This is the later-war photo album of Corporal John “Jack” Naut who was a crewman with A Company, 1st Tank Battalion on Peleliu and Okinawa as well as in China for occupation.
Many thanks to Jack’s Grandson Colonel(Ret.) Michael L. for sharing such incredible photos. Jack only sent one letter home that survived the war. Here is what he had to say about his experience in the pacific theater:
"We left the USA 28 March of last year (1944), going from San Diego to Noumea, New Caledonia ni about twenty-
one days without escort. The group received two weeks Infantry training there and then transferred to the 1st Marine Division and proceeded to Melbourne, Australia, where we picked up more replacements and continued to Pavuvu, which si ni the Russell about sixty miles of Guadalcanal. Around August 1, we shoved of for Guadalcanal (the staging area) and went from there to Peleliu, where we made the beachhead at 0820 hours on 15 September. From then until the end of October were the worst days of my life. I could never explain that hell--it just seemed like a nightmare.”
"In November we arrived back to our Home Sweet Home, Pavuvu. From there we went back to Guadalcanal in January of this year (1945) for more maneuvers. We had a pretty good time at the 'Canal ' while we were there. Anywhere the Army is there is always plenty of beer and good chow, good PX's and movies. We usually steal them blind, whenever a Marine outfit moves ni beside an Army camp. The Dogfaces double their guard on al their gear. Here are a few of the things we have acquired from our allies (the U.S. Army): Jeeps, trucks, reefers, chow, brew and a million other items, large and small.”
"All this may sound bad to you. Dad, but fi you could see the equipment we have to fight with and the living conditions we have, and more than anything else the food (slop) we have to eat compared to the Army and Navy, I'm sure you would understand.”
"We returned to the Russells in February for final training and got a few reconditioned tanks. Well this time everything was kept secret. We didn't know where we were going or when we were going to hit. From what they taught us ni maneuvers, however, we learned several things. During our training we did a lot of convoy driving with our tanks, which we ordinarily would not do for a smal island like Pelileu, so we knew one thing ti was to be a fairly good sized operation. We also did lots of indirect firing, which convince us that it was to be bigger than before. There were many other hints that gave us a good idea as to where we were going ot hit."
"After about forty day aboard ship, just after we left the staging area, which was Ulithi (near Yap Isles) they gave us our briefing about 8 minus L-Day (land day). For those 8 days we studied maps, defenses and compliment of enemy, the way of the people of the island of Okinawa. We also worked on our tanks and weapons--especially water-proofing the tanks, as there was a reef about 400 yards of shore that we had to cross before reaching the coast.”
"L-Day minus one (L-Day-1)--the day before the landing. That is a day any man will remember fi he has ever made minds as are in yours, or the next guy to you. I still remember the things I was thinking of that evening. There was that little red-head in Hollywood; there was all the good times I ever had back there in the States where people were out eating steaks, ice cream, going to movies, playing hockey--everything you have ever seen or done ni the good old U.s.”
"L-Day was Easter Sunday, April 1. I went ashore in an amphibious tractor leading the first wave of tanks over the reef and around the "n***** heads" (holes in the reef). We didn't receive any fire getting ashore, but were plenty cautious after our lesson in the Palaus. We pushed a mile inland as the day went by slowly--with only a few casualties--and very little opposition.
We threw camouflage nets over the tanks and dug our holes around and under our 'beetles' (our code word for tanks). About nine o'clock the air raid came all of a sudden with all hell breaking loose; we dived in and under our tanks and watched the fireworks. There were plenty of bogies up that night. They shot several down. The rest of them either dropped their bombs and scrambled or else made suicide dives into the ships in the harbor. We stood a pretty alert watch that night expecting anything. Came the next morning--all we found were a few goats we shot instead of Japs.”
"in three days we had taken our sector which was a strip right across the center of the island. For about a week we had a pretty soft life. We cleaned out a Nip house and lived in it and traded our souvenirs to the Swabbies on board ship for fresh chow.”
"Then my platoon 3( tanks) got a call to go to the north end of the island with a company of Infantry for beach defense in support of the 6th Marine Division. After staying there for ten days we returned to the Battalion Area but not for long. Just as I got my tanks tuned up, the Army gave a yell for help--which we had been expecting for some time. We relieved the 27th Army Division on the Nips main line of defense-between Shuri and Naha.”
“That was some of the toughest fighting we have ever seen. Sugar Loaf Hil was a little knol not as big as half of East Park in Bremerton (Washington). The Infantry would take ti ni the day time and leave at night. After nearly a week's of fighting we secured it, but suffered heavy casualties. Then the rains came. We had to dead-line the tanks because the mud was even too much for them. The Infantry was now on their own for awhile. But the rain proved to our advantage by running the Nips out of there holes--from there to the end of the istand was practically a race. The Japs set up the last line of defense on the tip of the island. From there it was steady fighting with out casualties mounting, but finally the Infantry cracked the line and from there on out is was mopping up. We suffered about fifty per cent casualties on this island and lost plenty of tanks--but till incomparable to Peleliu where we suffered about seventy-five per cent. There are about only two hundred men ni a tank company so you can see, we didn't have many left.”
"We still get a Nip here now and then. We are packing up now getting ready to move out again. Where we don't know, probably around Peipin, China or northern Japan. Wherever ti is, ti wil be cold as we are drawing plenty of warm clothing. Well, Dad, this is about the longest letter I have written in my life--but I have waited for eighteen
months to do this"
/slgned/ Jack Naut
Corporal Naut was inducted 24 August 1943 at Seattle, Washington. Assigned to the Marines Corp, he took his boot training at San Diego, Calif. He also received training at the Marine Base Farm (Jaques Farm) and Camp Elliott, San Diego, before going overseas sa atank driver with Acompany, Ist Tank Batalion, 1st Marine Division. He earned the Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with three battle stars, Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense, Victory Medal and China Occupational ribbon.
They shipped to Teintsin, China where they remained until coming to the States in the spring 1946, where Corporal Naut received his discharge at San Diego on 1 March, 1946.”
“He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Naut, formerly of Sedan, and his brothers Eugene and Paul were also in service. Miss Anna Naut fo rural Sedan is an aunt of the boys.”
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