NEARLY i.OM COPIES OF THE
ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE
HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY
AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN
THE ENTERPRISE
NEARLY 4,000 COPIES OF THE
ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE
HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY
AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN
VOLUME XLVIII—NUMBER 77
WUtirnnstan, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, September 28, 1945.
ESTABLISHED 1899
Superior Court In
***J! l “T.if wlajv
Deciding Ownership of
One Hound Dog
After thinning out the cases or. the
civil calendar, the Martin County
Superior Court was adjourned for
the term by Judge John J. Burney
late yesterday afternoon. Very lit
tle interest was shown in the pro
ceedings during the tail end. of the
term, and before adjournment yes
terday the number of spectators had
dwindled to four.
Clearing a few cases from the cal
endar during a short session Mon
day, the Martin County Superior
Court m the second of a two weeks'
term, Tuesday devoted just about
all day to an argument over the own
ership of a four-year-old hound dog.
Ana strange as it may seem, a goodly
number of spectators attended the |
trial and paid close attention to the t
witnesses as they definitely identi-,
fied the dog worth possibly $50 on an !
inflated market.
L<ne group ol witnesses definitely
identifie^-Bajg^.i p. as belonging to
Lloyd • wSern. Bertie County man.
Others declared the dog belonged to
the defendant, Allen Long, of near
Hobgood, and they supported their
contention by maintaining that they
had closely observ. I the hound from
the date of his birth up until the
present.
The argument waxed warm once
or twice and a defense witness, Ethel
Kaint, added a bit of humor to the
proceedings when she said that the
dog was a good one, that he would
trail most anything that had a scent.
One of the plaintiff's attorneys asked
if the dog would bite The defendant
suggested that he try him out.
. Completing the evidence shortly
before 4 o'clock, the court charged
the jury and after deliberating hard
ly five minutes the jurymen return
ed a verdict favoring the plaintiff.
In the case of Ed Smith against
Edgar Harrell, the issues were set
tled by agreement, the court direct
ing the clerk to deduct the case costs
from the amount of money in ques
tion and divide the remainder equal
ly among the two.
An agreement was also reached
in the case in which Louise Simmons
is suing Sam Henry Simmons for
alimony.
In the case of G. G. Woolard
against C. Z. Runk, the court award
ed the plaintiff a judgment in the
sum of $496.87 with interest from
November 25, 1944.
The case of Standard Fertilizer
Company against Paul T. Sparrow
was compromised.
The case ol J. B. Whitfield against
Ed Harrell was set lor trial during
the first day of the special term con
vening in November.
Two divorces, both based on two
years of separation were granted last
Monday, one to Mary Eliza Pippens
against Cecil Pippens, and one to
Viola Mooring Chance against Wal
ter Raleigh Chance. During the term
the court granted ten divorces.
In the case of Josephine James
against Abner James, the court con
firmed the sale of certain lands for ■
$2,675.00 and allowed the attorneys
a fee of $200 in addition to the regu
lar five percent.
A compromise was effected in the
case of M. M. Cordon against C. M.
and P. C. Barber, the plaintiff re
ceiving $260.
Negligence was found on the part
of both the plaintiff and the defend
ant in the case of Jesse D. Beach
aganist H. U. Peel and no damages
were allowed. The plaintiff, Jesse
Beach, was asking $5,000 for person
al injuries, and Charlie Beach was
suing the defendant for, $500 dam
ages resulting in an automobile ac
cident at Bear Grass last February.
A judgment in the sum of $20 with
interest from June 18, 1943, was al
lowed the plaintiff in the case of
Kader Crawford against Redden
Tyre.
The damage suit brought by the
(Continued on page six)
-&
County Young Man
Gets War Citation
-—
James R. Silverthorne, just recent
ly back from more than three years
of foreign duty with the American
Armed Forces, received a unit cita
tion from General Chas. de Gaulle.
The citation, dated Paris, May 5,
1945, reads:
■‘For exceptional war services
rendered in the course of operations
of the liberation of France.” The cita
tion was addressed to The First En
gineer Special Brigade, comprising
all units assigned or attached to the
Brigade who were part of the assault
force “U” and were engaged in the
assault on the Normandy beaches.
