Letter from Robert Lanter to Preston Lanter
Title
Letter from Robert Lanter to Preston Lanter
Subject
World War, 1939-1945
Description
Lanter discusses how the end of World War II was celebrated during his service in the United States Navy. He also mentions the bombs dropped on Japan.
Transcript:
Aug. 10, 1945
Dear Dad,
This day will remain in my memory the rest of my life. The Pacific war is suposed [sic] to be over.
We were all on the bow of the ship watching a movie and then all of a sudden whistles and horns and sirens started to sound off. I had an idea what it was as soon as it happened, then someone shouted "the war is over." In two minutes I wish you could have seen the sight.
I am in one of the biggist [sic] harbors out here and it is full of ships, hundreds of them, big and little. Every one of them turned on every thing they had. All kinds of signal and serch [sic] lights, most of them arc lights.
There were bells and best of all I wish you could have seen the fire works. The Navy has or at least had a lot of flairs [sic] for different uses well for miles on each side all you could see was color. Mostly red, white and green.
We had the kind that you hold but the best kind were the ones that were fired up in the air. They go up about 2 or 3 hundred feet and they start burning and a little chute opens and it comes down slow. Do you remember the fire works at the world fair, well that was just a warm up compaired [sic] to this.
We are anchored [redacted] and we put up a lot more than they did. Every one just about went crazy with joy.
Things are beginning to ease up now. It's after midnight and we started about 9 o'clock. We are all out of breath and ammo.
I can't begin to explain how things are so I guess I'll close for now.
This sure has been a week. First on Mon. we dropped the first bomb and then later in the week Russia got in with us and today or yesterday we dropped the second bomb and now the Japs have had enough I guess.
I'm glad we didn't drop one on Tokio [sic]. I don't want it all torn to peaces [sic] when I get there. I sure hope I get there and it would not surprise me if I do.
Well it's sort of late and I guess I had better close for now.
Write and tell me what it was like in the states.
Lots of love
Robert.
Transcript:
Aug. 10, 1945
Dear Dad,
This day will remain in my memory the rest of my life. The Pacific war is suposed [sic] to be over.
We were all on the bow of the ship watching a movie and then all of a sudden whistles and horns and sirens started to sound off. I had an idea what it was as soon as it happened, then someone shouted "the war is over." In two minutes I wish you could have seen the sight.
I am in one of the biggist [sic] harbors out here and it is full of ships, hundreds of them, big and little. Every one of them turned on every thing they had. All kinds of signal and serch [sic] lights, most of them arc lights.
There were bells and best of all I wish you could have seen the fire works. The Navy has or at least had a lot of flairs [sic] for different uses well for miles on each side all you could see was color. Mostly red, white and green.
We had the kind that you hold but the best kind were the ones that were fired up in the air. They go up about 2 or 3 hundred feet and they start burning and a little chute opens and it comes down slow. Do you remember the fire works at the world fair, well that was just a warm up compaired [sic] to this.
We are anchored [redacted] and we put up a lot more than they did. Every one just about went crazy with joy.
Things are beginning to ease up now. It's after midnight and we started about 9 o'clock. We are all out of breath and ammo.
I can't begin to explain how things are so I guess I'll close for now.
This sure has been a week. First on Mon. we dropped the first bomb and then later in the week Russia got in with us and today or yesterday we dropped the second bomb and now the Japs have had enough I guess.
I'm glad we didn't drop one on Tokio [sic]. I don't want it all torn to peaces [sic] when I get there. I sure hope I get there and it would not surprise me if I do.
Well it's sort of late and I guess I had better close for now.
Write and tell me what it was like in the states.
Lots of love
Robert.
Date
10 Aug 1945
Format
text
Language
eng
Type
document
Identifier
2014a015-b2-f01
Collection
Tags
Other Media
Citation
“Letter from Robert Lanter to Preston Lanter,” Digital Collections, accessed January 26, 2020, https://digitalcollections.eku.edu/items/show/7000.