1945 FERNDALE BR.'

The letter has wear and toning marks, the cover has wear. Folded horizontally.

6 pages.

 

The Battle of Okinawa was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Marine and Army forces against the Imperial Japanese Army. The initial invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945, was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The 82-day battle lasted from April 1 until June 22, 1945. After a long campaign of island hopping, the Allies were planning to use Kadena Air Base on the large island of Okinawa as a base for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands, 340 mi away.

The United States created the Tenth Army, a cross-branch force consisting of the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th infantry divisions of the US Army with the 1st, 2nd, and 6th divisions of the Marine Corps, to fight on the island. The Tenth was unique in that it had its own tactical air force (joint Army-Marine command), and was also supported by combined naval and amphibious forces.

WIKIPEDIA


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