September 1942 — June 1945

The diary

389 entries in the order Elmer lived them. The first eleven are dated months apart and cover nearly two years of training and island duty; from the day he came aboard The Sullivans he wrote every day. Chapter headings, eleven in all, mark the way, and a map alongside keeps track of where he was as you read or listen. Search for a person, place, ship, or phrase, or simply begin at the beginning.

Every entry can also be listened to. The readings are computer-generated, about 69 minutes in all. The voice is not Elmer’s.

His senior portrait, from the family’s copy of his high school yearbook. The page →

December 1944

Dec 16 1944

Nice weather. Had bogies last night but no attacks. Supposed to have mail waiting for us.

Listen0:08

January 1945

Jan 4 1945

Still cloudy. Had bogies come into eighteen miles last night but they couldn’t find us. The weather is really getting cold around here. It’s the first time we have had to use blankets.

Listen0:12

Jan 9 1945

Plenty rough. One bogie shot down is miles from us and one over our formation. No damage was done. Main body of troops landed on Luzon today. We are heading into the China Sea to head off Jap fleet if they come down. This will be the first time any U.S. ships have been in here since the fall of the Phillipines. Hope we get something.

Listen0:20

Historical context

EDITORIAL NOTE

Into the South China Sea

The South China Sea raid (designated Operation Gratitude) was an operation conducted by the United States Third Fleet between 10 and 20 January 1945 during the Pacific War of World War II. The raid was undertaken to support the liberation of Luzon in the Philippines, and targeted Japanese warships, supply convoys and aircraft in the region. After attacking airfields and shipping at Formosa and Luzon, the Third Fleet entered the South China Sea during the night of 9–10 January. Aircraft flying from its aircraft carriers attacked Japanese shipping off French Indochina on 12 January, sinking 44 vessels.

From Wikipedia, “South China Sea raid”, text under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article ↗

Jan 15 1945

Rough weather. We are on picket fifty miles ahead of formation. Had GQ at 0030. Bogie turned out friendly. The temp is down to 56 now. Thats cold for us.

Listen0:14

March 1945

March 9 1945

Had GQ at 9099. These guys in here are really jittery. Bogie turned out friendly. Had GQ again at 0930. This is getting pretty montonous.

Listen0:13

March 18 1945

Nice weather. Bogies followed us in last night, so they must be waiting for us. We were attacked at 0500 this morning. Seven planes shot down.

Listen0:11

March 23 1945

Pretty wet today. Going to Ulithi instead of Siapan. Had GQ at 1000 this morning bogie turned out friendly.

Listen0:10

Saipan, Mariana Islands Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands

April 1945

April 22 1945

Nice weather. Had GQ at 2:30 last night. Shot a bogie but he got away. Had an attack at 1530 but planes kept pretty well in the clear. Will refuel tomorrow.

Listen0:14

May 1945

May 6 1945

We are now on picket. No bogies as yet.

Listen0:05

May 11 1945

Went to GQ at 2230 this morning. Bogie was shot down by CAP. Later on Bunker Hill was seriously hit about 23:00, burned badly. She was hit by two suicides. I went swimming to help pick up survivors. We have about 100 survivors aboard. The smile the survivors gave us will be something to always remember.

Listen0:21

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)

Historical context

EDITORIAL NOTE

The burning of the Bunker Hill

USS Bunker Hill (CV/CVA/CVS-17, AVT-9) was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II for the United States Navy. Commissioned in May 1943, Bunker Hill was the first U.S. Navy ship to have been named for the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, and received the Presidential Unit Citation in recognition of her distinguished service throughout the Pacific Theater. From late 1943 through 1945, Bunker Hill took part in major operations including the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaigns, the raid on Truk, the capture of the Mariana and Palau Islands, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the air raids on Formosa and Japanese home islands, and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa during the final drive toward the Japanese mainland.

From Wikipedia, “USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)”, text under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article ↗

May 20 1945

Patrolling off Okinawa. Nice weather. No bogies. One four motored Jap plane was shot down today. Four men bailed out. Wrote five letters.

Listen0:11

Okinawa

May 25 1945

Raining and foggy. Had G.Q. at 2145 but bogie did not come in. Will probably refuel tomorrow.

Listen0:09

* Dates read as Elmer wrote them. An asterisk marks a date that is approximate, or that the diary records differently from the day it actually was; hover or focus it for the correction. Underlined terms link to the glossary. Chapter headings, notes marked “From the records”, and the map’s account of where he was are editorial.

Opening the diary…

After the last entry

What the papers say next

The diary ends on June 18, 1945, with the ship under orders home. The Navy’s paperwork and the family’s papers carry the story from there.

The Sullivans reached San Francisco on July 9, 1945. On July 15 he was advanced to signalman first class, and on July 23 he married Dorothy, the girl he wrote to, in Olympia. He left the ship on October 10, and on October 26, back in Shelton, he registered with the local draft board, “unemployed – just discharged,” and signed the card. The records →