The citation carries witn it tne
C. '.'.x de Guerre vvilh Palme.
Little Business Scheduled
For County Commissioners
Other than the selection of a jury
list for the special November term
of superior court, the Martin County
commissioners have very little busi
ness scheduled for consideration at
their regular meeting to be held here
next Monday, Clerk J. Sam Getsing
er said yesterday. i
HIGH WATER
j
reaching
Roanoke flood waters started re
ceding slowly here at 1 o'clock
last Wednesday morning and had
■aJlSBW*i *Yltiriiffil?tmi inrh^
up until shortly be tore noon to
day. It is predicted that the
stream will be back in its banks
by next Tuesday or Wednesday
if the present rate of fall is
maintained.
W'ith the exception of the all
time record flood in August,
1940, the water this week waa
the highest in more than teu
years. In 1936, the river over
flowed its banks several feet,
reaching a crest just a little short
of fifteen feet.
Considerable damage has re
sulted to lowland crops and
property in this and other coun
ties along the stream, but no
dollar estimate is to be had. The
loss in this county will hardly
compare with that in other sec
tions, however.
Ten County Young
White Men Called
For Examinations
—«—
Nearly Every One In Group
Ik Barely Eighteen
Years Old
■ ■ .<•> —
Ten Martin County young white
men were called yesterday to report
to Fort Bragg for pre-induction ex
aminations. The preinduction call is
one of the smallest received in the
county lately.
Nearly everyone in the group is
barely eighteen years old, the age of
one standing at a scent 25 years. Six
of the ten come from the farm, and
only one of the ten is listed as being
married. He leaves a child.
| The names of those called this
week to report for the preinduction
examinations at the army center and
their addresses are, as follows:
Hubert Floyd Whitaker, RFD 3,
Williamston and Norfolk.
Raymond Jasper Modlin, RFD 1,
Jamesville.
1 Clyde Delmus Holliday, RFD 3,
Williamston.
Melvin Brady, Hamilton.
James Howard Keel, RFD 3, Wil
liamston.
Alton Ray Bullock, RFD 1, Rober
sonville.
Joseph Harold Harrison, RFD 3,
Williamston.
Charlie Felton Keel, RFD 2, Rob
ersonville.
Dewey Hale VanLandingham, Wil
liamston.
Herman Earl Crawford, Everetts.
James Leonard Stanley, Williams
ton and Frederick, Maryland.
No final induction call for white
(Continued on page six)
Chas. Fuller Held
On Robbery Counts
Charles Fuller, young colored man,
was bound over to the Superior
court by Justice John L. Hassell at
a preliminary hearing last night for
allegedly breaking into and robbing
Manning’s laundry. Fuller, just re
cently from the roads where he serv
ed an eighteen-months sentence for
robbery, now stands charged with
breaking into the laundry on or
about last July 1 and last Sunday.
Bond in the sum of $500 was requir
ed in each case. Unable to raise
that amount he was placed in jail.
Denying the charge, F'uller states
that “Scoopy” James carried the
clothes, valued at more than $100, to
his room in a boarding house on
Washington Street. Some of the
clothes have been identified, includ
ing a pair of shorts belonging to At
torney Hugh G. Horton.
Picking up a lead in the case, local
officers, armed with a search war
rant, went to Fuller’s room and
found the stolen clothes early this
week.
It is believed that the robber had
something to do with starting a fire
that burned a few clothes in the
laundry on July 1.
Two Painfully Hurt
y
In Highway Wreck
Two persons were painfully hurt
and considerable property damage
resulted late last Tuesday night
when a car driven by Octavious
Manning, 19-year-old colored boy of
near Williamston, crashed into the
rear of a truck parked on a street in
Robersonville. The driver and his
brother, Sam Manning, were cut
about their heads, Sam losing several
of hir teeth.
i Driving into town from, Spring
Green, the younger of the two
brothers plowed into the rear of the
truck owned by W. R. Gaynor. The
truck was properly parked and its
rear light was burning. The truck
was knocked about 60 feet, across
the curb and into A. E. Smith’s yard.
