To Japan: Up and Down and Up and Down (75)

     Gene (and Capt. Yount and Capt. Vinicor) were going to be stuck in Japan for a while.  In addition to that bad news, Barnes, and enlisted man, forgot to turn the ice cream machine off when he went on a date, and the entire machine was ruined.  No trip home, and no ice cream!  Then a little good news: the whole outfit was going to Japan before anyone could go home.  The rumor was that 19,000, or 42% of the medical corps would be going home by January 1.

September 19, 1945  Rain every evening for past 3.  High winds this afternoon.  Typhoon somewhere? [This typhoon was to become a major player in the ensuing drama!]

September 21, 1945  We started loading today, including footlockers and bed rolls.  We'll live in the officers' club!

September 25, 1945  Left camp at 0900.  On board APA 90 [an 8600 ton, 2200 troop capacity, army transport ship named the USS James O'Hara] by 11 AM at San Fabian off white beach 1 [the northernmost landing beach in Lingayen Gulf] .  Quartered nicely.  Hot.

September 26, 1945  I'm police officer for the whole boat!  9 officers and 118 EM [enlisted men] under me.  What a headache!  1200 men on board.  Getting organized.

In convoy heading to Japan on board the USS James O'Hara in rough weather

September 27, 1945  Delayed sailing 2 days because of typhoon north of here.

September 28, 1945  Slept on deck last night.  Much more comfortable.  Lots of trouble with the police job.

September 29, 1945  Didn't sail today.  More typhoon or something.  Pulled across gulf to safer anchorage this evening.

October 1, 1945  Same weather.  Gen. [Walter Leo] Weible [commander of the logistical and administrative group for occupied Japan] inspected the ship.  He said it was O.K.!  Sailed at 4:45 P.M. Mabuhay [in the Tagalog language which is spoken in much of the Philippines, it means "live long"]!

1 Oct. '45
Dearest,
     Now I start my log.  We hauled anchor about 4:45 P.M.  They have 2 [anchors] (used only 1) which weigh 6 and 6 1/2 tons respectively.  Some weight!  They wash the mud and salt off the chain as it comes in.  We turned around and headed north about 4:45 P.M.  Right now we are about opposite Caba, I believe, though it is quite cloudy.  Max [Vinicor] and I lined up at the rail and said "Mabuhay ang Filipinos!"  [sic "Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!" or "Long live the Philippines!"] There are 3 columns of 6 ships each.  We will pick up an escort later.  There are long windrows of ground swells that must be a hundred yards apart.  They seem low but the bow of the ship opposite us is going up 10 or 12 feel almost each time it pitches.  We're up to full speed, I think - maybe 15 knots [17.3 miles per hour].
     This is the 6th time I've put out to sea but I still get a big kick out of it.  But what a joy I'll get out of the next time I put to sea - to come home!
     This morning Maj. Gen. Weible and the ship's Exec. made the rounds on our usual inspection.  The general said it was better than he thought it would be!  The ship's Exec. seems to be a cultured sort of gentleman and wears a partial beard and looks distinguished.  I've heard nothing about the typhoon, except that it was passing N and NW of Luzon.  Probably these rollers are from it, for we've read that they may extend several hundred miles from the center.  Apparently they expect some rough seas.
2 Oct. '45
     8 P.M.  Hi Sugar!  Last evening, all night and this morning we had lots of ups and downs.  I wasn't certain when I went to bed about 9:30 whether I was going to be sick or not!  Some of the men and officers were, but none within my sight, thank goodness!  By this morning it was rougher but fortunately we were running almost straight before the wind, with the waves gradually catching up with us.  We were making about 14 knots [16.1 mph] and still the wind was pushing us ahead.  Some of the other ships were really rolling and twisting, much worse than ours.  The clouds began to thin and the wind to go down around noon, so it has been smoother.

