the LCI by the surge of water from the screws of the two crafts and was carried about one quarter of a mile away by the current before we were able to pick him up. He was very lucky not to get hurt but was exhausted when rescued.
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Ernie Pyle, the well know newspaper columnist of World War II was killed on Ie Shiraa, an island near Okinawa. On his way there he had stopped at Ulithi and had lunch with us in our chow hall. He wrote many syndicated editorials for several American newspapers.
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All the islands that we had been on were not far from the equator and the weather was hot and very humid in the day, but it did cool off at night, particularly on the islands that were mountainous. The island of Asor was only about ten feet above sea level and it was the hottest one yet. We wore wide brim safari type hats to protect our faces from the sun. When working on the beach (unloading barges) the thermometer would reach up to 120 degrees F. At this temperature the reflection of the sun from the beach sand and the water would blistered our faces.
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