Cpl. W. S. Hunt of the highway pa
trol, said. Damage to the car was
estimated at $500.
Manning is charged with reckless
driving and he is scheduled fer trial
n the county court week after next, i
Defendant Is Fined
m Tij
>y Justice Masse]
O'feet' fkrf’s "Kearrf - Bv T&c
Trial Justice During
Past Few Days
Justice John L. Hassell levied one
of the heaviest fines in his long ca
reer as magistrate-mayor last Tues
day night when he adjudged Clara
Bell Moore guilty of disorderly con
duct and directed her to pay $50 and
costs in the sum of $9.50. The case,
bordering on what could have been
a far more serious charge, was one of
several heard by Justice Hassell that
evening. It was pointed out that
several similar ones are pending.
Unable to raise the fine immediately,
the defendant was placed in jail
where she was held until the follow
ing morning.
Octavioua Manning, colored youth,
charged with disorderly conduct and
an assault with a deadly weapon,
was bound over to the higher courts
under bond in the sum of $100 cash.
The old flim-flam game still go«s
on, Luke Biggs, farmer, being the
fall victim It tV 's immedfejta
flt&gs was m a local ware
house a few days ago when he was
sucked in by Roger Howard, Wash
ington colored man. Howard was ar
rested and carried before Justice
Hassell and placed under a $300
bond, but Biggs hasn't yet recovered
any of the $229 he placed in the
hands of the alleged flim-flammer.
Charged with an affray, Herbert
, Coltrain and Major Barber were
each required to pay $6 costs.
Tommie White, drunk and disord
erly, was taxed with $8.50 costs.
Charged with operating a motor
cycle while in a drunken condition,
Jake Downs was bound over to the
county court under bond in the sum
of $100.
Sam Manning, charged with dis
orderly conduct, was adjudged not
guilty.
Joe Griffin, Beaufort County man,
was fined $5 and taxed with $6 costs
in the case charging him with operat
ing a motor vehicle with improper
equipment.
People Of Europe
Face Critical Fall
The people of Europe face a critic
! al fall and winter, and whether they
are on the way to normal life by
next spring depends to a great ex
tent on the help Americans give
them during the next few months,
according to Winthrop W. Aldrich,
president of the National War Fund.
Mr. Aldrich made this statement
following his return from a trip to
England, France, Holland, Czecho
slovakia and Germany.
‘‘There will be great suffering un
less the people are provided with
more of the mere necessities of lifo
in addition to essential food and
clothing," said Mr. Aldrich. “These
minimum necessities are the things
which the National War Fund agen
cies are seeking to provide.
“Some people ask why private re
lief is needed, and if governments
are not meeting the needs of their
: people. The fact is that govern
ments and government agencies are
striving desperately to restore the
basic economy—to provide transpor
, tation, coal and mass food supplies,
J to reopen ports and set up means of
j distribution. We must bear in mind
that many of the liberated countries
of Europe existed under military
government for weeks after their
liberation. Also, the assets and re
sources of a government are not al
ways readily freed after war.
“Nothing is normal in a country
that has been in the path of a great
war. The economy is far from nor
mal. The health of the people is far
below normal, and the psychology
of the people is distinctly sub-nor
mal. For instance; 1 attended a din
ner in the Hague where every man
present had been held in jail by the
Nazis for at least two years.
“The work of the privately sup
ported relief agencies of the Nation
al War Fund is enormously impor
tant, and in my opinion the extent of
their work within the next few
months may fix the pattern of living
in Europe next spring. The people
of Europe who have been aided by
voluntary American philanthropy
are well aware of the help they have
received. And they are most grate
ful.
“I am convinced that the work be
ing done by National War Fund
agencies in no way duplicates that
of UNRRA.”
-» -..
Officers Capture
Still This Week
* - —
ABC Officer J. H. Roebuck and I
his assistant, Deputy Roy Peel, found
and wrecked a 40-gallon capacity tin
still in Bear Grass Township the
early part of this week. Four fer
menters were found at the plant but
no beer was on hand.
According to the officers, the own
er-operator apparently was unable to
get sugar or molasses to maintain
manufacturing operations.
