by Dr. Pelham Mead III.

My father Chief Petty Officer Ken Mead was stationed on the USS Antietam aircraft carrier from August 1944 until August 31, 1945 where he departed for the Island of Okinawa with three other sailors. In my novel, ” Autumn Winds Over Okinawa 1945.” Published 2012 by Xlibris. While on Okinawa the 10th Army refuses to give the sailors any food. My father had to play poker with the officers to win food for the sailors. True story. Two major typhoons hit the island while they were waiting for a ship to take them back to Hawaii. Over 100 ships were sank each time and over a thousand civilians and soldiers died. Japanese snipers were still alive an active on the island and refused to surrender. They were told to die for the Emperor and that is what they did long after their officers were dead. The Americans had to send out patrols each day to hunt down the Japanese soldiers hiding in limestone caves all over the island. In addition all four men caught different jungle diseases, skin infections, bone diseases, malaria, and so on.

It wasn’t until Oct. 14, 1945 that the Battleship Iowa stopped off at Okinawa to rescue the three sailors. The ship was so full of marines and sailors that some had to strap themselves to the stairs on the deck. Read about this case of survival. Purchase the book on Amazon.com.