A Sailor's Letter - Amoy, China 1939
Real LIfe History as it actually happened. Quote: "It is more or less of an international settlement and the Japanese decided they wanted it, until Yarnell and Sir Percy Nobel of the Limey fleet intervened."
Dateline: November 97
The Background
My father served in the United States Navy from 1936 to 1956 and at the time this letter was written was stationed on the USS Boise CL 47. After finding the letter in my father's effects, I attempted to find out a little background on the people and places involved. Amoy (Xiamen) is a city on the south coast of China. The island of Quemoy is located just off the coast of Xiamen. I was able to locate information on all of the ship's mentioned, but was unable to find any information on either Sir Percy Nobel or the Darnell mentioned. I checked all the reference material I had access to. I also wrote to the US Navy Historical Society, BUPERS, and the Royal Naval information services. I received a list of web sites from the Royal Navy and information on the wrong Darnell from the US Navy. If anyone knows of a source of, or has any information on the Darnell and Sir Percy Nobel mentioned in this letter, please send it to me at ratucker@earthlink.net. It will be greatly appreciated. Without further ado, here is the letter!
The Letter
Amoy China July 8, 2025Hello Tuck, Am writing this in answer to your letter that I received the day before my birthday, the fourth of July, and what a lousy day it was too, but I will tell you about it later on in the letter. I guess I told you about the six days leave I had up in Peking, didn't I? I sure had the time of my life up there and I won't forget it very easy either. We have been to Shanghai, Swatow, and Hong Kong since then and now we are in Amoy or rather Kulangsu, which is an island just across the way from Amoy. It is more or less of an international settlement and the Japanese decided they wanted it, until Yarnell and Sir Percy Nobel of the Limey fleet intervened. The Tulsa was in here at the time so they sent an armed landing force over to stay at the American Consulate. We relieved them two weeks ago, yesterday and now I am one of the forty two guys over here. The consulate is a big place so we are living in tents and having the time of our lives. Nothing to do all day long except lay around taking it easy and playing tennis or making liberty. I don't even have to stand watches for I am in charge of the issue room and the armory. The ship is real close, so we get our chow from there for each meal. I am in the armory now writing this. I stood one of the fellow's watches in here just so I could knock off a couple of letters. Mail came in the third and I had a big box of chow from my mother and a bunch of cards and letters. Went ashore as soon as I finished reading them and proceeded to do a little celebrating for my 23rd!! The next day I had the duty so couldn't do very much then. The ship left on short notice that day to pick up some refugees in Hoochow, so we stayed over here. They came back the sixth. We have one more week of this and then I am kissing good bye to China for the last time! We sail for Manila on the 17th and I catch the Henderson bound for the States on the 29th. Will arrive in Frisco on the 24th of August and is it going to be great to get back to God's Country! I will be seeing you before very long and the Boise will be one of my first stops. They have an excess of seamen out here now and that is why I am going back earlier than was expected. I don't know for sure what I will do yet, but I am going to pull some strings and see if I can't get some ship on the East Coast for duty. I have my money for leave in the paymaster's allotment and I can't draw that out until I get paid off. That stops me! Am wondering if I can draw any of that money you and I have in the allotment in Frisco? It's going to be hell to stick around the West Coast if they are going to make me. How do you like the Boise? I may put in for that if I have to stay there. I see your address is San Pedro. Is that where she stays or is it just temporary? I bet you guys were sure singing the blues when they sent the fleet back to Long Beach before going to the New York World's Fair. That sure was hot about your running into Proby way down in Guantanamo Bay. Yes Floyd came in, in December and is now on the Lang (399). I don't know how long he will be on there for he expects to go to the Naval Academy Prep School. Well, Tuck, that concludes about every thing, so will close. Hope to see you during the last of August. Regards to your family when you write. Am sending this by Chinese mail as you wanted. Write soon and cut me in on the dope. As ever, Bunny PS If you write, address it to the Henderson.
Until next week, I bid you "Fair Winds and Following Seas."
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