Chance for Leave to the States? (70)

     Gene was promoted to major on April 22nd.  Turn around time for letters must have been about three weeks

May 15, 1945  Received the first letter from Beth addressing me as Maj.!  My but I'm pleased at her being so pleased!

Photo taken by Max Vinicor and sent with a
letter to Beth about Gene's promotion to major

May 17, 1945  All set for a big inspection by 4 star [General] Krueger, an English general and 1 star [General] Haggins of the MC [Medical Corps].   [And they waited!]  Finally Haggins came to see us, just at supper time!

May 21, 1945  No rain last night.  Took pictures from Dominican Hill, and in cemetery (where fighting took place).  I'm starting in with a cold.

May 22, 1945  No rain!  Wonderful weather.  I operated on  F.[Filipina] woman with a grenade fragment in her brain.  She died of pulmonary edema [fluid in the lungs] just after we finished.

Cemetery in Baguio where fighting took place

May 25, 1945  On the point system (for discharge) I have 67 points - not many.

May 26, 1945  I began to observe the art of cystoscopy [before fiberoptics, cystoscopy was a delicate procedure of the urinary bladder that involved insertion of a rigid, lighted instrument into the bladder through the urethra].  Maybe I can learn it in 10 easy lessons!  Weather still dry.  I bought a PX [fountain] pen for P6.50 [$3.25].  Given an Igorot wood carving [the Igorot are a primitive ethnic group living in the mountains around Baguio and other areas, who are still known for their wood carvings].

Igorot women working with the clean up crew

May 27, 1945  A quiet Sunday.  A bit of rain in the late afternoon.  I took the P6.50 [pen] back and got the P12.00 one.  It has a better point, but probably isn't worth $6.

May 29, 1945  We saw a propaganda film, "2 down 1 to go" today, attendance by roster! ...

June 1, 1945  [Col. Paul] Ireland [the Colorado doctor who organized the 92nd Evac Hospital in 1942] here on a visit.  Also heard [4 star General] Stillwell ["Vinegar Joe" Stilwell] is around.  I helped Si [Maj.? Cy? Burroughs who was slightly injured in the attack on the 92nd Evac that left five men dead (see post #44) and the only doctor in the 92nd to receive a Purple Heart, but not a very popular fellow] on a chest-liver diaphragm wounds and a belly case. 

June 4, 1945  Up until 2:30 A.M. working.  Not many cases but lots of waiting.

June 6, 1945  Up until 1 A.M. working.  I had a guerrilla with the symphysis and both pubic rami [the pelvic bones on the opposite side from the spine] fractured and bladder completely opened, urethra cut.

June 7, 1945  Worked on 2 brain cases - one a major shot thru the R. side of the head with Jap rifle.  ...  The rumors of a move are starting.

June 9, 1945  Rumor has it that we'll be alerted for a Sept. 15 operation [invasion of Japan?].  Also, that we may have to move down to the beach near Buang, at a spot the 41st Field Hosp. was to have.

     Several of the doctors were sick: Maj. Ray Nethery had fever, chills and aching, but it was determined not to be malaria; Capt. Joe Davis, Capt. John Yount, Maj. Arnold Neimeyer, Capt. (?) Nigg and possibly Maj. Si Burroughs had potentially life-threatening amoebiasis (in his account for the 92nd Evac reunion, Dr. Davis said McDaniels, Klochner, Varley and Huey were also suffering from it).  Gene said he took salts (probably Epsom salts as a laxative) and his stool was negative.
     A fairly new addition to the 92nd Evac, Maj. (?) Ives, who spent 20 months in Sydney and about 16 in Finschhaven, neither close to the front, got to go home on the rotation plan, much to the annoyance of the doctors who had spent much of their time close to the fighting.  The unpopular head of the 92nd Evac, Col. Free was also scheduled to go home on leave (Gene writes "What a hornet's nest that stirs up.  Personally, I'll bet he doesn't return")

June 17, 1945  Beautiful half day.  Not very busy.  I'm officially on the surgical service as General Surgeon.

June 20, 1945  More excitement - will I get to go home on leave?  Of course that means coming back for 8 months at least.

Gene, as all of the others in the 92nd Evac, is so very hopeful of getting a break after almost two years overseas.

20 June '45
Dear Folks [Beth's sister's family],
     First of all I must give you some disappointing news, Jack.  The Jap helmet won't be in the box when you receive it.  I was unaware of the existing censorship regulations that helmets were forbidden.  I know that once they could be sent, as well as bayonets.  Don't ask me why - it is one of those obscure regulations.  I heard that it is because they want to collect all the helmets, bayonets, guns, etc. for purposes of identification training.  If all they want is Jap helmets, I can show then where dozens and dozens of new ones are!  In some storage caves near here is quite a stock.  Darn their regulations!  I had a bayonet to send but the box wasn't large enough.  Now I'm glad I didn't send it!  So I'll save it until after the war.
     My big news, as possibly Beth will have told you by this time, is that I stand a chance for a leave in the States later on this Summer of Fall.  I'm afraid to build up any hopes, but maybe so I'll be lucky.  At least it is a step in the right direction by the Powers that Be!  I know of instances where men were told they were going home on Rotation, and then were pulled back and sent into battle and killed.  That sort of thing is doubly tragic.
     I received your nice long letter a few days ago, Mary X.  I think you are the one who writes the interesting letters!  I'm glad you had a nice tea with all the folks.
     Maybe it is odd, but in my first burst of enthusiasm, my thoughts keep turning to the chance of leave!  If I do get to go, it will mean returning for at least 8 months longer.  But that doesn't worry me in the least.  With my 67 points, I'll be over here for quite a while anyway.  If I do go, I'll probably sell my camera when I leave, John, and hope that you or I will be able to get hold of one.
     Thanks very much for getting the developer and sending it.  It may still reach here before I get home!  I haven't been taking any pictures lately.
     Our weather continues partly cloudy and cool.  The other evening we had a sustained heavy downpour for several hours.  With a west wind from the ocean, the load of moisture can be dumped in a seemingly endless rain.  Most of our passageways are repaired and our large mess hall is now finished.  And speaking of mess - our food has been much better lately - fresh meat, fresh eggs, fresh butter - very good.

92nd Evac Hospital mess hall at the Philippines Military Academy in Baguio

     I saw a beautiful mass of bougainvillea the other day.  The vines had climbed a fairly tall pine tree and [it] was a brilliant mass of blooms as only a bougainvillea can be.  The house, unfortunately, had been blown flat by a bomb.
     Love, Eugene


Will he or won't he?