Signal flags and radar on the USS James O'Hara

     We've passed Luzon and are going almost due east.  We see occasional islands and some fantastically shaped peaks of rock.  We are to land about 40 or 50 miles west of Osaka, I hear, because the Nagoya harbor is bad.  It will be the same place the 33rd landed.  Then we will have about a 200 mile ride to reach Nagoya.  Yep, see the country!
3 Oct. '34
     It was quite calm all of today till this evening about mess time when we began doing a slow rise and fall on heavy ground swells that parallel the course of the ship.  The whole ship rises and falls without much pitch - something like a roller coaster effect.  The breeze is nicely cool.  We've been heading NE steadily, with no sigh of land.  We should be somewhere SE of Okinawa by now.
     This morning we began to drop back in the convoy.  The main fuel pump went on the fritz.  With the auxiliaries we could make only 14 knots - one less than the convoy, but now at dusk we are catching up again.  You know in a combat force, if a boat has to drop out, it is on its own with no one allowed to delay for it!
     Already we can note the difference in the daylight.  It was light at 6:30 this morning and dark at 7 this evening.  I did some laundry today and read.  The Police job is doing better and doesn't take much time.  I read several lives out of Plutarch's Lives [a series of biographies by Plutarch of famous men; he paired a Greek with a Roman and explored the influence of character for each man].  I can't say I'm very crazy about his style.  Now I'm reading "Followers of the Sun" by Harvey Ferguson.  It is a series of 3 stories about the west, particularly New Mexico.
4 Oct. '45
     More typhoon dodging!  This morning it was quite rough for several hours.  The General went along on inspection and we were all staggering around in great style.  Thank goodness I wasn't sick.  A fair number were.  The General was quite pleased with the policing of the ship.
     Then around noon we slowed down and almost stopped.  Finally we turned around and headed for Okinawa and are still pointing that way.  It hasn't been rough but a high wind is blowing so it may kick up.  The latest dope has us landing at Wakayama, about 40 miles south of Osaka.  Time will tell!  Today I started reading [Hendrik Willem] Van Loon's "The Arts".  So far he hasn't said much about Art.  Apparently the Japs don't use perspective in their pictures! 
     It is a bit cooler but still hot enough in the stateroom.
5 Oct. '45
     We're really bouncing this evening.  In fact this is about the roughest I've ever experienced.  It's been rough all day, though there has been almost no wind or whitecaps.  It must be the aftermath of the typhoon we dodged.  Several times this evening the waves have come over our anchors and into the hawser pipes at the bow, a total rise and fall of about 20 feet.
     We've been watching some poor KA (cargo assaults) that are heavily loaded.  They have taken solid water several times.  They look as though they were trying, alternately, to stand first on their front legs and then on their hind legs.
     Today has been quite dull.  After inspection this morning I read and gazed at the sea.  We must be about opposite the south end of Kyushu.  I've wished many a time that this boat was headed for the USA!

Next, a special souvenir edition of the Nagoya Base News for the troops and crew of the USS O'Hara! "This may be just another 'boat-ride' to the weary GI's aboard the USS James O'Hara but to the children who will read about this trip in their history books it will be a momentous event."

Excitement and Disappointment (74)

     Japan has unofficially surrendered, so the men of the 92nd wait to find out what happens next.

Entrance to Camp John Hay in Baguio, where the Japanese envoys signed the documents of surrender

August 25, 1945  It is said we'll go to the Kobe area in about a month with the 25th Division.  Nothing to do, except read.  Now I'm at "Henry Esmond" [a novel about the English Restoration by William Makepeace Thackeray].  Men going home on points.

August 26, 1945  A quiet Sunday.  No mail for several days, the planes supposedly being used to take stuff to Japan [medicine and food?].

August 27, 1945  [Capt.?] Max [Vinicor] and I went to I Corps to see if we could do anything about the dirty deal we got on the TD [temporary duty] situation.  Nope, we are simply Dittled [diddled?] on the Digit of Destiny.

August 28, 1945  Occupation of Japan began today.  I turned in my carbine and shovel.

August 28, 1945  I heard today that we were slated to land on H+5 [five hours after the first landing] with the 33rd Div. on the east coast of Kyushu, and the 25th with the 98th in reserve.  G-2 [army intelligence] now says that their estimate of 5 Jap divisions opposing the landing was correct.  Oh, man!  What a hot spot that would have been.

Modified CIA publications map

August 30, 1945  We probably won't leave for another 6 weeks.

September 1, 1945  "First to the May Co. [a Denver department store], then back to school"! [Gene must have been musing on the advertisements he remembered receiving around the time that school started in Colorado].  This is the nicest part of the year at home.  Working on my lecture [he explains more about this later].

