24 Lt. John Roberts

In case you need a refresher course, Lt. John Roberts friend/relative (?) from home Dit, was killed in action sometime in April 1945. He left behind, his wife Diane “Di” who was pregnant. Roberts himself has just endured the biggest fight the 193rd Tank Battalion was in. You can read about “The Death Ride of the Sherman’s here.“

Our next letter in numerical order,by the post marks is one sent to John’s mother from Lt. Ed Coffey, from the 38th Bomb Group. When I see these letters from Roberts comrades it worries me that something may have happened to him but then I remember we still have about 20 letters left from the Lieutenant.

Philippines

Friday

May 11 (1945)

Dear Mrs. Roberts-

I received your letter the other day; and was real glad to hear from you. I’m sorry about the way Di has taken things, but I think in due time she’ll perk up a bit. We are all waiting to see if the baby is a girl or boy.

I never did write Dit’s folks a letter as it turned out to be something one would rather put off from day to day. And it got to the point where I figured it would be better not to write, as it would just bring up memories again. There is nothing I can add except that Dit and the other fellows were buried by Guerillas. One had gotten out and was picked up by a rescue boat, but he died the next day of exposure, and other complications. That’s about all I know that maybe you didn’t know. Henry had Dit’s camera, and I believe he said he would mail it. But I think he should keep it until he goes home, and then you will be sure of getting it.

Strain, our engineer is back with us again, and looks pretty good now. Henry and myself are getting along to finishing up pretty soon, which we are both glad of. If anytime you hear from Dit’s folks I’d wish you would tell them why I didn’t write. Please if there is anything that we can do for any of you or anything you want to know, just write. Please let us know whether it is a girl or or boy.

Yours Sincerely,

Lt. Ed Coffey

The next letter is From Roberts and although it is postdated on the 11th it was written May 5.

5 May (1945)

Dear Mother

I received three letters from you a couple of days ago dated the second, sixteenth, and the twenty-second of April. In one of them was the letter from Howard. The day after I received it I took off and located him It was easy to find him due to the nature of his unit. He hasn’t changed a bit. When I got there he was cooking for lunch. He had been looking for me, but I found him first. I hope to be able to get down to see him again sometime, but you never can tell.

I am strictly burned up. On the way down here, I broke my sunglasses. Now I have lost my Parker 51 Pen. The only thing I have left now are my billfold and my cigarette lighter. If you can find one, I wish that you would send me a Parker 51 pen. Definitely don’t want yours so don’t send it. If you can’t find one don’t send any at all. I can get along without a pen because I will be able to borrow one. I would like to get a Parker 51 though.

I took a stroll into internet land to see what I could learn about this Parker 51 pen. It is quite a collectors item nowadays. It seems like they were made from 1941 until 1971 by the US Company, Parker Pens, which was established in 1888. The Parker 51 was introduced in 1941. The price range was $10.00 to $50.00. Those are the 1941 prices.

It was interesting to see General Eisenhower used a Parker 51 to sign the surrender orders in the European Theater and General McArthur signed the surrender orders for the Pacific Theater, also with the now famous Parker 51.

Things here are much quieter now. We are in an area where there isn’t any artillery fire which makes for better sleeping. The only thing we have to worry about is the infiltrating Japs, but they don’t bother us. I was always positive that I would come through this war without a scratch. But there have been many times when I had serious doubts. Just as I always say though, I guess I was born to be hanged. By the way did you hear the NB news broadcast wherein the 193rd was mentioned on a nationwide hook-up? It was somewhere around the twenty-third of Aprill. It also mentioned the twenty-seventh division to which we were attached. That was the first time in the history of the Pacific War that an individual tank battalion has been mentioned in a news broadcast or newspaper. They have been in action here since the beginning. This battalion, in fact made the first action where tanks were used in the Pacific. These boys have, plain guts than any bunch of men I’ve ever seen. That is a common place thing here. Lots of men have done things which deserve award who will never get it. It’s really a tragic thing to see men pile right into something from which few of them will ever walk out of, but they go right into it never the less. I guess it all goes back to the celebrated optimism of the American soldiers which is aptly illustrated by the story of an officer who goes up in front of a group of one hundred men and asked for volunteers for an exceptionally dangerous mission. All of them volunteered so the officers felt it necessary to tell them that ninety-nine men wouldn’t return. Every man said, “I’m going to miss the rest of you guys” and they took off.

We have a fairly good deal here. The food is so much better than it used to be in overseas areas that there is no comparison. We have what is known as 10 in 1 ration, which is three meals for 10 men for one day. The food is canned, and includes, bean, (green), bacon, pork sausage, cigarettes, candy, gum, corn, Toilet paper, and paper napkins, We appoint three men as cooks & K.P.s, and they cook for the whole bunch. We haven’t much to do now, because we’ve done our stint in hell, for a while at least.

By the way, Howard said that he saw Dit many times while he was stationed in the Philippines. He talked as though he didn’t want Diane to know it because it would make him feel badly to have to tell her a lot of stuff about which she would naturally ask him, he wouldn’t be able to tell her much. He didn’t know who Dit was at the time or at least he didn’t know his connection with the family. He said Dit had gotten weather information from him many times.

I guess I best close for now. The captain is clamoring for his pen. Hope Pop is feeling better and is able to catch some fish. My love to all. Write again when you can. How is Diane?

Love

Johnnamus

That is an interesting letter. I am glad it is quieter and the food is better. I can’t imagine what they were eating before if that meal was better than the meals before. These soldiers really went through a lot. They really are The Greatest Generation.

The next letter is dated 1 May 1945 and is one of those tiny V-Mail. I have my magnifying glass out lets see if I can transcribe it.

Dear Mother

Here I am again right on time with another edition of the latest news such as that is. Just the usual line. I’m fine how’re you? How is everyone getting along? I expect that Jean has had her baby by now. How is Di getting along? How are Jeff and Jimmy getting alone. any more news about Dit? How are Jeff and Jimmy getting along? Pop and all the rest? These things aren’t big enough to say anything. So I can just say again, that I am fine.and hope that you all are getting along as well.

Love John

Well that is the end of these letters and the end of this post.

Until next time my friends.