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Two Letters Frame the Moment Paradise Lost Its Innocence

By Andrew Carroll | HistoryNet  | one comment  | Print This Post  | Email This Post

The second raid came about 30 minutes later. The army and Navy were prepared for them then and they didn’t do much damage. It was just like watching a movie. You couldn’t believe it was real. While all this was going on, three guys were sitting on the sidewalk shooting craps. One fellow in camp was hurt by a piece of falling shrapnel from our own guns. One was hit by a bullet and died yesterday….

They only killed about 50 civilians. I don’t know how many soldiers & sailors, but it was quite a few. You can get more news there than we can here. We get most of our news from the mainland. Our stations here have been turned over to police service. Today tho, I am listening to some music for the first time since Sunday.

We live in complete blackout at nite. We are all under Martial law now and they are very strict. The Marines shoot at all lights….

We are working as usual, and everything is going along fine, so don’t worry. We will probably be here as long as the war lasts. It is now considered treason to quit our job. They won’t even take you from this job into the service unless you are in the reserves. I have no idea what the future will bring, but where ever I can be of most service to my country, is where I want to be. I think everyone is determined that the sailors and soldiers who died Sunday will not have died in vain. Many sailors really showed what patriotism is Sunday. The anti-aircraft guns were still shooting as the ship was turning over and sinking. It takes a lot of patriotism to put loyalty above self preservation. My attitude towards a sailor is a lot different now. So is a lot of peoples’.

Elmer Rose is over here some where I don’t know where tho. He is a Major now. He was undoubtedly in the bombing as they got every airfield here.

Everything here is on the alert now so I don’t think we will have a repitition of Sunday’s attack. So don’t worry as I am as safe here as can be expected. Think nothing of it if you don’t here from me as communications are limited here.

Mail service is secret and very indefinite. But write! I’ll get it sometime. Well, I must close, as I’ve got 16 hours to put in. We work 16 & off 32. Did you get my telegram.

Lots of love—Guy

P.S. I’m going to buy a typewriter tomorrow then I can write in the dark. Not too much daylight.

Guy Bair joined the U.S. Navy in 1943 and survived the war. He died in 2000 at the age of eighty-two.

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  1. One Comment to “Two Letters Frame the Moment Paradise Lost Its Innocence”

  2. Wondering where the letter authorer (Guy Bair) was from … I have a great Uncle named Guy Bair from Pittsburgh. His brother – Clarence also fought in the war. Thanks,

    Jeff

    By jeff bair on Oct 5, 2009 at 11:04 am

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