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pg.29

to the control tower. C rations stink. I damn near got shot the other night by a Marine guard when I forgot the password. We have taken very few prisoners. Some of the [[strikethrough]] Japanes [[/strikethrough]] Japanese tried to surrender at first but the Marines shot them. I guess the rest of them figured they'd die one way or another so the decided to hold out as long as they could. I don't know how true it is but there's a story going around that the Marines shot some women and children at the beginning of the invasion so that may be another reason why the enemy is holding out so tenaciously. There is another story that is being told:

It was mid-afternoon of a bright, cloudless day. [[strikethrough]]k.ac[[/strikethrough]]c The beach was a beehive of activity of cursing, wrangling men, roaring trucks slipping and sliding in the thick black volcanic ash, beetle-like "ducks" which travel on land or water shuttling in supplies and over it all the dull booming of  artillery and naval guns pouring their broadsides into the north end of the island.

At first, no one noticed her. She walked quietly and slowly. Her hair was bobbed like a man's, she wore a ragged suit of fatigues and on her  face was the faint suggestion of a smile. Then one man noticed  her and stopped what he was doing to stare. Then another, And still another. Other men turned to see what the others were staring at.  Gradually sounds of work slowed, then halted. Soon she was