Tag: Pacific War

An excerpt from my latest book: “Red Jewel.”

Ted’s Letter To Jim

“Dear Jim

If you are reading this then you made it to Saipan safely.
Congratulations. That is quite the accomplishment. You should be
proud of yourself. Enjoy your stay there. I hope you can get out and
enjoy all that Saipan has to offer you and Nigel, especially after such a
long sail from Honolulu. Good luck with your continued adventures.”

“Thanks Ted.” Jim said aloud.

“I hope that you have a chance to see this small island nation for what
it truly is. In my mind Saipan is a paradox of our creator.”

“I will Ted. Unfortunately, Nigel didn’t make it. Paradox? How?”

“On the one hand you will see the island as a tropical paradise or at
least an oasis for the modern times that we live in, not unlike Hawaii,
while on the other hand it was the scene of atrocities and a tragedy
that were committed on a scale that is impossible for me to describe
or to comprehend. I do not mean to say that to undermine the horror
and the atrocities that were committed in Europe during World War
Two. No, but the terror that was the Battle of Saipan, as part of the
America’s war in the Pacific, was more in your face war fighting. It
was up close and personal. Its impact affected every one of us who
were involved in it…differently and personally. It was traumatic in
every sense of the word. It was a shock. It belied our beliefs and sense
of righteousness. It became a nightmarish facet of our existence. The
tragedy that was Saipan was the extent to which the human condition
can fall when evil is allowed to set its course. Even to this day, Jim,
some thirty years on, it galls me and plays on my conscience. I have
nightmares just thinking about it.

“Jeez Ted, what are you getting at here?”

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