Herbert Mead in Okinawa: Greenwich Time, October 23, 1945

Herbert Mead in Okinawa: Greenwich Time, October 23, 1945

Pfc. Herbert B. Mead, of 7 Relay Pl., Cos Cob, who is now stationed in Tientsin*, China, fought with a heavy artillery unit of the First Marine Division during the Okinawa campaign.

In a letter home he wrote, “I am very thankful that you did not know what I was doing when we were fighting on Okinawa. When I was transferred from the 3rd Amphibious Corps to the First Marine Division, I was changed from radar to radio and I am still in radio. I carried a portable radio on my back in combat. During the operations I was with the Fifth Marines, which is an infantry outfit, as a “forward observer” for the 11th Marines (Artillery). I was on the front lines from April 8 until the fighting ended. The first month we were working with different Army outfits. Boy! I was never so scared in all my life. On an O.P. team there are one officer, two radio men, one scout sergeant and three wire men. Each battery sends out two teams. Of all our men who were up on the line 50 per cent were killed or wounded so I guess I was just lucky for I had many a close call.”

Pfc. Mead graduated from Greenwich High School in June, 1943. A few weeks later he left for Parris Island for training in the Marine Corps. He has been in the Pacific for 19 months.

*Known as Tianjin, coast port.