September 2, 1945  Heavy rain last night.  I received 30 letters, 13 from Beth!  Also the formal Jap surrender was signed.

September 3, 1945  Rainy day.  I gave a lecture on Japan and her Empire, to the outfit.  Some of the gang went to Baguio to see Yamashita surrender.

September 5, 1945  Painting footlockers.  Received Jap language book.

September 6, 1945  No more censorship!  I sent home a bunch of papers, pictures from Maptalk [a weekly magazine with restricted distribution to the American armed forces in the Pacific theater] and my diaries.  No more blackout on board ship!

September 7, 1945  Put 2nd coat of green paint on my footlocker.  New point system score for officers.  My 75 is a long way from the 100 required for field grades.

September 8, 1945  18 or 20 LST's are pulled in down by Lingayen to load.  They passed out some overseas stripes.  I'm going to sew on 5 right away - may as well!

September 9, 1945  Heavy rain last night.  Japs say they expected us to land at Kyushu late in October and were saving all their planes to repel it!

September 11, 1945  All night rain.  Rumor says all troops here now will be home by Jan. 1st.  That is 4 months!

September 12, 1944  Larry Williamson left on points - 97.  He had 25 months in Alaska [which was counted as overseas] and 16 over here [Gene had 11 months in the California desert and almost 27 months overseas].  I bought window-pane clamshell boxes P3.50 [$1.75].

September 14, 1945  Point system [can go home with one of the following] 1) 80 points 2) age 48 or 3) pre-Pearl Harbor.  Only [Capt. (?) Max] Vinicor, [Capt. (?) John] Yount and I fail to qualify of the whole gang!


Counting points, all of the doctors who started when he did should have had the same number of points for time in service (38 months), time overseas (26 months) and campaigns (New Guinea and the Philippines), or 74 points, so the other doctors must have been older, had children, or received awards (Gene didn't get his Bronze Star until later).  Vinicor and Yount were younger than Gene, and hadn't been with the 92nd quite as long.  

Morale Modifiers: Japan Surrenders! (73)

     The scenario: Maj. Gene Pfile was expecting to further his surgical skills at a refresher course at the 120th General Hospital which was located at the St. Thomas (Santo Tomas) University in Manila.  The U.S. Army Medical Department, Office of Medical History, in the book, Surgery in World War II: Activities of Surgical Consultants, Vol. II (p. 633) stated: "Suitable assignment was perhaps the most important single factor in maintaining good morale. A medical officer would tolerate hardships if occupied by work in which he was interested and for which he had aptitude and training. Medical conferences, journal clubs, and attendance at medical meetings all bolstered morale, as did the establishment of library facilities and the circulation of medical journals. ...The programs usually were well thought out and excellent."  But they later noted: "In personal notes taken by the surgical consultant, he recorded that long periods overseas without any definite knowledge as to their prospects of being replaced was influencing the morale of medical officers."
     Gene then expected to return to the 92nd Evacuation Hospital, and prepare for following the front lines in an invasion of Japan some time in the fall.

Cartellas on the road to Manila

August 5, 1945  To the 120th Gen. Hosp. at Santo Thomas [sic] in Manila.  A long hot dusty rough ride in a 2 1/2 ton - 150 miles.  Capt. Bottsford of the 3rd Field [Hospital] is here for a course [and assigned as Gene's tent mate].

University of Santo Tomas in Manila

August 6, 1945  Made rounds and saw the hosp. with Lt. Col. Hartwell, Chief of Surg.  In the P.M. with Maj. Monroe.  Apparently I'll be doing some ward work. [Historical note: the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.]

August 7, 1945  There will be no formal instruction to this so-called course!  Hard downpour of rain this P.M.

August 8, 1945  The atomic bomb has us all amazed.  Will it end soon? [Historical note: Russia declared war on Japan.]

August 9, 1945  Rumors that Russia declared war on Japan!  Later: Is so!  Lovely!  I'm on the O.D. [officer of the day] list, and on Surg. Group A.

August 10, 1945  To the regular meeting at the 60th Gen.  They have a fine place.  Heard rumor that we were to start glider training and support the 11th Amphibious Div.!

