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dBONIN ISLAND HISTORIC
EVENTS - A MISSING LINK
BY C.
Wells Fendrich, JR. A Member of the
1946 Navy Repatriation Expedition
It was October of 1946 when three ships rendezvoused at Chi Chi Jima in
the Bonin Islands, a volcanic group of rocks 600 miles south of Japan. It
marked the return of 126 Euro-American descendents to the islands from their
three-year internment in Japan during WW II.The story begins at Guam in the
Marianas Islands which are located 900 miles south of the islands. I was stationed
there aboard the LCI(L) 1067 (Landing Craft Infantry(Large) having graduated
from college and been commissioned an Ensign in the USNR that previous June.
The story comprises excerpts of letters written to a lady, who later became
my wife, other recollections of the times, and material gathered from the
Bonin Islands web site covering various facets of the history of the place.
October 2, 1946Guam, Marianas IslandsThis will be short for the mailman
is leaving in 15 minutes. We are scheduled to leave for Saipan today with
passengers, enlisted personnel and cargo. We are in company with the PC 1546
(Patrol Craft).That’s the bunch we’ve been going up to the Club with. After
stopping at Saipan, we proceed to Chi Chi Jima and rendezvous with a ship
from Japan.In case you’re looking for Chi Chi Jima, it is in the Nanto Shoto
Group, or to pin it down further, the Bonin Islands. I don’t know what we’re
going to do there, but I have hopes we go on to China.October 5, 1946Saipan,
Marianas IslandsSaipan is just another lousy uninteresting Pacific isle. Although,
I shouldn’t speak before we see the place.Our load includes 10 pigs, 3 hogs,
Some chickens (I recall) and a Navy Commander, part of Military Government;
18 enlisted personnel; 4 Guamanians ( 1 woman); and 3 Bonin Islanders. The
Commander is in charge of the Chi Chi Jima expedition, and guess what; yep,
he’s a Dartmouth graduate.
Page 2.There’s a mix up on the supplies we were scheduled to pick up here
for these families, so Chief went ashore to see about it. We’re even supposed
to get a jeep and a trailer to take with us.These people will have a rough
time for a while. The way I understand it is that no one is on the island;
and there haven’t been since the Japs pulled out. They have to fix up some
old beat up quarters and really pioneer.The brain behind the islanders is
a Bonin Islander by the name of Savory (Frederick Arthur Savory). He is
the only guy on the island who graduated from college. He went to the University
of Yokahama, I believe. He wanted to make the trip up from Guam, but couldn’t
because of these war crime trials going on now. He is the interpreter at
the Trials for the Bonin Islands. Two of his brothers and another guy are
among those going up with us.(Note: The reason behind the war crimes trial
was the fact the Japanese garrison had been accused of cannibalism, eating
American Pilots who were shot down when they were harassing the island. The
reader will recall that President Bush’s father was shot down at Chi Chi,
but was fortunate enough to be picked up by an American submarine.)From the
pigs we’re carrying for them they expect to raise enough herd in two years
for Chi Chi and the islands nearby by establishing a unit of trade.The new
skipper, Bob Lemke (Ensign), is taking over Navigation so he’s made me Engineering
Officer.October 13, 1946Chi Chi Jima, The Bonin IslandsThis has been an
interesting experience so far and probably will be even more so before we
return south.We made a short stop at Saipan, picked up supplies, a jeep
and a trailer, a Navy Doctor, Mike Polka, and eight natives. The trip took
us three days and the weather was fine. Even though we did hit Chi Chi at
night, we came in the harbor under the guidance of the Savory’s and the other
two Bonin islanders who know the place cold. It’s a very nice looking island;
plenty of vegetation, i.e. bananas, grapefruit, oranges; and it possesses
a beautiful, deep harbor.
