The trip from San Francisco took 28 days.
On the 28th day, we woke up in the morning, and the ship seemed very solid.
I scrambled up the stairs as soon as I got awake, and we couldn't see the land, but the ship was stopped and anchored, and there was quite a fog on the, on the bay.
But as you looked up, you could see this breathtaking view above the fog, and the sun was shining on Mount Fuji.
It was the most beautiful sight and surprising sight I think I've ever seen in my life.
You're listening to love and radio.
I'm Nick van der Kolk.
Today's episode, occupation.
Hi, Therese.
It's Monday morning, November 15, ordering into you from Yuma, Arizona.
Lori and I have been down here about a week, and we're kind of getting settled in, so maybe I thought I'd start to attempt it.
You realize I'm not a storyteller, and I thought I'd just start to tell you about the situations and the times and the different experiences, and you're the one that's going to have to make.
A story out of it.
Okay.
This story starts in the late fall of 1944.
I just turned 18 in October.
I received my greetings from Uncle Sam about two weeks after my 18th birthday and was soon on my way to a small army base just south of Denver.
During that summer of 1945, the war in Japan was starting to go our way.
General MacArthur would return victoriously and express new confidence that the Japs will be smashed into unconditional surrender.
We moved troops from the european theater over into the South Pacific.