A small flit gun was found at the
plant, and it is possible that activities
were suspended until after the mos
quito season on account of the pests.
Sin. Billie 0. Peele
-<§>
Brilliant Display of Fireworks'
Seen for Hours, County
Boy Writes Home
In one of the first eye witness ac
counts offered by a Martin County
young man of the reaction to the
news of the Japanese surrender S
M. William Oscar Peele, Jr., declares
it was a gala time on his ship for
quite a while.
His letter to his praents of near
Williamston, reads, in part:
.“ • • • F^st of all, I wish I could
give you the picture of this ship and
area when we heard the news thet
Japan had offered to surrender. We
were at the show, and all at once
the sky was alive with searchlights.
; All of us went up as fast as possible,
and when we reached the top we saw
the most brilliant exhibition of fire
works ever seen. Every ship was
firing red, green and white rockets,
blowing whistles and sending search
light gleams over the sky. It was
'vonderful. AH of us were slapping
’r °i- the back, shftkine
"hands, yelling and thinking aoMf
home. It lasted for about two hours.
The rockets were beautiful, burst
ing in the sky and floating down to
the water.
“After the first excitement, all of
us went down to the tank deck and
the cooks brought out big cans of
pineapple juice, ice cold. So we
celebrated. Everyone was so excit
ed!
“Then, the next morning we heard
the surrender terms probably would
not be accepted. Talk about argu
ments! Last night we argued until
11.00 o'clock about whether or not
Hirohito should be allowed to remain
on the throne. Then when one of
the fellows came off watch he called
and told me about the terms that
had been sent back to Japan. I was
glad to hear the news even at that
hour. Now everyone here is just
waiting to see what will happen.
“1 say again that I never will for
get those lights and rockets on the
night of the 10th.”
In a letter to his sister, Mrs. J W.
Smith, who live3 in Raleigh, the
young man told more about how the
first surrender news was received.
It reads, in part:
Its happened! The war is over,
almost. Oh, I can't believe it. After
all these months of wandering, now
it’s here. All we have to do it get
it official.
“We were seeing a movie, and all
at once the sky was aglow with
Searchlights, making a plaid quilt
overhead. Someone said the war
was over —halleujah! Up to the top
we went, pushing, shoving, yelling,
and all the time not daring to hope.
Then when I was in the clear, I
saw the most beautiful exhibition of
red, white and green flares and
lights in the skies. It looked like
Christmas and the Fourth magnified
hundreds of times. Zoom, up they
would go, exploding in a brilliant
burst of light with separate stars ca
reening down into the water . . .
“The expression on everyone’s face
was partly a frenzy of excitement
and partly thankfulness. The eyes
of everyone was so bright—all the
hopes of months, and, in some cases,
years, were recognized . . . I’ll never
forget the wave of joy and excite
ment that swept over me and carried
me along. I was thankful I had
been spared the horrors of battle.
One of the fellows came up to me
and said, 'Bill, I’m not a religious
fellow, but I think that everyone
here ought to say a prayer tonight.”
And, somehow, I think everyone
will. No matter what anyone says, I
think every person here felt as I did.
“Now the ships are quieting down,
with only an occasional burst of col
or or sweep of a searchlight in the
sky. An undercurrent of excitement
is still here, but the thankfulness is
seen mostly as the boys prepare to
‘hit the sack.’ It has been a night
never to be forgotten.”
Schedule For Daily School
Sessions Beginning Monday
Beginning next Monday schools
in this county will start the daily
sessions at 8 o’clock a. m., it was an
nounced yesterday by the office of
the superintendent. Most of the lo
cal school committee chairmen were
contacted and they suggested the
schedule be adopted and maintained
during the first two weeks in Oc
tober. At the end of that time, the
sessions will get underway each
morning at 8:30 o’clock and close
from 3:15 to 3:30 in the afternoons.
TIME CHANGE
The nation will return to
Standard Time neat Sunday
morning at 2 o’clock. Outside
of the nighthawlcs and a few
others whose business keep them
up that lafe^Ee change wiil not
be noticed until that morning
when nearly everyone can turn
over and sleep for another hour
without being late for Sunday
school and church.
