Imperial Valley press., 1945-04-22
Oddities Mark
Hunt for Japs
BY ERNIE PYLE

OKINAWA - (By Navy Radio)-
MY company of marines started
moving just after breakfast. We
we're to march about a mile and
half, then dig in and stay in one
place for several days. patrolling
and routing cut the few hidden
Japs in that area.
We were in no danger on the
march = at least we thought we
weren't, so not all the marines wore
steel helmets. Some wore green
twill caps, some baseball caps, some
even wore civilian felt hat they had
found in japanese homes.
For scme reason soldiers the
world over like to put on odd local
headgear I've seen soldiers in Italy
wearing black silk opera hats. And
over here I've seen marines in COM
bat uniform wearing panama hats.
I've always enjoyed going along
with an infantry company on the
move, even some of the horrible
moves such as We had in Italy and
France But the move we made
that morning here on Okinawa was
really pleasant one.
SMOKE CIGARS .... -. -. .. w
1t was early morning and the air
was good The temperature was
perfect. The country was pretty.
We all felt that sense of ease when
you knew nothing bad is ahead of
you. There is no weight on your
spirit. Some of the boys we're even
smoking cigars.
There are always funny sights in
a column of soldiers moving along.
Our mortar platoon had comman-
deered a dozen local horses to carry
heavy pieces. One of the marines
had tied the pack onto his horse
with japanese oboe-cne of those
brightly colored reams of sash
Japanese women bear on their
backs.
And here came this marine, dirty
and unshaven, leading a ,sorrel
horse with a big bowtie of black
and white silk, three feet wide, tied
across its chest and another SINH
lar one tied under its belly, the ends
standing out en- both sides.
Troops carry the oldest things
when they move. One marine had
a Jap photo album in his hand
One had a wicker basket. Another
had lacquered serving tray. They
even had a Columbia phonograph
with Jap records, strapped onto a
horse.
Let's of them wore Japanese in
sigma or pieces of uniform. Later
an order came out that any marine
caught wearing Jap clothing would
be put on burial detail I guess
that was to keep marines from
shooting each other by mistake.
HALTED OFTEN
There were frequent holdups
ahead of us and we would stop and |
sit down. every hundred yards or
so.
I At one of our haltS the word pass
ed back that we could sit down, |
but not take off our packs. From |
down the line came music, French
harp and ukelele, playing, you are |
my sunshine" When it was fin
ished the marines would call back |
request numbers and our little con-
cert went on for five or ten min
utes out there in the Ckinawa fields. |
The harmonicist was Pfc. Will |
liam Gabriel, bazookaman from a
farm on rural route 13, about 10
miles out Of Houston, Texas He is
only 10, but veteran with one
wound
He is a redhead and the shyest
soldier I've ever met. He is so
bashful he can hardly talk. But
he makes a harmonica talk.
Playing with him was an officer
Lieut.. Bones" Carriers of t6023
Mirimar Blvd Los Angeles. Bones
has a mortar platoon He strum-
med cords on scrt of ukelele COM
mon to Okinawa. 1t has three
strings and the head is always
made of tightly stretched snake
skin. 1t gives you the u1llies just
to look at one.