Salem State Archives WWII Letters

Cherry Point, N.C.

9 April 1945

Dear Miss McGlynn: --

The note on the "Salem News Letter" asked what I was doing -- oh, if I only knew myself. At this stage of the game, I'm in the process of transferring one one dept to another. Started out being a Link Instrument Instructor, teaching radio navigation -- but at the present moment, I'm going to school learning the other types of air navigation i.e celestial and dead reckoning.

With all this training, I should be qualified to take the CAA exam for Ground Instructors license which will be a great help in the post war-- provided I wanted to stay in aviation.

Now to go back to navigation -- dead reckoning is the process of determining how to use known factors. Say we left an aircraft carrier to bomb some enemy shiping -- (of course the carrier proceeds along its course) well, by the use of computans etc-- we figure how, where, why, & how -- and to think they will be letting us teach such stuff -- sometimes it really scares me -- Don't know very much about celestial

except that I'll have to take my positions from the stars -- it is very confusing but interesting.

Besides all this, there is a Link trainer that helps the boys out -- sort of a synthetic way -- it gives them all possibilities that may occur -- Some of the boys try and tell the operators that things are different in the air -- so to prevent such things -- we'll be required to go on several of the hops and figure things out for ourselves -- I pity the poor plane I'd have to take any place.

Well, enough for school -- North Carolina is really something. We're out on the coast where it is constantly damp -- one never knows just when it will rain -- At present, we're all sporting maraculous tans -- in fact on Christmas day -- several girls were out sun bathing -- I won't know what cold weather will feel like.

When I first came South, the treatment of the colored people really got me -- but as time goes by -- I find myself acting the same way -- if they would only educate them -- but then there is a good percentage of the whites who need the education as well.

We have all the latest movies down here -- and Fred Waring was here -- Henry Busse

Sgt. JC Desmond MCWR WRS 18 MCAS Cherry Point, N.C.

3

is expected next week and there is always two or three dances a week. The nearest town, New Bern, is 18 miles away and then it isn't much bigger one of the smaller towns around. Raleigh is the nearest city of any size and that's 150 miles -- so we have to find most of our entertainment here on the base.

There is tennis, volley ball, bowling, canoeing, sailing, swimming -- and anything else we could suggest.

The one thing lacking is a permanent chapel, but that is under construction or will be shortly -- The chaplain -- Fr. Cook, is one of the best liked men on the base -- He was pastor in a Church in Hollywood -- and felt that fitted him for any kind of service.

Well, I guess this will be all for this time -- and after I really get organized, I'll let you know how things are -- It has been just one year now, and I wouldn't change all the experiences I've had for the world.

Until later -- regards to everyone

Josephine C. Desmond

Com'l '42

Philippines

2/7/45

Hello Miss McGlynn:

Received a copy of the Log & enjoyed living in those STC corridors for the while. Someday I too will be a Senior.

At the present I'm working with Jap prisoners. Being prisoners they are extremely polite & obedient. Just about everytime I say "hullo!" to one, he bows some twenty times to me. This is contagious & many times in order to save face before my superiors, I wind up tying my shoelaces.

Yesterday I had a chance to talk to some Americans who had just been freed by the advancing American forces. These were the fellows who made the death march out of Bataan. The Japs marched them for 36 hours without food or water. Bayonetted (sp. ?) those that stumbled on the way. Later when interned Japs made sporting game of them killing as many as 50 in one day. Some went blind from malnutrition and some went....

That's why we are carrying a policy of extermination. There is another chapter to this story but it would never pass censorship.

Today I spent my day at a hospital's operating room. They were operating on a Jap's arm & I was there as an interpreter. Shrapnel wounds are always ugly & this was no exception.

In all my talks with them none has expressed the desire of going back to Japan. Most are exiling themselves to China. The Japanese people do not accept them once having been disgraced by the enemy Most are Buddhist or Shintoists but I even ran across one who was a Catholic. He hasn't asked to see our chaplain yet but I imagine it will just about precipitate a major crisis. Most are beginning to realize the overwhelming power of the Allied armies but think that the real showdown will be in China. The war is, ofcourse, leading to just that

Well, I guess I've given the Japanese enough of space. Banzai!

Chris

P.S. Regards to all.

P.P.S. Jap peso was worth about 24 Am. money