Watched Jap Peace Envoys Land
Sioux City Sergeant Describes Arrival of Emissaries
Sgt. Bergeron J. Norris, Sioux Cityan “somewhere on Ie Shima,” was one of “a few thousand G.I.s strung out along the air strip,” when the two Japanese planes, bearing surrender emissaries, flanked by B-25s, landed for transport to Manila for that first historic conference leading to peace. He told his parents of the experience in a letter in part as follows;
“Remember about a year ago when I wrote about seeing one of the most beautiful sights of the war*** the day our fighters came into the Philippines? Well, yesterday I saw the second most beautiful sight, the same fighter planes, but this time flying escort to two others. Those two other planes were carrying the Japanese emissaries.”
“I never thought I would be so glad to see two Japanese planes in all my life, *** P-38s flew just behind the Japanese planes which were flanked by B-25s. The 25s circled once, then landed. The Bettys circled three times, then came in. The 38s continued to circle until both Bettys were on the ground. Then everyone felt a lot better. The Japs piled out of the two Bettys and lined up. One of the boys saw them pretty close and said they looked a little peeved.”
“In spite of the good news, everything was pretty quiet. There was little celebration. The fellows had been kept in suspense too long for one thing, and then it all seemed too good to be true. I can’t tell you what my feelings are because they’re all messed up. It’s really just one great relief.”
The letter was dated August 20, “somewhere on Ie Shima.”
Source: The Sioux City Journal, September 9, 1945 (photo included)
