Seal of the US Coast Guard
Staff ------- GROUP 86
LST FLOTILLA 29 --% FPO
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
3 APRIL 1945
Dear Miss Thompson,
Having been A.O.L. for too long, I have gotten that guilty feeling once too often. I will do my best to bring you up to date on my life story beginning somewhere in October when I was transferred to LST 789.
I picked up my ship in New Orleans, from whence we departed two days after my arrival. The trip was unparallelled, including the meeting of a hurricane off the coast of Cuba, a stop at Coco Sola, the journey through the Canal, an operation in the Gulf of Tehuantepec and a week lay over in Long Beach, where I visited some relatives.
The holiday atmosphere was still prevalent when we reached Hawaiia. For two months it was swimming at Waikiki or sight seeing at the Pali or an afternoon at the Officers Club that claimed most of our time. We, although we knew it not, were stocking up on a quantity which, on a later date, would be almost non-existant. A maximum of enjoyment and a minimum of toil was our goal.
The end of the festivities rose into sight when I received orders to report to Commander, Group 86. From that moment I have been in a continual state of tension. I shall never forget the experience of flying, as those first orders directed , over the coral bottomed Pacific, seeing the dwarfed ships below and looking down into the depths of Diamond Head. After meeting the new Boss at Maui, the trail wound (with LST as conveyance) through the never ending water to these areas.
On the morning of D-Day, Feb. 19 in this case, we were looking down the enemys throat off the coast of Iwo Jima. In spite of a little ant-personnel fire as a welcome, our stay there was almost uneventful. LSTs are considered prime targets for enemy fire. At the time, however, that bit of knowledge was not mine. Was I frightened? Perhaps that is not the word. Through that time I experienced the same emotion that I associate with the reading of a magazine while awaiting the nurses nod at the dentists. You know the jig is up, you are being forced to go through with it, you are sure it is going to hurt, you cant get out of it now.....if it were only to-morrow. But after a few days it all changes. You find that nothing has happened to you. Pretty soon you buckle down to work, looking less and less at the sights and adopting a completely fatalistic attitude.
In my travels I have also seen the Phillippines, or at least part of the Phillippines. Samar and Leyte, our designated ports, give one a poor impression of those possessions. All I saw was mud and rain. The other islands, so I am told,are much more desirable.
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{Seal of the United States Coast Guard}
More and more I find myself in the part of the blind man who, upon inspecting the elephants leg, exclaimed, I know what this animal is. It is built just like a tree. Being stationed on a ship one sees many elephants legs, but few elephants. Considering speed and land bases, you should be able to get more authentic descriptions from the boys in the Air Corps.
When we eventually come to a stoping place we will be a terrible crew. The SPs will have fights, drunks and the usual Navy cutting up with which to contend. These boys (myself included) have been ashore less than two hours since their departure from Hawaiia sometime last January. Whatever the conditions, Im sure I do not want the job of trying to them that particular night.
Keeping account of that host of individuals seems to me to be pretty near impossible. How are the reports coming in ? I cant even keep pace with the few friends with whom I correspond. Although I do know that Murray Brooks is in India, I have lost contact with R.T. Behrendt and Lew Fredericks. Do you know their whereabouts?
You can see that there is little happening to me. Ill write again when something important is in sight.......like leave or a trip back to the States.
Sincerely,
Wesley W. Lyon 42

P.S. For the Files
Pvt. Murray Brooks 13095014
127 A.A.C.S. Station 201
A.P.O # 629
% Post Master, New York, N.Y.

Transcribed by Anthony McFarlane on 10/1/13