Anticipating the ehange, Cap
tain Stone of the Prisoner of War
camp in this county, advises that
the prisoners would be ready
next week to go into the fields
at 7:M o’clock each morning in
stead of I a. m.
Ask Martin Couffl"?—
To Raise $13,232
In Last Campaign
Lfadors Are Named In Vari
ous Districts By Chairman
Clarence Griffin
Recognizing the urgent need for
continuing the work of the United
Service Organizations until at least
the end of next year, Martin County
people wilt launch next Wednesday
a drive to raise $13,232.96 for the
United War Fund.
I The organization for promoting the
drive was announced complete by
County Chairman Clarence W. Grif
fin yesterday, and a general plea is
being made to every man, woman
and child in Martin County to sup
port the campaign and help meet the
last challenge hv the United Wat
have served -so well in the past are
again being called upon to take the
appeal to the public. The chairmen
for the various districts include:
Mrs. Camille Rawls and Mrs. Walt
er Brown, Jamesville; Mrs. R. J
Hardison, Williams; Mrs. J. Eason
Lilley, Griffins; Mrs. Pete Menden
hall, Bear Grass; Messrs. V. J. Cpiv
ey and J. C. Manning, Williamston;
Mrs. A. P. Barnhill, Cross Roads;
Mr, Mayo Little, Robersonville; Mrs.
I.eRoy Taylor, Poplar Point; Mr.
Henry Johnson, Jr., Hamilton; Mr.
John W. Eubanks, Hassell, and Mrs.
E. E. Pittman, Oak City. The civic
] organizations will help the local
chairmen along with the special gifts
committee, and in Robersonville the
Rotarians have pledged Chairman
Little their support in carrying the
drive over the top there.
President Harry Truman will open
the drive with a radio address from
the White House next Tuesday night
at 10:30 o'clock. He will be follow
ed by Governor R. Gregg Cherry,
honorary chairman in this state, and
other leaders.
It has been pointed out that the or
ganization has an even greater job
now that the war is over than it had
before. Nearly seven million
American boys are still in uniform,
and the task will not be completed
(until the latter part of next year to
finish the demobilization task, and
the American people are being asked
not to let the boys down.
I In addition to the service provided
by our own servicemen, the United
Fund is receiving more and urgent
appeals from starving humanity in
many lands. Every effort is being
made by the organization to offer,
every possible relief to the needy I
who have borne the brunt of war and
want these past several years. Only
a few days ago, a Martin County
young man, Seaman Burke Parker, |
wrote back from a foreign shore and
stated that the natives would fight
for an apple or orange thrown them
by American servicemen.
This is the last drive the United I
War Fund will undertake. The I
quotas are slightly larger than they
were last year, but it was pointed out
that the current campaign is design
ed to raise enough money to main
tain the cativities or fifteen months
without making another drive neces
sary.
The drive this year was considered
only after the need for a continua
tion of the organization’s services
was pointed out by Generals Marsh
all, Eisenhower, MacArthur and
other ranking military leaders who I
know conditions existing in the
places where the work is being done
and is yet to be done.
The people of Martin County have
met every challenge to date, and it is
sincerely hoped that they will meet
the one now facing them. Former
Governor Broughton in an address
earlier this week explained that he
had two sons still overseas, that he
would consider he had failed them if
he did not give liberally to the cur
rent drive and support it in every
way possible. There are approxi
mately 2,000 Martin County young
men still in the service, and the peo
ple at home can't afford to let them
down now or until the last service
flag comes down.
-.—.
Tire Situation Is
Still Very Acute
--
Demand for passengei car tires
has increased so rapidly since the
lifting of gasoline rationing that it
will be many months before motor
ists get all the new tires they need,
OPA District Director Theodore S.
Johnson has announced.
He said that unfilled applications
for passenger car tires are at an all
time high, while invtmtories are at
an all-time low uiI^iWuTitry over.
It is expected that the backlog of
approved but unfilled applications
may total one million for the coun
try by the end of September.
