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Show i INVASION OF THE PHILIPINES AS TOLD IN A LETTER FROM RDM LEON HANSON of our ships get hit with bombs. One sank and others were damaged. damag-ed. It was pretty exciting all the time we were there, and no one on our ship got a scratch. But I saw a couple oi bombs hit the water too close lor comlort. Well inavue I shouldn't have told you this because it might make you worry. But ail the other boys were telling their folks about it, and I imagined you've been' worrying anyway. But please dont, because I am perfectly safe and I have faith that God will protect me. Some of the fellows said that they were not a bit scared. But I can't say that because lor the first time in my li'ie I was scared to death, and I think they were too. But after the first few we shot at and did not get hit, it was fun. I also saw two boys buried at sea. But they were not from our ship. I hope I haven't done wrong By 'celling you. Again I say please don't worry. Just after we left to come back, we hit a typhoon. So -in the last three weeks I've seen everything you read about or seen in the movies. mov-ies. And it all is not so bad as you might think. Pleast don't worry, and write often. . If ther is any-think any-think else you want to know, ask me and I will try to tell you. All my love, LEON The following letter was received last week by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hansen of Windsor Ward Orem, from their son Rdm 3c Leon Hanson, Han-son, stationed somewhere in the South Pacific, with an LST ship, With the amphibious forces: Loen is well known in Pleasant Grove, having graduated from the P. G. High School in 1943. Nvo. 4, 1944 Dearest Folks: Hello, how are you all by now I hope well and happy. As for me I'm swell and in the best of health, and I hope everyone back there is too. Well I didn't hardly intend writing you again until I got mail, and I should get some today. But they 'finally told us that we could tell you about this last invasion. So to begin with the reason you haven't heard" lrom me for the last two or three weeks is because I was in the invasion of the Philli-pine Philli-pine Islands. We hit Ltyie and we got a pretty hot reception. We went early in the morning and it was very quite at first. Then we saw some planes dog fighting Some Japs and our Navy "Hell Cats." In just a few seconds we sawe three Jap planes hit the water. Then the Jap planes were over the convoy and the "Hell Cats" could not come over or they would get shot at too. So they dropped drop-ped back. Well anyway, by that time what the "Hell Cats" didn't get, were over the convoy, and it sounded like all Hell broke loose when all the ships opened fire, and there were planes bursting into flames and hitting the water all around us. After that ali the ships threw up a smoke screen and we hit the beach and started unload-in unload-in soldiers and equipment. We were on the beach about twenty hours unloading equipment and picking up wounded soldiers.. Altogether we were there for days, and was at General Quarters, or battle stations nearly all 'he time. So we were glad to leave" and get some sleep. We shot clown one plane and our ship got credit for it. So we painted a Jap flag on our ship. Most of the boys are pretty proud of that and I am too. About the prettiest thing I ever saw is a Jap plane bursting into flames at night. Because you can sec tracers until it nearly lights up the whole sky. The third night the ship behind us shot down a plane that was headed 'for our ship. It burst Into flames and hit the water about live hundred yards from our ship. We thot he was going to hit us when he came down but he missed. Also saw some |