But something even better for morale happened!

August 11, 1945  ...  Last night at 10:45 I was awakened by shouting and shooting and the unofficial report that the Japs give in [official surrender was September 2, 1945].  I heard that 9 people were shot to death!

August 12, 1945  Awakened at 0130 by my "happy" tent mate Bottsford to hear more whistles (ship), church bells and shooting.  A fiendishly hot day.  Still no wind.

August 13, 1945  A bitter pill to swallow - the August quota for leave is going - Adams [not called the usual "Sparky"], Chaplain [not noted as "Padre"], Burroughs; Mihalick goes by some trick of [the commanding officer of the 92nd Evac] Huey.  Why do I always have such luck?

August 14, 1945  S.O.D. [surgical officer of the day] today.  A rather busy evening - opened 2 hand abscesses, sewed up 2 cases, calls, etc.

August 15, 1945  It is officially released that hostilities have ceased.  Oh happy day!  I was up until about 2, slept till 6:30.

August 18, 1945  Ward and clinic.  Jap doesn't seem to be for giving up!

August 19, 1945  Now I have 3 wards - about 75 patients.  ...

August 20, 1945  Called the outfit [92nd Evac.] last night.  Asked for a vehicle.  Rainy weather part of the time.  Haven't been down town.

August 21, 1945  Still expecting transportation. ...

August 22, 1945  Still waiting.  Something is very screwy, somewhere.  [Col.] Huey must have it in for us.

August 23, 1945  About 12:45 the men came for me so I packed and left in a hurry.  The truck had been picked up by the MP's [military police].  It took us 7 hours in a weapon carrier [to go about 150 miles].  Had some mail.

August 24, 1945  Glad to be back at the outfit.  Termites were in the bamboo bed frame.  Everyone is sore at Huey, and with reason.  I still think he snafued my leave.

But Gene was able to put aside those bad feelings at the reunions.  Former Col. Huey sat next to Gene in 1974.

The uncropped photo from the 1974 reunion:
former Col. Huey next to Gene and Ed Gray

What Can't Be Changed ... (72)

     Life settles into a routine in Caba.  Incoming patients are sporadic.  The census is 150.  Gene has time to play volleyball and develop black and white photographs.  Perhaps the following, one of my favorites, was one he developed.

Filipinos drawing in their fishing nets on the beach at Caba with U.S. transports overhead (I originally wrote "bombers", but my sister, a pilot, corrected me!)

July 19, 1945  There is a possibility I may get to take a 6 weeks refresher course in gen. surgery starting Aug. 1 at some Gen. Hosp.  ...

July 21, 1945  I tried trolling [for fish] from the homemade sail boat.  No luck.  Rice planting is in full swing.  When a carabao gets too hot, he just lies down in the mud and water!

The chapel at Caba was located in a temporary building instead of a tent

July 22, 1945  Sunday services.  Played volleyball and wrote some letters.  Things are quiet.  [Maj.] Sparky [Adams] has amoebiosis.  ...  We have 300 patients.  Weather hot and sultry, with occasional storms.

July 27, 1945  The more we hear of the point system [one point was awarded for each month in the service away from the 48 states, five points for each combat award, and 12 points for each dependent child under the age of 18 (for a maximum of three children)] and T.D. [temporary duty] the madder we get!  Snafu [situation normal, all fouled (or f***ed) up], completely.  Japan says they refuse our Potsdam ultimatum for unconditional surrender [the ultimatum on July 26, 1945, stated that if Japan didn't surrender immediately, it would face prompt and utter destruction].

July 28, 1945 ... They say the Jap landing is moved up but no rumors when.

 Sailboat probably made by army personnel from which Gene trolled for fish several times without catching any

July 29, 1945  Continued hot and dry.  I tried trolling from the sail boat for an hour - no luck.  I signed up ($2.00) for a Self-Study course in "Outline of Hist. Geology".

July 31, 1945  High surf along the beach, without much wind.  Full scale amphibious training starting for the 33rd Div.  Lots of LST's [landing ship, transport], APA's [assault personnel attack ship?], LCVP [landing craft, vehicle personnel], LCM [landing craft, mechanized], etc. etc.

