September 3, 1945

T/4 John G. O’Keefe III 11081286

10G Co, 116 G Eng. C Group

APO 180, Postmaster

San Francisco, Col

To: Mr. John G O’Keefe

137 Colberg Ave

Roslindale

Massachusetts

Dear Father,

At last censorship is off. It will take a long time before I can get everything told but I’ll help at it as much go on. You hear that I am on Okinawa. It is a big island almost 15 by 80 miles. We are on the west coast at a place called Manchu ado about 3 miles north of Naha. If you can get a fairly detailed map you should be able to follow my local travels pretty well.

We left Seattle, Fort Lauft on on April 28 having left Lauft on
April 19, on the 2:30 Katy. We shipped on a Dutch wine boat ship, the Falista. I believe that I have give fair details of the ship so I’ll ship it now. After a week we left for Hawaii where we stayed 4 days. One day ashore and a 3 mile march out to a park. The beach was ruined from battle from this coral and floating debris. Next stop was Enswathe in the Marshall’s. We went anywhere on a sandy beach and got beer that was cold. Wine too. I ran into some old friends in the 1^st Marine Division. That is a story by itself. After about a week we but out for the Carillons and the island of Allithil, almost 150 miles from Zap. We stayed here 19 days getting shore quite a bit. Finally on June 17, we came a shore on Okinawa. I have gone into various details of the early impressions so I’ll just skip them. Several times I wrote I have made influence to Radcliff and the Coho. Out of Hawaii we picked up 47 miles and 4 MD Cruises Earth. The meanwhile we had 58 officers. As the result of this things got pretty badly screwed up. I have a commission worker should call GI in the forward part which Dad ongoing held negroes. No blood was shed but there were some mighty wall snipers. These were no Boston Men in the crowd but one RD cross came from Lynn Marcon Runlachy. A big big big nefarious hush girl. On the trip over on the SST. (Had ship trod) I talked to her all this way. These was also a Radcliffe ’39. Also such named Anne K. from Brochton. My opinion of her was not too high. On this place where females are scarce she is better than nothing. Of course, I go courting with my tongue in my cheek. Hershey is on Hiroshima so I can’t get to see her very well. On June 18 we moved to our present location. Mabe was still under shilling. In fact Marine log tom were not up in back of our tents. At was naught for a while. On and first Saturday have we (the water had) went to Nolie. We got through the times because only Espinar had possibilities and we were it. That city had a few buildings standing but they were it pretty rough shape. The place stunk of died japs. As time has gone on I have managed to get to see most of the island with the exception of the north and outside of a few PW’s. I haven’t seen any live Japs. We have had served in and are at night but this place is compound of some piers poor fishermen. You perhaps have heard of Luna Castle. That place was Jap museum of Verdun. There are still Japs and up there billing. I’s who got too many after souvenirs and the like. It is complete underground city. Above ground there are a few shelfs of buildings. That in the theme thought the Island. Destruction thanks sad we didn’t have but Japan with combat inversion 20 and dead here would have been but a drop in the bucket. I have seen 2/3 of this number washed all Jnaus.
That 95 Division is a fretly sad allow. Especially when your member that these Pacific boys tonight with 20 division plus. This has been a secondary war not here as the WPs see it. After a few mounts on same venture black island thy wanted have called it to beg not until there and after out here with 70% 85 pants but no replacements.

John

PS I have here a ranged the battle stem for this action.