Pvt. Elwyn Pratt Writes About Life in Japan - 1945
Afton Enterprise, October 11, 1945
The following are parts of two letters received from Pvt. Elwyn F. Pratt to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Pratt:
Remember before I came in the army I said I'd like to be in a parade in Tokyo? Well, I'm not in Tokyo but we're about forty-five miles from it and thirty-five miles from Yokohama. We are living in barracks of a Jap Cavalry training camp. We had quite a lot of cleaning up to do before we could move in. the Nips haven't given us any trouble yet and I don't think they will as they are cooperating pretty good. When we go by in trucks, most of them either bow or salute. When we go out of the area we always carry a loaded weapon and never go around alone after dark. The army has taken over a lot of the cars and trucks. Last night when we were coming back from town we passed a bunch of G.I.s running around with a civilian bus.
I was in Yokohama for a day and a night on guard duty. While we were off duty a kid from Indiana and I got on a street car and rode all over the city. There are electric trains and street cars still running. We talked with quite a few civilians who could speak English. They don't say much about the war, but I guess most of them are glad it's over. Many of the factories are completely ruined but other buildings such as office buildings and hotels are not damaged. Yokohama was a very modern city before the war and the docks are still in good shape.
It's sort of cold here after being in the Philippines. It's just about like October back home. There is a lot of farming done here and the Japs raise good crops. Most of the land is irrigated.
We aren't doing much here yet, just a few details and guard duty. We have a bunch of Nip kids working for us. They scrubbed our barracks and did some laundry. They work better and cheaper than the phlips. Most of the kids can speak English and if they can't they usually make us understand what they want. We had a lot of fun with one boy here last night. We gave him an atabrine pill which we take for a preventative against malaria. They are all right if you swallow them in a hurry but he started sucking it. His face turned all colors of the rainbow and I guess he thought he was going to died, but he pulled through okay. Another boy was demonstrating to us how Tojo tried to commit hari-Kari.
The Japs really prepared for an invasion. They had gun emplacements and fox holes all over the place. If we had had to make a combat invasion the casualties would have been terrible.
Pvt. Elwyn F. Pratt
Pvt. Robert McClure Presumed Dead
Bainbridge News & Republican, February 7, 1946
Private Robert E. McClure, of Windsor [Broome Co., NY] R.D.1, reported missing in action over Rabaul on New Britain Island in the South Pacific since Aug. 9, 1942, must be presumed dead, the war department has notified his parents. He was a member of the crew of a B-17 bomber, which was last seen losing altitude under heavy enemy attack.
141 Gold Stars on County Service Flag
Bainbridge News & Republican, February 7, 1946
Herbert Chamberlain, of Hancock, Delaware County Veterans' Administrator, says the county service flag will carry 141 gold stars, indicating the number who have made the supreme sacrifice. The flag will also carry at least 3,812 service stars representing the number of county residents who are, or have been, in service during the war.
Kenneth Owens, Jr. Enlists in Army
Bainbridge news & Republican, February 7, 1946
Kenneth Owens, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Owens, of Bainbridge R.D.2, Town of Masonville [Delaware Co., nY], has enlisted in the Army at the Binghamton Army recruiting station. Kenneth signed for the cavalry in the European Theatre.
Cpl. Robert Callen Receives Purple Heart
Bainbridge News & Republican, February 7, 1946
Corporal Robert Callen, US MCR son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Callen, of Afton [Chenango Co., NY], was awarded the Purple Heart Medal Dec. 1 for wounds received at Iwo Jima, and has been discharged at Brooklyn Navy Yards.
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