Page 3.The country is a bit rugged and man alive did the Japs fortify the
place. The hills are nothing but a maze of tunnels and at every angle a
gun turret faces the harbor. The American’s didn’t make a landing here but
starved out the garrison and did a little bombing on the side. The village
and a small dock are pretty well beat up.The Marines occupied the place for
a while and left some Quonset huts that the natives will use. Also, a couple
of fairly modern buildings are intact and will be used.The families from
Japan which were to arrive on the 9th will not get here until the 17th so
we have to stick around for a while longer. Doc has to see that the drinking
water and the sanitary conditions are in hand and well established; and he
also has to examine the ninety-four people who will be settling here.I spent
Saturday morning helping the boys dig the ditch for the ten-seater (The
John)..Intriguing work what?The PC has anchored out in the harbor, but we
managed to find a spot to tie up to, an old seaplane ramp. (Note: The Japanese
used the island as a seaplane reconnaissance base and as a submarine base.)
We had a little trouble securing the tub; and on several occasions, we had
to get up in the middle of a rainy, windy night to put out a cable or whatever.
(Note: We did experience a typhoon while we were there. It came on full tilt
just after dinner one night. It was black as pitch outside and the rain
was coming down in torrents. The Chief Boson got a couple of the deck hands
to go up on the focs’l to reel out the anchor cable which then would be
wrapped around the outside hull on the opposite side from the seaplane ramp.
The skipper and I were having coffee in the officers’ mess at the time.
I decided I’d best go out and see how things were coming with the deck gang.
As I approached the bow, I saw the Chief and his two hands on their knees
pulling at the anchor cable. They did not hear me approaching because of
the screaming wind. But, I did hear the Chief say something to the effect
that, “ Those two guys are sitting in there with their coffee while we’re
out here busting our butts.” At that point I spoke up, startling the group,
and said, What’s the problem Chief? Can I give you a hand? That squelched
the bitching and we got on with the job. A couple of us got over the side
into the water and wrapped the cable around the exposed starboard side (125
ft.) and around the stern (23 ft) and lashed it to the seaplane ramp somehow.)
Page 4.Unloading and ExploringYou should have been around to see us unload,
especially the jeep and hogs. The hogs really made a racket and it would
take four of us to bring a big one down the ramp. Then, after we got them
off on the dock, one fell in the water. Everyone had said pigs couldn’t swim,
but this one sure learned in a hurry.We spent a little time roaming around
the tunnels and old Jap hunts. It is really amazing the way they built this
place up as far as defense goes. If we had tried to make landings here,
it would have cost us plenty.(Author’s Note: A number of the tunnels housed
machine tools needed to maintain the subs and seaplanes. In one of the tallest
peaks of the island (overlooking the western harbor), they had hollowed out
huge rooms that contained big tanks of aviation gas and diesel fuel for the
subs. Pipes were run from these tanks down the hill to the harbor. I believe
it was the west side harbor that is entered by way of what is called “ Welcome
Rock”. There was another much smaller beach on the eastern side of the island
that wasbordered by high cliffs as I recall. So, it was the west beach where
it might have been possible for the Marines to land and take the island.
As the reader may have guessed, the idea was that in the event of a landing,
the Japs would have sent av gas and diesel fuel from the storage tanks down
the pipes to the beach and set them afire.On top of the same peak where
the fuel tanks were housed, we found a large cement structure on one of
our walks. It served as a radio transmitter and diesel power generation
station during the war. The window openings were each protected by a solid
steel, hinged shutter. We entered a dark interior where the only light came
from the sun through the windows just described. Our voices echoed through
the building that was probably three stories high. As we surveyed the place,
I looked up at the ceiling that seemed to be covered by a thick, brown matted
material. Then, we noticed it moved from time to time; and we realized large
brown spiders, as big as your hand, covered the entire ceiling. We decided
not to prolong our stay inside and made a hasty exit.)We were told the Japs
ate most of the wild life during the siege; however, several goats have been
sighted and there are supposed to be a couple of deer.Sam Savory tells me
they have their share of wild cats, not to speak of wild dogs. Some of the
boys had spotted them several nights close by the ship; and Sam said they’re
also hanging around the chickens and pigs.
