October 29, 1945 Went to I Corp Surg. at Osaka. Left for home at 1, arrived at 7 P.M. in dark.
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| Osaka |
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| Map modified from zonu.com showing Nagoya, Gifu, Kyoto and Osaka |
29 Oct. '45
Beloved,
Well, we got back and that's about all. Oh what a tiresome ride! But to go in order. We had breakfast at 7:30 and went down to the offices at 8 and talked for about an hour. There at 6th Army they say everyone eligible is to be sent home. It is pitiful how messed up and ignorant of conditions Headquarters is at present. They had been told this building [in Nagoya] was not suitable for a general hospital! We put them straight in that and a few other things. But they said we were under I Corps at Osaka, so we went down there (about 20 miles - mostly cement roads) and arrived at 10:30. There we got the old run around and double talk. The Surgeon there says we are attached to the 25th Division so we'd have to see them! But it looks like Nigg can send the eligible ones out. To do the work here [Nagoya] they will send in officers from a general hospital on account of the old 92nd is going on and on! They may close others, but ours - never! [The higher-ups changed their minds -again- and the 92nd Evacuation Hospital was inactivated February 28, 1946.] Isn't that a crack [up]? What do they need with an evacuation hospital? Oh well, it will work out and I'm not bothering my head about it. When my time comes, I'll get out, or else!
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| One of the many bridges in Osaka |
Then I went out and took a roll of Kodachrome. It was chilly on the way back but we had blankets. We went for 50 miles again without seeing a GI vehicle, though we passed some Jap trucks and hordes of people. It was not quite dark when we finished the poor road and the gas was getting low. After another 15 miles we turned into the road where we could expect to meet some GI cars. We went a mile and ran out of gas. We opened up some rations, I put on my wool undershirt and while I was doing that a jeep came by, stopped and we got gas! We gave them some C rations and came on home. We drove around Nagoya a while [getting lost, not sight seeing!], coming back to the edge of town once, and finally found our way to the hospital. Nothing had happened here. Everyone dropped around to the room to see what we had found out.
Their trip and Maj. (?) Nigg got things moving. The next entry in Gene's letter home shows the result.
30 Oct. '45
Yea verily, this is a glum evening. Practically all the gang left this evening. [Maj. Arnold]Neimeyer and [?] Jensen volunteered to stay a few days. Otherwise, [Capt.? John] Yount and [Capt.? Max] Vinicor and I are alone. But I'm mighty glad the others got away and as it now appears, safely. You see, the 25th Div. and the Nagoya base are trying to set up their organization and there are so few medical officers immediately available - i.e. on the face of it. Actually, there are 2 general hospitals sitting in the bay with a low priority for unloading. All that is necessary is for the Div. Surgeon to whistle for 'em and they could be here. So the soldiers won't be neglected. Well, the 25th Div. general says he has permission from the 6th Army to hold all officers and men for a while, but he sent no direct order to us, so Nigg went ahead on 6th Army orders and sent everybody out. Then Nigg and I went to see the Surgeon and said they were gone. He fumed a bit but then said that what was done was done, and then started to do the sensible thing - plan to get the general hospital in soon. Apparently this outfit will move in and take over and we will store out stuff and be attached to them. That will suit me fine. If Nigg gets away as he should I'll be CO of a paper work hospital - do the administrative work with the help of the non-coms (who know the ropes) and that is all! So it should work out O.K. But it makes me sad to see the old gang go.
All my love, Eugene
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