Tennessee (BB 43) - Naval Cruise Book

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tokyo tourists A young couple coming down the road turnished the patrol with their tirst glimpse ot Japanese lite. The woman, a dainty little creature, was bent over carrying an enormous load ot tirewood on her back while the man, presumably the husband, was walking erect and empty handed. As a matter ot tact the man was carrying a twig but upon seeing the Marines he added it to the wood pile on his wite's back. Smiling all the while, the couple passed on. At trequent intervals along the roadside there are shrines or holy places. On the outskirts ot Wakanoura the patrol visited a Japanese temple located on top ot a high hill, access to which was gained by climbing a long flight ot stone steps. A priest and two girls were in at- tendance. One ot the girls presented the patrol with some pictures ot the temple and in return she was given a bar ot soap. Money is practically worthless in this area. Neither American nor Japanese currency has any business value. Transactions are consummated by the barter system. The Americans exchange cigarettes, soap and sugar tor Jap- anese labor, wares or goods. For his services, our guide gladly accepted several packages ot cigarettes and con-- sidered himselt well compensated. The reconnaissance party returned to the beach at Wakanoura over a ditterent route than the one taken going out. The march covered about titteen miles and required approximately tive hours. In this short period ot time the patrol had gathered sutticient intormation to make a tairly comprehensive report and plot the data on a map. Following liberty in Wakanoura tor practically every- one, word was passed on the night ot October I that early the tollowing morning the TENNESSEE and its com- panions would get underway tor the tinal obiective- Tokyo. Anchoring in Tokyo Bay, near the tormer great naval base ot Yokosuka, men ot the TENNESSEE viewed the v remnants ot the Japanese Fleet, the NAGATO. The bat- tlewagon had been caught during an aerial attack by American bombers and although it was still atloat, it was in no condition to wage wartare. lt was manned by an American prize crew. Admiral Oldendort was still aboard the TENNESSEE and arrangements were made tor all hands to spend a liberty in the Japanese capital. Rain squalls blanketed the shoreline and obscured distant Euiiyama as smaller cratt carried men ot the TEN- NESSEE up the long bay to the Tokyo landing. The bombed and silent streets ot Tokyo regained some ot its tormer lite as otticers and men ot the TEN- NESSEE swarmed ashore. This was not the village scene observed at Wakanoura but one ot the world's great cities. Ginza, Broadway ot Japan, glistened in the rain as American sailors, hunched in black raincoats over dripping whites, hurried down its length. Desolate piles ot rubble showed where tire bombs trom B-29fs had done their work. Land-hungry Japanese had converted tiny plots ot ground along the tamous street into gardens. Tiny shoots sprouted through the rain-soaked soil. The odor ot night- soil tilled the damp and heavy air. Practically untouched were the Emperor's Palace and adjoining grounds, around which the devastation ot war had swirled. An occasional building, sturdier than the rest, had withstood the rain ot tire trom above and still stood almost untouched. Beneath the streets subway trains roared through the darkness, tilled with the silent people ot a deteated nation. The Imperial l-lotel, showplace ot the Orient, still re- mained intact. So too, was the American Embassy. That October day in Tokyo, Japan was a beaten nation. Years ot want and suttering, privation and penance still lie ahead betore it can again regain its tormer place in the society ot nations. The Rising Sun will rise no longer.

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reconnaissance iapan 25, 1945, a On Tuesday morning, SepTennber reconnaissance parTy oT ThirTy Marines Trom The USS TENNESSEE landed on The beach aT Wakanoura, souTh- easTern l'lonshu, Japan, Tor The purpose oT gaining inTor- maTion oT The area and To esTablish a rouTe inland To Wakayama Tor subseguenT parTies or Torces going ashore from The ship. The occasion was The iniTial landing oT The American Army oT OccupaTion aT Wakanoura which operaTion was supporTed by uniTs oT Task Force 5l under Vice Admiral Jesse B. OldendorT, who Tlew his Tlag on The USS TEN- NESSEE, commanded by CapTain T-larley F. Cope, USN. Accompanied by an inTerpreTer and a naTive guide, The reconnaissance parTy deparTed Trom The beach and Tollowed a narrow road winding over The high wooded hill To norTh oT Town and Then dropped down inTo a culTivaTed valley where peasanTs were aT work on Their small irrigaTed Tarms. ATTer passing Throuoh several hamlers The road ran easTward pasT The Japanese mili- Tary barracks and enTered Wakayama. The Marines marched up The main sTreeT To Their desTinaTion-Aa hill siTuaTed in The cenTer oT Town. On The summiT oT This hill lay The ruins of an ancienT casTle builT some Tour hundred years ago by one ToTogawaieasu who deThroned The Emperor and ruled Japan aT ThaT Time. RuinaTion oT The casTle daTed July, l945, when American B-29's bombed neighboring in- dusTrial TargeTs. Today The indusTrial area is The scene oT demolished buildings and rubbish piles. According To Mr. Shinohara, The guide. abouT 2,200 people were killed during The bombing raids on Vifakayama. Among oTher Things, The reconnaissance was made Tor The purpose oT Teeling ouT The reacTions oT The people. This small group oT Marines was perhaps The TirsT enemy soldiers in 'T The posiTion oT invaders 'J To march To Wakayama. AnyThing mighT happen. Following are a Tew observaTions oT inTeresT noTed during The reconnaissance When we landed on The beach aT Wakanoura ThaT morning There were a Tew Japanese huddled OTT To one side oT The sTreeT. They iusT sTared in silence. All The sTores and shops in Town appeared To be vacanT. No- where was any merchandise To be seen. Save Tor a small number oT children and old Tolks The inhabiTanTs had wiThclrawn To Their homes To peek Trom behind closed shuTTers. Likewise in Wakayama, The shops were devoid oT ware. The Marine reconnaissance parTy aTTracTed liTTle aTTenTion. lT mighT be said ThaT our presence was ignored. The people simply wenT abouT Their aTTairs as usual. One incidenT, however, bears menTion. When The paTrol was passing a parTicularly large building one oT The Marines queried as To iTs use. A young Jap who was sTanding on The sidewalk nearby said in very clear English, ThaT is a deparTmenT sTore. Nearly every Japanese male beTween The ages OT sixTeen and sixTy years old wore a uniTorm or some arTicle ThereoT. The old women dressed in naTive cosTume while many oT The young girls were cloThed in American sTyle. The principal vehicle is The bicycle. Ox carTs are used Tor heavy hauls and by The Tarmers. The Tew auTomobiles in evidence were Tor The mosT parT in hands oT The Jap- anese miliTary. lncidenTally, The auTomobiles used char- coal Tor Tuel. There is a modern Trolley line in Wakayama which exTends To Wakanoura, a disTance oT abouT Tour miles. The sTreeT cars were well paTronized. Japanese homes, parTicularly Those in The ciTy, were mosT disappoinTing. One would expecT To Tind Them pic- Turesguely surrounded by a garden. lnsTead The houses are crowded close TogeTher and buried behind high walls wiTh no spacious gardens. And every building in The area is badly in need oT a painT job, EducaTion is a deTail ThaT The Japanese have noT neglecTed. There are many schools and mosT oT Them have adioining playgrounds Tor The children. In approaching one schoolhouse The reconnaissance paTrol was spoTTed by a pupil and almosT insTanTly every window on ThaT side oT The building was crowded wiTh children calling ouT Hello in parroT-like Tashion. ForesighT by Their Teacher.

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