A final report by veteran Carl Matthews

I arrived home in Dallas, Texas at noon, July 4, 2004 with more than a month of memories that began on June 3 with a flight from Dallas to Tokyo to Saipan, arriving at 1am and being met by new friend Ken McKinney of Vista Media Services, who presented me with a beautiful mwar mwar of fresh flowers, the traditional headpiece given to visitors as leis are given in Hawaii.

The following days were given to “boonie stomping” the mountainous terrain of Saipan with some of the most exciting individuals I have ever met: Bruce Petty from New Zealand; Kathy Williams, a college professor from New York whose father was mortally wounded on Saipan on July 8, 1944; Eric and Marilyn Robinson, physician and nurse who had sailed from Canada to Midway to Saipan in a 40-foot sailboat; and with islanders Roque Castro and David Camacho.

Other activities included:

* Enjoying “A Taste of the Marianas,” a festival of island restaurants, great food, tons of people (See picture with Lori and Kelly).

* Festivities related to the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of Saipan, which included History Sessions, scores of new friends, a Memorial Service, beach luncheon with the Tenorio family, presentation of 60th Anniversary medals to all veterans, a parade, and a Governor’s Dinner. Thank you, Jerry Facey for a great job!

* Sitting next to Paul Tibbets who flew the atomic bomb to Hiroshima and having my picture made on Blue Beach Two with Mrs. Lee Marvin, widow of the deceased actor who was wounded there on June 15, 1944.

Most of all, I met the local people of Saipan and Tinian, who went out of their way to provide transportation, to spend a day sightseeing, and permitting me to interview older family members who related exciting stories.

Big thanks go to Ken and Meharu McKinney and Andy and Beth Nepaial who lodged me in their homes; Harry Blalock, who interviewed me on radio; Andi Atteberry, who twice interviewed me on television; Sandy McKenzie, escort to the Governor’s Dinner; Cassandra Hamman, who did full page spread in the Saipan Tribune; Marek Rozwadowski MD, who invited me to speak to local Rotarians; others who shared WWII items found in caves and the jungle; and a signed Paul Tibbets book, and Enola Gay cap from Steve Baacke.

In Japan, I had to thanks several people who translated when I needed something to eat, who personally guided me through the complexities of the Tokyo transit system, who shared time with me on the Tokyo tour, and once, when I had forgotten my belt, a sweet lady who presented me with a long ribbon to secure my trousers.

My apologies to the many whose names are omitted…not from lack of remembrance but by limitation of space.

The “fifteen minutes of fame” for this octogenarian and 1944 Marine was extended for almost a full month.

My Texas thanks! Hafa adai, y’all!

P.S. By the way, after the little skirmish at Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands in February 1944, we retired to Maui for serious training in preparation for the Saipan campaign. It was there that I began to embroider a Marine issue cotton cap with the words “TEXAS” in large letters on the right side. On the left was a Marine emblem, the word Pago Pago, Samoa, Roi, Namur, The Marshalls, and Maui, Hawaii, surrounding a harbor scene complete with palm trees. At the rear stood a female figure with a hula skirt that moved. I lost that cap on the night of June 15, 1944 near a concrete bunker on the southeast corner of Chalan Kanoa. If anyone found my cap and still has it, I would be pleased to have it back.