 |
| Luzon in the Philippines. The national capital, Manila, is the harbor in the southwest. Baguio, the summer capital to which my father once drove, is about halfway up the island on the west side. |
In Manila in June 1945, Lt. Charles M. Pride was assigned as
motor pool officer for Allied Forces Pacific, the army headed by Gen. Douglas
MacArthur. Before the war, among other jobs, he had been a car salesman at a Connecticut Ford-Mercury dealership called Automotive Twins. The
army had trained him in tank maintenance. The motor pool job was another stop
in his lifelong love affair with cars. He had charge of 300 sedans and trucks
used by MacArthur and his staff.
 |
| Mushroom clouds over Hiroshima (left) and Nagasaki. |
Dad wrote the four letters transcribed below to his wife and daughter. They reveal a good deal about him and his experience. He was proud of his work even as frequent
thefts and accidents depleted his vehicle fleet. He loved his shiny jeep. Antimalarial
drugs turned his skin yellow. (In the end they did not protect him from malaria.) The heat and humidity made him sweat profusely.He was lonely and wanted to come home. And he could see
the end of the war in the Pacific approaching.
On the last point, these letters show Dad’s unalloyed joy
over the development and use of the atomic bomb. The first was dropped over Hiroshima on
Aug. 6, 1945. A second, larger bomb destroyed most of Nagasaki three days
later.
*
July 16, 1945
Darling Bern & Bonnie,
Well honey I missed a couple of days. A general had to go to
Baguio (summer capital of the Philippines) so I drove him in a staff car. I wanted to get away for
awhile. I also wanted to see Baguio. It was really shot up. The weather was
cooler and more pleasant. I enjoyed seeing the different kinds of villages. The
general was a pretty good Joe. We got along o.k. We drank a case of beer on the
trip and also had some good chow, as you can imagine, along the way. I sure do
love you.
I am happy. My mail finally caught up with me here. The
first letter was from the 6th. Not too bad. So you think I hurt my chances of
going home. Don’t worry, I investigated everything before I moved and it’s the
same chance here exactly. The only thing is that it will be a few months before
they get the ball really rolling. Besides that, Col. Solomon has already gone
home on points, so there. You’re crazy for ever thinking I want to stay here
even for a moment. I want my mommy and how!!
 |
| Gen. MacArthur (right foreground) on his way to the Philippines in October 1944 To MacArthur's right is Sergio Osmeña, president of the Philippines. |
Bonnie sure sounds cute. She looks awful cute in that little
pinafore. She’s about the cutest little gal in the whole world. I hope and pray
it wont be too much longer before I get to see my little girl. I hope she likes
me like I’m going to love her. I’ll never be able to leave her alone. (You too
– and how!)
Things were in an uproar when I came back. They just can’t
get along without me (ahem) – no fooling, though when I’m away the brass really
try to pull their rank. I put them in their place when I’m here. They like it
too. They have to – I love you darling.
Also got 2 letters from your mom & Pop. I’ll bet they’ll
really miss Bonnie when I get back. She is all they talk about and I don’t
blame them. She really is something to talk about – Hope you weren’t worried
about me missing those few days. I’m sorry mommy.
That’s all!
I
love you and miss you
With all my heart
Bonnie too
Pappy
Kisses
*
July 24, 1945
Darling Bern & Bonnie,
Here’s your Pappy again, all alone and lonely and very much
in love with you. Got a nice letter today from my very best gal postmarked the
14th. That’s not bad service I’ll state. Sorry to hear the mailman’s been
crossing you up. I’m doing pretty good –
Guess I will send my mother $50.00 tomorrow for the
convention. Hope she takes it and enjoys herself. Hope Marcelle didn’t have too
much trouble taking care of Bonnie while you went to the wedding. I’d like to
take care of Bonnie, but most of all I want to take care of you, and how!!
If you ever hear of anyone being here in Manila that we know
let me know and I’ll look em up. I hope Henry Mayer makes it over here. He was
always decent to me. I love you.
I’d like to get to see Dodie [Mom’s brother Joe, a naval
officer who oversaw repair of damaged ships during the war]. Send me his complete
address and his whereabouts. Maybe he can get to see me. I am very easy to
find. Just ask for the AFPAC [Allied Forces, Pacific] motor officer, and there
I am. I know I’d sure like to see him.
It’s been a very hot scorcher. I suppose you’re feeling the
heat there about now. I feel sorry for our poor little darling. If she sweats
like her poppy, it’s no fun. I guess all of hr bad faults come from her daddy,
right???
That’s almost it for tonite –
I love you and miss you.
Kisses – Bonnie too
Your own
Pappy
*
August 7, 1945
Darling Bern & Bonnie,
Hello again darling. I’m still “a little on the lonely side.”
How about you darling? I’m still tired too. These damned accidents and stolen
vehicles get me down, and there sure are plenty of both.
 |
| A man surveys A-bomb damage at Hiroshima. (AP) |
Everyone over here is talking about that new high explosive
bomb we are using on Japan. I am glad we discovered it first. It must cause
horrible devastation. I guess this war really is on its last leg. I sure hope
so and I know you do too. All we want is each other right darling? And how –
I guess I’ll try to get a little sun. I am really bleaching
out to a nice bright yellow. I look like a Jap I guess. I’ve been putting off
getting a haircut for awhile. Guess I’d better get it today, or a violin. I don’t
know why I am so lazy, do you?
It’s another scorcher today. It sure does get hot and poppy
sure does feel it. I should get thin sweating the way I do but I still weigh
175 which isn’t too bad.
Hope I get some mail again today. It sure chases my loneliness
away at least for awhile – nothing new – except my love for you that goes on
and on and on.
Goodnight darling – I love you
Bonnie too
Kisses
Pappy
*
August 8, 1945
Darling Bern & Bonnie,
Boo hoo, no mail again. It really comes in spurts. No, I
never got that last bottle. It wasn’t with the gun. Maybe it’ll come soon. I
don’t care too much. I do like to treat my friends (?) to a good drink now and
then. You’re the only real friend I can count on and I love you very dearly.
It’s been raining like mad again tonight but after a last
furious downpour it has stopped. It didn’t cool things off much either. It’s
hotter than hell again. I sure will enjoy a real winter in Conn. I’ll probably
have to stay in bed to keep warm.
The news is really wonderful. I guess the Japs will either
have to give up or be blown off the face of the earth. Optimism is really
riding high here. Everyone is looking for the war to be over very shortly,
which would be perfectly OK with me. How about you? Gee I love you.
You ought to see the jeep I drive. The chinks wax it every
day. It is a beaut. It has G.N.2. Motor Officer across the front, claxon air horns,
a real windshield wiper and various other improvements. I’d sure like to take
it home. Maybe I will, and it won’t be long now, I know it –
Gee darling what a day that will be. I’ll never never let
you go. Bonnie either. I love you both with all my heart and soul. Bonnie too.
Kisses from your very own
No comments:
Post a Comment