World War II Revisited

            During the evening of Wednesday, October 27, 1999 we received a phone call from Harvey seeking confirmation on the date of the Japanese submarine I-17 shelling of the oil fields of Ellwood, California.  Harvey was to give a presentation to a SCWriP gathering at the Timbers Restaurant the following morning.  The Timbers Restaurant had been constructed from the timbers of the pier, which had been hit during the Ellwood attack of February 23, 1942.  It was an appropriate setting for Harvey who teaches History at Santa Ynez High School.

            During our half hour conversation we also discussed the Japanese “balloon bombing,” shelling of  Fort Stevens at the mouth of the Columbia River, and the two submarine launched aircraft attacks that flew as far as 50 miles into Oregon and dropped incendiary bombs in an attempt to set the woods on fire.  The subject of World War II often comes up during our conversations, but for some reason this conversation with Harvey would trigger a revisit to a dream that I had experienced several times during the latter stages of the war…over 55 years ago.  Once more, The dream was in vivid detail, so vivid in fact that when I awoke at 4:35 a.m.  I was in a sweat and my heart was pounding so loud that I could actually hear it.  The following account of my dream can not do justice to the intense feeling that woke me.

            The setting of the dream was behind our home on Nelson Road in Forks,  Washington.  The general location of the house was across Nelson Road from the Forks Cemetery, where my parents are now at rest.  The dream was first experienced during the tense times of 1944, and before a house had been constructed at the corner of Calawah Way and Nelson Road.  During this period of time we had a clear view of the prairie and the little logging town of Forks, Washington beyond.  The back entrance to the house was through a small inset porch, which was next to the woodshed and on the left wall of the porch was a wooden cooler, which served as that periods refrigerator.  From the back porch, a wooden walkway extended some 8 feet out into the back yard.  It was in this location that the dream occurred. 

            There was always the frightening prospect in the back of everyone’s mind that the Japanese would attack and invade the Olympic Peninsula.   The past propaganda reports of the “Jap’s” brutalities and atrocities against the civilian population (especially women and children) of occupied countries haunted everyone.  I still retain the vivid image of a Japanese Soldier tossing a baby up into the air and thrusting his bayonet into the child as it fell back towards earth.  It was such disturbing thoughts and images that must have triggered my reoccurring dream. The short dream scenario played out like this:

            As I walked out our back door, passed through the small porch, and stepped down onto the wooden walkway, I glanced over my right shoulder towards Forks.  I immediately saw a number of Japanese soldiers in full battle dress running across the distant fields.  The front ranks suddenly dropping to the ground to cover the next advancement of soldiers, and in this manner they moved rapidly forward in a constant wave formation.  As I looked around, I realized that my rifle in my hands, and I dropped to the ground to observe the frightening sight without being a full silhouette target.  I was not aware of my parents being present as I watched the relentless movement of soldiers crossing the prairie towards the house.

            As the “point” reached the corner of Calawah Way and Nelson Road, some 70 yards to the southwest, two soldiers immediately began to set up a tripod mounted machine gun.  My heart pounded as I drew a bead on one of the crouched soldiers, held my breath, squeezed the trigger...the gun misfired and jammed!  I was frantic as I fumbled, tearing at the bolt to discover the cause of the malfunction.  By the time I realized that the gun was completely inoperable, the first units had arrived at the road. As they took up positions, the two soldiers had set up the gun, and it looked as though they were ready to fire...it was at this point that I woke up with a start! 

            When I finally calmed down, I was truly glad that it had all been a terrible dream dredged up from the past. It had been a frightening dream during the war, and even at this point in my life 55 years later it was disturbing.   What brought the dream forth at this late date is certainly a mystery...I had even forgotten about the dream.  Maybe I am yet another victim of post-traumatic stress disorder!

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