SALUTE, to all veterans on this day, and all days. Thank you for your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your families for US all. I can’t begin to list every veteran I know, have known, here but daughter SSgt Anne Spraberry will begin those I do list. Followed by her husband, our son-in-law, Senior Master Sergeant Scott Spraberry USAF Active Duty, and others, Uncles Jim Oakley, Howard Oakley, Lloyd Oakley, Allen Oakley, Dean Hutchins, Frank Hutchins, Bill Hutchins, Gary Hutchins, Alfred Baier, and Harold Akers, friends/other relatives Randy Stogdill, Ron Baier, Larry Hansen, Mike Anderson, Phil Van Blaricom, Gordon White, Frank Aguilar, Jerry McClain, Leslie Paulsen, Cheryl Christman, Todd Akers, Greg Oakley, et al and, of course, Dad, SSgt George D Oakley Jr. We miss so much, Dad. If I have neglected to list anyone else here, be assured I have never forgotten you, nor will I. Today marks 70 years since Dads crew, and the rest of the 307th BG, moved to Morotai Island in the Molucca Group. Six weeks after their 30 September 1944 mission to bomb the Balikpapan Oil Fields and Refinery on Borneo and their crash-landing on the previously unprepared Morotai Island while on their way back to Noemfoor Island. Chapter Seventeen The Diary, Leaving Noemfoor Island for Morotai Island Friday, 10 November 1944, We left Noemfoor Island at 2:00 P.M. and got up here in three hours. When we got here we buzzed the place before landing. When we buzzed the air field we could see it had been carved out of a coconut grove. They have cut down just enough trees to make roads and the air strips. It really looks nice. Morotai Island looks to be a much better base and is really a beautiful place. There were a lot of bugs and mosquitoes on Noemfoor Island and we are really happy to be here instead. Saturday, 11 November 1944, We live in a coconut grove and have a swell spot for a change. There are bananas, pineapples and pears close to our area here. We have gravel covered roads now. It looks like they took out one row of coconut trees to make the road. The rest of the trees make good shade. We have one on each corner of our tent. We built a tent frame from tree limbs today. Sunday, 12 November 1944, We are getting closer to the Japanese homeland so they can reach us with their bombers real easy. We will probably have to put up with them every night from now on. There was a big raid last night and we haven’t a fox-hole. Shrapnel came whistling through the air. I think we will dig a fox-hole tomorrow. We really do like Morotai Island better than any other place we have been. Monday, 13 November 1944, Weve decided to tear down our old tree branch frame. Several cases of malaria have been reported. Malaria is a real problem over here. We take pills to prevent it but they dont always work. Some of the guys dont take their pills because they make you turn a yellow color.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 11:28:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015