Amphibious tanks (alligators) at Caba

August 1, 1945  Donovan finally left today on T.D.  ...  Beth finally heard my sad story and she is so grand about it.  She is the most wonderful there is!

August 2, 1945 Still another time away from Beth on her birthday [her third birthday for which Gene has been overseas].  How long does it have to last, this separation?

August 4, 1945  Orders came in last night for me to go on TD to the 120th Gen. Hosp. APO #1011.  I hear that it is in Santo Thomas, Manila.

Gene Offered Pay of Lt. Colonel (71)

Maj. Eugene Pfile was a modest, capable, quiet man, but with his own opinions!


June 27, 1945  Starting the 3rd year [in the army]!  No word about leave.  We may move to the lowlands.

June 28, 1945  We are to turn over our patients to the 41st Field Hosp. on Sunday, July 1st, and trade cots and blankets.  Then we move to Caba, near Buang and Aringay.

Japanese shrine near Baguio

June 29, 1945  In the process of closing down.  Again, after being here almost 2 months.  We hate to leave this cool climate.  I took pictures of Jap shrine.

June 30, 1945  Our last day here in Baguio.  Lt. Col. Coulter of the 32nd Div. [according to Wikipedia, the 32nd Division logged more days of combat than any other division in WWII] offered me the job of Division Surgeon, or C.O. of the Med. Bn. [medical battalion], either on a Lt. Col. pay.  I refused, feeling myself not capable of that.

Modified Rand McNally map showing Caba and
San Fernando

July 1, 1945  Moved to Caba, right on the beach, a nice area.  I drove the jeep.  [Maj.] Hi [Armstrong],   [Maj.] Sparky [Adams] and Gentry [an enlisted man?] being with me.

July 3, 1945  3 years and here I am near Caba, La Union Province, Luzon - only 67 points and hoping for a leave in the States!  But healthy, thank goodness.

July 4, 1945  Some jellyfish in the water are causing painful reactions to some of the swimmers.  Still setting up.  The natives like to sight see in our area.

July 5, 1945  Damn the menagerie of dogs that we have - bark all night!  The old sow and 6 pigs were moved from our area last evening.

Pig sty where pigs were kept in the middle of the 92nd Evac Hospital

July 7, 1945  Still no word of leaves.  We have fresh potatoes to eat.  Also ice cream.  Not receiving patients yet.


July 13, 1945  [Col.] Huey went to San Fernando 6th Army Hq to see if he could get the natives out of here and to see about more leaves.  The suspense is terrific!  Apparently it lies between Max and I [sic].

July 14, 1945  This is a bad day!  Donovan won the draw.  Darn the luck!

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?

Baguio and Camera Discussion (69)

The 92nd Evacuation Hospital is moved to a place recently vacated by a Japanese military hospital.

May 3, 1945  Moved to the P. Military Institute at Baguio [Philippine Military Academy, which was in Baguio].  It took us 3 1/2 hours, we were such a line of trucks.  Officers have cottages.

Aerial view of the Philippine Military Academy in May 1945

May 4, 1945  I was cold as the dickens, especially my feet, last night even with 3 blankets.  Nice quarters.

May 5, 1945  The rainy season must be early!  We've had at least 4" this afternoon.  The buildings all have holes in the roofs from bombing and leak like a sieve.  I have a dry spot.

May 7, 1945  Rained hard this evening about mess time.  We dry out clothes by the fire.  I have a ward - #9 in the farthest building.

"X" marks the cottage that is Gene's quarters in the Philippine Military Academy

May 8, 1945  VE Day, and it scarcely excites us!  Wonder when VJ day will be - this year? ...

May 9, 1945  Althea Williams won the 150 guilders on the day VE [but she told me while I was interviewing her for the Memorial Day post that they took the award away from her because of an international dateline complication!]

