Sarah Dix Hamlin School - Epilogue Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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Nobody complains around here. Ifyou do, it won't do any good. Sometimes yott are going to wislt you were dead, bttt no one cares. We're going to be a happy family. lVe have our own house, nice comfortable beds. antl stt mer food. XVe're all 'oin r on . . . . l S is picnics together tn the lovely country. For a wlnle yott're going to school to learn about essential things in this business. Maybe if you're all good boys, we'll go on a big trip. That's all for now. The rest is up to yon. So straighten up that line, said the sergeant. You're in the army now! l'a't'iucta Etmxmn '-I3 an ttsibute te a hemmthe fatrtagttt fThere is a 1 1ll'l'Ilgllf still afloat. The Farragut of the following story symbolizes litany brave ships as gallant as she., The throb of engines, the warning of fog ltorns, the clanging of the buoy, gentle seas, rough seas, calms, and the onward rush of hurricane-like windsg the glowing of the sky at sunrise and the inky blackness left by sunset: the flashing of guns in battle, the moaning of dying tncn. tlte screaming of downward-headed planes. the swirling of hlark smoke, and red blood creeping over the decks. All this antl much more the destroyer Fnrrnguf ltatl seen attd heard. The stories that she could tell were numerous. They included those of Pearl Harbor, Midway. Coral Sea, and the Solomon Islands. Yes, tlte Solotnon Islands-a place of which we ltear little, httt here the valiant lfnrrogttl fought her last battle. The first glowing rays of early dawn rose over the group of ships anchored near the shore of a tropical island. Small boats, loaded down with men, could be seen dashing toward the shore. As ifa whip had been cracked to command the scene into action, events started taking place. The landing barges were beached, and swarms of men raced np on the hard-packed sand. The ships opened fire antl planes were catapulted off from nearby cruisers. The Fnrrngttl did her share in protecting tlte scattered nten running on the beach. She kept up constant fire against the enemy. From morning to night the battle went on without stopping. The men grew weary httt did not feel it. They were immune to atty sort of feeling. It was on the third day of battle that our story comes to a glorious end, Firing had slowed down. bttt the japanese were still there, making their presence known. Their planes were flying over the little ship as if they knew the deadly weapon she was. The ship fought one attack after another antl was still holding her own. As fate would have it, luck was against her. Ten planes that had assembled in the sky above. headed at the ship, hring continually. lt was too tntteli for the brave destroyer-she was rrippled. The last plane carried the hnal blast. It was a direct hit! Huge volumes of billowing smoke issued frottt her hold. Men could he seen leaping over the sntoke-grimed sides. The water was soon dotted with little specks trying to reach other ships or rafts. A rnntble was heard, and the Ftll'fllg1lf smiled once more and then was gone from sight. Tears ran down the saved n1en's cheeks-for they had lost :t sweetheart and a pal, That night, as the last few rays of the setting sttn left the sky. a group of American planes fiew overhead, attd each flyer dipped his wings in tribttte to the ship that ltatl helped play her part in the battle for freedom. Fttamrus BRnN1'oN '43

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Right alter that we could see pulls of anti-aireraft stuoke dotting the sky over the city. Standing in the front walk. l remember thinking that the anti-airrralt explo- sions seemed to be moving in our tlirertion. Then there was a deafening crash. The street filled with hlaek stnoke and ears stopped all along llte road. I ran into the street. and a policeman told me to lake coyer. My brother :md I then ran to the bark yard. 'I'here. two hottses down. a bomb had been dropped. As I started to help a friend with her two small children. my brother came and made me go home. ll'hen he told me a wotnan ltatl been killed by the blast, I realiled tltat this was not just an exriting adventure, but the beginning of a long and horrible war. The rest of the day is Italy in my mind. Things quieted down and we listened to the polire broadcasts in the afternoon. There were many false reports ol' para- elmtists, bttl at that time we did not know that they were not true, lVe watrhcd antl waved to the troops as they went by in army trucks. Volunteers were ralled lor. to dig trenrhes by the waterfront. Ol' rottrse, my brother wanted to go innnetliately. All the men were gone. and we thought that the japanese in the city might revolt. but hnally my mother agreed to let Itim go if tltere was lltll another attack before eleven that niglu. Night tame quiekly and we sat on the poreh with neighbors. llle were all under a strain but everyone talked and joked to keep the others' spirits up. I thought I saw a pararlttttist on the roof ol' a house across the street. and tny brother got his gun. but it turned out to be a palm tree tossing in the wintl. When linally the mosquitoes droye ns indoors, it wasn't very pleasant sitting in the dark for we had at complete blaek-out. All niglu there were tnaeltine-gun fire and rille and pistol shots all around us, Anyone going outside of his house was in danger. for the sentries were taking no eltanres. At eleven, as we had not been attacked again and as we had not had any trouble with the local laps, my brother atul a friend set out for the waterfront. They were challenged three times by armed guards. btll they got through all right. They dug trenches, in ease the enemy attempted to send landing parties. They guarded japa- nese prisoners that had been ronttded up in the city during the day. Later that night they were assigned to guard the United States Engineers. where they were on duty tnltil noon the next tlay. :lt home u'e u'ent to betl around midnight. ll'e did not take our clothes oll. and we slept only htfully. Ontse. iust before dawn, we were awakeued by anti-airrralt liring and planes overhead. That was the lirst time I felt afraid, for somehow the danger seemed tuore horrible and real itt the dark. The lirst rays of light followed soon after. and I know many Honolulu families welcomed the dawn as eagerly as we did that early Monday morning. Susaw Krrrs '43 ai speecth Although l'yc been making speeehes for the past twenty-liye years. I'tu still not much good at them. livery time a new bunch of humanity comes before me, I make a speerh. It's my duty. but I c'an't tell you how murh I hate making speeches. Pay Close attention now, heeause I won't repeat: I was like yott onre: young, healthy. and seared to death of the person who stood in my place. I slottrhetl worse than all ol you pttl together. and I tsouldn't keep my mind on what I was doing. As you will, I learned last. llefore you came here, some of you were rirh, and some poor, 'I'hat's all oyer with. From now on, ytm're all etptal.

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poetry OUR SYMBOL M'hat is more clear to us than our flag? Long may it wave. and ne'er may it drag In shame or disgratte: then let us be true To the red, and the white, and the blue. Bravery is shown in our flag by the red, Then let us remember brave deeds of our dead, Ylfho so gallantly fought for the things they held true, Yvhiclt we symbolize now in the red, white, and blue. Blue is for loyalty which we must show To our flag and our country when Hghting our foe. This loyalty proved now by me and by you lVill always protect our red, white, :uttl blue. l'm'ity gleams in our flag through the white. Its noble truth we'1l defend with our might: Though after a battle those left are but few, Who still do uphold our dear retl, white, and blue. These are the things for which Old Glory stands, And no matter the course taken by other lands, All good Americans e'er will be true To the ideals upheld by the red, white, and blue. NIARY En DAvts '43 TROUBLES I took my troubles to a windy hill one day, M'h-e-e. blew the wind, and took them off to l waited for trouble to come back to me- But God sent peace to keep me company .... IsAuEI.I.t: DE Rose '43 play. JES' SUPPOSIN' Jes' supposiu' you were here Or I was there with you. And we could get together As we often used to do. And sit :t while and talk and smile XVithout no pomp or posin', Or frills or fuss, but just be us- Doggone it! Jes' suppusin'! JUNE LEE '43