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From late July until
mid-August 1945, Landing Ship Tank (LST) convoys carried the
96th Infantry Division from Okinawa to Mindoro Island,
Philippines. The Division was positioned near the city
of San Jose on Mindoro, where there was an abandoned Navy
airfield and SeaBee camp.
Mindoro had
been seized on December 15, 1944 against meager Japanese
resistance as a prelude to the January 9, 1945 landing on
Luzon, the main island of the Philippines. Due to
success on Luzon, Mindoro was already a backwater of the
Pacific War, thus providing a good rest and training area for
the 96th Division.
Immediately after
Japan's offer to surrender on August 14, 1945, the Division
expected to go to occupational duties with the XXIV Corps in
Korea, with the 7th Infantry Division. However, this
quickly changed to preparing for occupational duty in
Japan. However, after our 381st Infantry Regiment
prepared to board ships for Japan, our Japan assignment was
canceled on October 6, 1945 "because of the acquiescent
attitude displayed by the Japanese to the
occupation".
Because the rainy season had
passed and the climate was not too hot, Mindoro turned out to
be a pleasant location for the 96th Infantry Division.
However, the thoughts of most Deadeyes centered on when they
would be sent to their homes in the United
States.
The Army had established a point
system based on service time and accomplishments to determine
when a soldier would be eligible for shipment home to be
discharged. At first, in August 1945, a high point requirement
was set at 70 for enlisted men and 85 for officers.
Little action followed until, on October 25, 1945, 2,300
high-point Deadeyes were sent to the 31st Infantry Division on
Mindanoa Island for the early shipment home of this
Division.
Then came a lag in shipments
home, and Division leaders tried to counter boredom with
educational, athletic and entertainment programs, One
highlight was a USO troupe that presented the new musical
comedy Oklahoma before many thousands of appreciative
Deadeyes. Other favorites were the enlisted man's club
called "Fatigue Junction", run by the Red Cross, and a fresh
water swimming pool, both in San Jose Mindoro.
Fatigue
Junction - The Division's most popular club during its
sojourn outside the continental limits of the United
States. Miss Albertha Vander Kooi, one of the Red
Cross girls attached to the Division on Mindoro, may be
seen on the veranda.
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another morale boosting attempt, a contest was started to name
the Division "Occupation Girl - changed to "Sweetheart" when
the occupation plans were canceled. Then some irreverent
GIs entered the name of mature actress Marjorie Main, seen as
the sweetheart of Wallace Beery, in a movie viewed on Okinawa
called Jackass Mail. Marjorie, as a "rough tough
girl for a rough tough outfit" swept to a resounding victory
as Sweetheart of the 96th Infantry Division. This
unusual and eccentric selection caught the fancy of newspapers
in the United States.
Additional, but
direct, shipment home of Deadeyes via Leyte Island, did
restart until December 1945. Over 6,600 Deadeyes, down
through 55 points, were shipped home from the 96th Division in
the first half of December. This reduced the Division to
a strength of about 5,000 men, the majority of whom were
Okinawa replacements or new arrivals on
Mindoro.
On December 31, 1945 the 96th
Division was relieved of its Mindoro Command. Next
commenced shipment of thousands of low point men, many Okinawa
Battle replacements, to other commands, with most going to the
86th Infantry Division on Luzon. Finally, virtually all
of the two-battle veterans , 1,714 men with 48 to 54 points
and 104 officers, boarded the transport ship General
Langfitt at Mindoro on January 17, 1946. The
remnants of the 96th Infantry Division left the tranquil
island of Mindoro for home at 2 PM that memorable
day.
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