Page 5.Bob and I went out Friday night after one that had been spotted
and tried to run him down without success. We went over by the pigpen and
saw some tracks but no dogs. We came back to the ship and spotted a small
one, not ours, on the dock near the bow. Since they were showing movies
no one noticed him. Bob took a shot at him but missed. None have turned
up since, although one did get hold of a chicken the other day.October 17,
1946Chi Chi Jima, The Bonin IslandsThe ship from Japan arrived at 0740 this
morning with 112 passengers and a good deal of cargo. It’s an old Japanese
destroyer and is manned by an all-Japanese crew. The Skipper (Bob Lemke),
the Commander, Captain of the PC and Doc boarded her along with the Savory
brothers. They said it was one filthy ship. Bob had quite a chat with the
skipper who was a Lt. Commander and a graduate of the Japanese Naval Academy.Today
was spent getting people ashore and settled in their new houses. Perhaps
I should say old houses, because for the most part they were living here
before the war. Many look like Japanese and the other have Caucasian features.
As I told you before, they have been carefully screened by G2 and are of
American and British ancestry. The family names, which predominate, are Savory,
Washington and Gilley. (Author’s note: I was present when Dr. Polka examined
Martha and George Washington.)October 18, 1946Saipan, Marianas IslandsWe
put in this islet last night, but as usual just after sunset so we had to
wait until morning to bring her in. We should be here only a day or so and
then back to Guam. All in all, the Chi Chi trip was interesting. At least
the time went fast and that’s what I like.Both the Commander and the Doctor
came back with us. The Doc got off here with his two native patients (TB
Cases), but the Commander will be going on with us. Helping the Doc in Chi
Chi was great sport especially when he examined the women. No. I wasn’t present.
They got nervous with two men so that I had to leave and perform my secretarial
duties in the other room. I still heard all the conversations. What a riot!
Boy, were those gals bashful! I think in the whole group almost any medical
clinical case could be found. ( Author’s Note: It was the only time in my
life that I saw a man with a hernia down to his knee.)
Page 6.Today’s being spent taking on fuel and provisions. We were nearly
out of both. Boy has food been lousy the past week. (Note: We received almost
mutiny like complaints from the crew. A special meeting with crew reps calmed
the situation when we were on Chi Chi.) Oh, for a home cooked meal. I’d
even settle for some of the stuff Thayer Hall (Dartmouth) used to hand out.As
soon as we get refueled and back to the docks, I’m going to high tail it
for the barbershop. What a head of hair-believe it or not!Listening to the
radio this morning, I heard that Dartmouth plays Columbia tomorrow at Hanover.
Suppose it will be a big weekend. I’ll bet the games are good this year with
lots of guys coming back. If you happen to have any time, you might look
over a book called, “Bonin” by Robert Standish. It’s about the early settlers
on Chi Chi and the other islands in the group. Nathaniel savory, Sam’s great
granddad is mentioned in it.
THE BONIN ISLANDS THEN AND NOW.
Three days it took to make the tripTo an island 900 miles away
It was fifty-seven years ago’Yet it seems like yesterday.
The sky was clear. The sea did roll.The pigs and hogs did squeak.
We knew not what the future heldor whom we were to meet.
The sun had set. The night came on as our destination neared;
And the Savory brothers took us into a war-torn seaplane pier.
We did not wait too long to see the ship we came to meet.
The returnees knew ‘twas meant to be,a home, a place of peace.
The job was ours to help them through a very trying time
As they returned again to hear a crashing ocean’s rhyme.
Many year have passed since then,but, the beauty of the isles remain.
Now, joyous shouts of great-grand kids echo over Chi Chi’s rocky frame.
Today vacationers come to stay,but, only for a while,
to swim and sail and see a whale,and then just say goodbye.
Authors Note: I must say I feel at peace knowing that I, and others
helped them find their special place again in the Bonin Islands. This poem
is dedicated to allof the descendents of Nathaniel Savory, the Gilleys,
the Washingtons and others who came from their homes in the Western World
to seek a new life. May God Bless them and their Island Home forever.©Copyright:
October 2003Newtown, PA, USA