OT: Real Life Connections to War in the Pacific

[denisonh]

My biological maternal grandfather served in the Marines in the Pacific, and my Grandma's cousin was on Bataan(MIA)

[Tanaka]

My grandfather flew in B-29's out of Saipan.

[homer82]

Giving a sailor a platform to tell stories can be dangerous but I'll limit myself.

1983 or so a buddy and I are in a train station somewhere between Yokosuka and Tokyo studying the train line map when my buddy lurches forward as if pushed from behind. We both turn around to see an older Japanese man covered in burn scars scowling at us. We figured he survived firebombing and so we just walked away.

A couple of years later, I learned my uncle's father (by marriage) was a Bataan Death March survivor. I only learned this after being told by my uncle that introducing his father to my new Japanese bride wouldn't be a good idea. I get it.

I was a Cryptologic Technician (CT) in the USN and in 1999 was assigned to CINCPACFLT (N3DC). That year we moved our offices from the 4th deck of our building to brand new offices in the totally renovated basement. This is the same basement known as Station Hypo in '42. No ghosts that I sensed but as a lover of history it was strange being there.

[Moltrey]

My father served in the USN beginning in Nov '41 with basic at Farragut, ID. Later as AO2 or Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class he taught gunnery school at Pensacola, FL before joining the fleet on Bon Homme Richard and lastly Randolph.
Assigned to Fighter/Bomber Squadron 16 (VBF-16) with SB2C Helldivers and took part in the Philippine Sea and raids on Japan as part of TF 58. He nearly walked off the bow one dark night after missing a deck light heading to his berth up forward.

I still have all his Navy items, ranging from his skullcap and red cap, CV News copies published on ship and a Pratt & Whitney engine ID metal cap from a wrecked aircraft and lots of pictures. The highlight is a folded pilot's Sea of Japan silk map with all the names of the squadron crews that were killed around the edge.
Dad passed in Dec '12 from Parkinsons complications at 89.