“These a*e all applications that
have been approved, but local boards
can’t issue certificates for their pur
chase because passenger tire quotas
have been exhausted,” he said.
This explains, he declared, why
locai boards are forced to turn duwn
thousands of tire applications.
TOBACCO > XU S
Tobacco .viles on the local
market yesterday passed the
| five and one-half million-pound
mark and will not miss the sev
! on million figure very much at
the close of the selling period
| early this afternoon.
Prices continue to hold firm on
j the local market, the 278,128
pounds yesterday selling for
$121,477.7!), an average of $43.08.
With the possible exception of
the damaged lots, prices are
equally as firm as they have
been at any time this season.
To date, the market has sold
fi,532,144 pounds for $2,855,
,302.!*8, an average of $43.50.
Series 01 Robberies
Reported InfjHinty
()iT1 uesdayMornfiis
Two Con ill y Stores Holtheil
Ami Post (HI ire I'aileretl
At Palmyra Same Day
Two stores in this county were
robbed and an automobile was stolen
in Goose Nest Township early Tues
day morning, reports from adjoining
counties staling that a Willys car was
stolen in Pinetops earlier in the night
and that the post office in Palmyra
was entered. Officers, including pos
tal inspectors, are working on the
series of thefts and robberies.
Going to Hassell about 2 o’clock
that morning, the robbers forced an
entrance at the front door, stole
about $2.50 in cash and several ear
tons of cigarettes. They unhooked a
;radio and possibly were going to
steal it, but for some reason left it
behind.
Pile next stop was at Council's fill
ing station near Hassell where they
forced open the front door and stole
about eight cartons of cigarettes.
They ditched the stolen car near
the J. A. Everett farm in Goose Nest
and went to the Copeland home a
short distance away. While there is
some doubt if the two men, both col
jored, were actually involved in the
robberies, they are certain to have
stolen the Copeland Dodge coupe.
One oi the two men culled and asked
Thomas Copeland to help them get
their car out of the ditch. Apparent
ly the cal] was a ruse since the car
was finally pushed out by hand and
plans were laid for the theft of the
Copeland car while one was seeking
help.
At Palmyra, the robbers stole a
few pairs of shoes, five ration books
left in the store by a customer and
two parcel post packages containing
clothes.
The Copeland car was recovered
Wednesday over in Edgecombe Soon
ty near Pinetops. As far as it could
lie learned, the machine was no! bad
ly damaged by the thieves.
Local Young Man
In Pacific Area
Ti rivaling around in the Pacific
theater, Seaman Burke Parker in a
letter to relatives here recently re
lated a few of his experiences there,
and went on to say, “I don’t care
how good the Navy makes it for the
boys, 1 still want out I know that
home is the only place for me and
that's where I want to hi1 ”
Relating his experiences, lie wrote
"... We left Okinawa Septembei
3 with 1,200 engineers of the 7th
Army and look them to Korea. Gee,
I mean we really worked to get them
off and all their supplies. It took
us more than three days to unload
and I didn’t git enough sleep to keep
a bird alive.
“Our convoy was the first to reach
Korea. It is a strange place,
but really pretty. 1 declare those
Koreans are a very dirty people. I
bet they don’t take a bath over once
a month, and they looked like they
hadn’t had a square meal in so long
it was right pitiful. They helped
unload the boats and when they had
finished the boys would give them
an apple or orange or just anything
to eat and you should have seen them
trying to take it from one another.
It was right pathetic.
“They had two Jap subs in the
basin where we unloaded. They said
they only carried two men, but the
things still looked big
“I’m surely glad we didn’t have
to invade Koiea because it would
have taKcn a long time much long
er than Okinawa. Then are many
little islands before you get to it
and then it is mighty hard to get to.”
The young man explained that
they were still standing gun watches,
but that the task now is far different
from what it was before the war end
ed. He talked a bit about home,
saying, “I just don’t know when I’ll
get home. The only thing I can say
is look for me when you sec me, and
I do hope that will be soon.” (
County Youth Gives
01 Arrival In Japan
yjirf m ^‘MnA
Of i iu«<l Flrrl Stationed
Off |ap Homeland
A graphic description of how he
reached his goal and of the ships us
ed in the final action against Japan
is given in a letter just received from
Clavlon Revels who is stationed
at the Yokosuka Naval base in Japan.
