Saipan -- Jungle Road

Saipan -- Coral Reef

Saipan -- Sugar Plantation

The first picture shows a bombed sugar plantation. The statue in the second picture was at the plantation. Saipan was known for growing a very large sugar crop each year.

Saipan -- Wawaii Mars

This was a plane that brought in supplies to us on a regular basis. There were three large runways on the island, one for the Marines, the Navy and the Army. Click on the picture above to see them in full size view.

Saipan -- Billboards

These billboards were up all over the island. I am not sure who put them up, but if memory serves me one individual man did them all. I am not sure whether the military sponsored them or not. If anyone knows or remembers, let me know!!

Saipan -- Billboards

Saipan -- Sgt. Tamsen -- 1st Sgt.

Saipan -- Open Gate Chalan Canoa

The native people on Saipan had a fence to keep the Japanese that remained on the island separate. These pictures were kind of a celebration to open the gates. A lot of servicemen came to take pictures. My memory on the details of this are a little sketchy. If anyone can fill me in or correct my memory on this, I would appreciate it.

Saipan -- Al exploring the area

I asked if any of you looking at this recognize this area, can you help me out with some information? And I was so glad to get the following information from the "Saipan Blogger." Thank you so much for your comments:

The top picture looks like Hachiman Jinja in Kagman. It is still around and is taken care of by an old man, Mr. Guerrero.

This is hachiman jinja:http://jetapplicant.blogspot.com/2007/09/nihon-university-visit.htmlIt could also be the shrine in Garapan, excuse me but the name escapes me.

The bottom picture is the old bell tower in Garapan. It is still standing. I've never put a picture of it on my blog, but it stands next to a newer church called Christo Rai Church.

The Saipan Blogger http://jetapplicant.blogspot.com/

Saipan -- Marianas University

The Marianas University was built near the top of the mountain and I used to go after the mail near the university. The army had a big camp up there.

Saipan -- Lake Susupi

Lake Susupi is a fresh water lake on the island surrounded by salt sea water.

Saipan -- Christian Cemetary on Saipan

This cross is all that was left standing of a Christian Church in Saipan that was destroyed by bombs.

Saipan -- Japanese Shrine

Saipan -- General W.W. Irvine Home

General W.W. Irvine was the Commander of the Asiatic Pacific War Theater. That "Sandy" haired guy sitting on the stone wall in front of his house is me, Al Sando! There is a pineapple field nearby but it does not show up in this picture.

Korea -- Bunker Kumhwa 1952

This was my office where I worked in the Kumhwa bunker. The walls were lined with thick cardboard. You can see how they were bowed.

Korea -- Kumhwa October 1952

Korea -- S 1 Personnel

Korea -- Combat area

Al and Nila Christmas 1952

Nila was in Miami, Florida and I was in Korea (Kumwaor Triangle Hill area. I was speaking on the ground phone line to the regimental companies at the front lines (about a ½ mile from me) getting the nightly strength numbers from each company, missing, killed, injured, etc. I started this at 6:00 PM and most days got then all and balanced by 4:00 AM, this information was needed by 6:00 AM for the 7th Infantry Division some miles behind us for the generals etc. I had to be up again at 6:00 AM to do other duties like getting men from the front back for rotation home or R & R (rest and recuperation) to Japan, so most of the days were long and the nights very short, never a dull moment. It sounded like the 4th of July all the time.

Nila's picture was taken in Miami where she and her friend, Hilda, who was a photographer combined the two pictures. Nila painted all the leaves and decorated the card. She sent me one but she did not know I was on the way home but family members in the US received their card in time.

We sent this card to the Korean War Project and they used it for their Christmas card for that year. Out of all the people Ithought it was good to get it in there. You can click on the links below to see the Korean War Project and the December 25, 2003 newsletter where they used our card as their Christmas card that year and it was sent to 30,000 some members and others.

You can click on this link to see the card as it appeared in the newsletter:

http://www.koreanwar.org/html/newsletter_december_25_2003.html

The link to the Korean War Project: http://www.koreanwar.org/index1.html

The link to the Korean War Project newsletter archive:
http://www.koreanwar.org/html/newsletter_archive.html