14 May '45
Dear Folks [Mary X, Beth's sister, and John; and their teenage son, Jack],
     In about 2 or 3 months, Jack, you can begin expecting a package.  It is all things I've picked up around here.  I tied it up and took it to our local APO, so it should start on its way within the week.  We have to have G2 permits on all Jap equipment, but I was able to get that here.  The box contains the following: Jap helmet, sun helmet, cartridge box (leather) for belt attachment, leather medicinal corps belt box with an ampoule of medicine (probably atabrine [an anti-malaria drug]), clips of 5 - .25 caliber cartridges (powder removed and caps snapped - the censor might possibly remove them), coconut shell dipper and handle (I had to cut off a few inches of the handle), bamboo candle-lantern, toothbrush, and 2 panes of the "window pane clam shell" - this is not a Jap item.  Typical windows here are made from this shell.  I have a number of Jap family and personal photographs, but they can't be mailed.  Also, I have 2 Jap negatives I'll print sometime.  Oh yes - and a pack of 1000 peso Jap notes.  I forgot to list them on the permit, so they may be removed.  However, I have a bundle of them and can send them by letter.  In fact, I'll enclose a few with this.

Print from Japanese negative Gene found:
former hospital staff members

          Your V mails came a few days ago, Mary X, and your letter, John, at the same time.  I appreciate your data on the cameras, John.  I'll be darned if I know what I want!  The Contax II [a professional-quality, German camera], which will take a telephoto lens, is about $225 and that is more than I want to pay at present.  I know how difficult it is for you to get a line on cameras.  I read the ads.  Today I had a letter from my former tent mate, George Christie from Canon City.  He expects to go home for a month's leave, this month.  He could bring it back and get it to me.  So I have to make a decision, even though it may not be possible for you to act on it at such short notice.  This is it - a [Kodak] Bantam Special (f 2) or anything similar in your judgement.  Probably you won't be able to find one quickly.  If not, just let it go, and in that case maybe you could send me some descriptive literature on the various Eastman [Kodak] cameras (miniature class), and Leica and Contax for I don't know much about them.  I don't care especially about a range finder, for I've tried lately to use the depth-of-focus data and remember it, and focus is usually sharp.  One fellow's wife purchased an Argus [a low-cost American camera] for him at the Gary Camera Company, 619 Washington, Gary, Indiana, without trouble.  Possible they might have something.  (No, I wouldn't want an Argus, or any off-brand.)  It took 6 months to reach him!  Maybe you could get me some DK 20 (1 gallon size or other five grain [photographic] developer).  Beth hasn't been able to get it.  I'll enclose a request, both for a camera, and for mailing any developer you could get me.  Beth will reimburse you.
     Our weather continues cool and rainy.  No doubt it will be that for the next 4 or 5 months if we stay here.  But how I enjoy the coolness.  We don't have to be out in the rain very much, fortunately.  As soon as we have electricity in our cottage, I'm going to make a "dry cabinet" with a light going continuously.  Fortunately things don't seem to mold very much.  I've seen several cameras in which the lens was etched by mold.
     Thanks for the offer about the typing.  Next time we move and I have some new territory to describe, I'll take you up on it.  It would save Beth a lot of trouble.
     About the machete.  I meant that you ought to get one after the war, because they are such a handy item.  It isn't a knife.  It is bigger than that.  It is about 2 feet long and 2 1/2 inches wide at the widest part.  All the fellows here seem to have knives but I'll keep it in mind about your knife.  I'm enclosing some duplicate negatives for you.  Beth has similar ones.  Most of these are of out present area.  2 are of buildings down town.
     We haven't been very busy since we came up here.  There'd be a lot of time for pictures if the weather were right.  As it is, there is rarely more than about 1/2 hour of good conditions, every 5 or 6 days.  And later there will probably be none.  In spite of the cool climate, I've had a bit of trouble with fungus infection of my feet.  We are sitting around the fire, with a gasoline lantern for light and blankets across the windows.  Very cosy!  Now and then a few shells go overhead, just to remind us that the war is still going on.
     Love, Eugene

Enclosures (evidently not used because they were with the letter!):
14 May '45
Subject: Purchase of a camera
To: Camera Dealer
     I am stationed in the SWPA, in an Evacuation Hospital.  I would like to purchase a camera for general use, including that of photographing clinical cases for scientific purposes.
                                                                                    E.F. Pfile, Maj. M.C.
                                                                                    0-45677
                                                                                    92nd Evac. Hosp. (SM)

Postmaster,
     Please allow Mr. Barrett to send me some photo chemicals.
                                                                                   Maj. E.F. Pfile
[This was stamped Freeport Ill. May 28, 1945]