The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-04-11

Florida, but on the whole, this
place makes me homesick. There
are some fine beaches where
waters almost as blue (but not
quite) as ours wash the sands.
The island has fine roads (which
we lack in OkinaWa, but are
a-building) and in some stretches
of highway between Andersen
ALB and Harmon ALB can al
most picture the Overseas High
way on Key Largo, except for
the lack of bridges, or other
stretches of road in South Flori-
da. My primary complaint is
about the water, which comes
from wells and tastes rather
salty. I've tasted water from
wells in X. w. that was much
less salty. The net result is that
the water leaves one feeling very
thirsty most of the time, but for
tunately the beer supply is very
adequate ldon't let the WCTU
hear about this or the supply
may be cut off and one can re-
lieve his thirst once in a while
(off duty, of course.)
Ali In all, Guam is almost like
being Stateside. For one thing,
the prices greatly resemble those
in USA-Shima. For another, the
practice of tipping, which is dis
couraged in most occupied areas
(which this isn'D is very much
in evidence. Since Guam is US
territory, US currency is used
here, and the way the green
backs turn into silver, and the
way the silver seems to evapor-
ate into thin air is so much like
being States-side that's almost
phenomenal. But in the long run
Guam, just because it's so much
like Florida, gets my rating Of
Al.
Okinawa. while it is almost on
the same parallel of latitude as
South Florida, is not nearly as
tropical. One thing we have in
common are the typhoons which
are just as mean as our hurri-
canes. All buildings, which are
mostly of the Quonset or other
forms of prefabs, are firmly an
chored to the ground by steel
cables. Some newly completed
buildings, and others still under
construction or in the planning
stage, are of what is called ty-
phoon-proof construction. That
is, they are built of reinforced
concrete and seem very sturdy
even to a hurricane-conscious
Conch. / believe that they viii
make the grade in anything IN
der a typhoon of the caiiber OF
the 1885 hurricane.
InaSmuch as Mary has told me
in her letters that she has heard
radio broadcasts which have
stated that Okinawa is destined
to become the Pearl Harbor or
the Far East, I conclude that
such information must be con-
Sidered "UnclaSsifiec." I think
that in strategic importance IL
already surpasses the Hawaii OF
December 1871, and / wonder
whether or not the time may
come when it may become q
Pearl Harbor II.
anyway okinawa is a going
concern, ard it's an important
outpost in our defense system, as
you know. Although ! hate 10 be
separated from my wife ard
family, I'm glad TO be doing the
lob that ! signed Up for In July
1855 when. a. Key West Bar
RACKS. Fla held Up my hard
and took the oath az allegiance
which read. II part -and 10 de-
tend the Constitution q Tire
United States against NJ sre-
mics. domestic and foreign. who
seek to overthrow etc. After all.
when gay makes an agreement,
he should stuck 60 Il.
Bot enough q tte flag wavgrg.
To THE pe4sunS whD care. II isn's
necessary To those waa0 dont
care. cun'g care 10 ID 90
dssay rsean 20 ranabse en- SO
In > isisee III apesogy. - Hi say
pveg an1 osst tav ncx I'll ne
AockIng forward 10 xeezg ypa