Cox says he was amazed at the
number and size cf the ships whicn
made up the Third Fleet. His letter
follows:
^ When I began service out here in
the Pacific our final goal was to be
Japan. 1 made the statement more
than once that 1 would tike to march
down the streets of Tokyo.
When we left the West Coast in
July w»' were in the Fifth Ferry
Command and were supposed to be
back at Seattle in a month. But
when we unloaded our troops and
•argo at Saipan the navy froze all
amphibious ships and we stayed
there about two weeks wondering
what 1' ■ - xt ■ . ■ m be Pm
j-’lly we get orders t.> shove off for
Cjiifirn We stayed thvic about 3ti
home and shoved off to join the
11'tid Meet which was 300 rnilcs off
the coast of Japan.
Whim we sighted the Third Fleet
every one on board was topside to
view a scene that very few people
get. a chance to see. During every
invasion there were a few battleships
and cruisers and several destroyers
but there we could see warships too
numerous to count, floating graceful
ly through the water.'
I* nr five or six days we transferred
men from the battleships to our ship.
The men we picked up were to rep re
sent the Third Fleet in the occupa
tion of Japan. We transferred about
one thousand men by line and boat
swain s chair during a very rough
sea without a single casualty. This
was tile biggest operation of its kind
ever performed.
We really had a madhouse on our
ship. The men were constanly drill
ing and the news photographer was
taking pictures. We were cleaning
and painting the ship for we were to
pick up 7( ) of our men who had been
prisoners in Japan.
Our first view of Japan was on the
28th. We just could see the outline
of some small island. Very shortly
we could see the coast line and later
we anchored m Sagami Bay. Thy
coast line and buildings looked like
that at home. We passed several
factories and 1 couldn't tell they hir'd
been bombed. A funny thing hap
pened while we were there. We had
[lo run our boats to patrol the shores
to keep Jap swimmers or boats from
coming out to our ships. Usually
there was ,i man in one of the boats
who could speak Japanese. One
morning a Jap fishing boat with two
Jap men came out and our inter
preter told them in Japanese they
would have to go back in to the
shore One of the Japs asked the
other in perfect English what our
man said. The other answered also
in perfect English and said they said
W< have to go back to the shore.”
Most of the people at home seem
to have formed the opinion that the
Japs are supid. I think if they could
see some of the guns and tunnels
they have ill all the bills and along
the coast line they would change
their mind. Japan was well fortified
and we would have had a hard time
taking it had they not surrendered.
Wo came on up and anchored 6,000
yards off Yokosuka naval base where
we were to put the naval men ashore.
I hi1 operation was carried out just
like an invasion except there was no
fireworks. I was in the first wave
and w« tut the beach at 10 o’clock.
Since then I have' seen enough to
write a book. Friday morning
about one o'clock J was awakened
and told to pack my gear and be
ready lo leave tile ship at six o’clock.
They had called for six boats and six
crews on shore. So we left the ship
and are now living in barracks for
merly used by the Japs. There are
about 30 Japs living m barracks
about 20 yards from us.
It J Were tei try to describe this
place, 1 woule) call it a ghost town.
All tin' shipyards and machine shops,
(Continued on page six)
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Law Enforcement
Croups Will Meet
Mt i tmg m Edenton next Tuesday,
law enforcement officers in this area
will discuss “Postwar planning for
Police Department,” it was announc
< d today by Edward Scheidt, special
agent in charge of the Charlotte of
fice of the Federal Bureau of Inves
tigation. Other topics will also be
discussed, it was explained.
The conference will convene at 2
o’clock that afternoon in the Chowan
SRSIily courthouse, and Several Td
the law enforcement officers in this
county are planning to attend.
Returns From Fong Stay
In Rocky Mount Hon pitot
After a stay of nearly seven weeks
in a Kocky Mount hospital, Mrs. Nan
nie Haislip returned to her home
near Oak City last Monday. Al
though her condition is some im
iroved she continues quite ill