My father Richard P. Hooker was assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Corp during World War II and based in Okinawa, Japan from February 1945 to March 1946. After his death I found these letters that he wrote to my mother during his time overseas describing his life on the island. The story begins on a cross country troop train from Providence, R.I. to Seattle, Washington and continues with transport to Hawaii and Okinawa, Japan. Passages from his letters read: "I got to talking to a couple of kids (6 in all). They know a little English and it gave me some practice in sign language. All carried on quite a 'conversation.' They ranged from 11 to 15 years of age and all were about the same size. As some airplanes roared overhead one of them said inquiringly to me (and he pointed), 'Tokyo, Boom Boom ' and I agreed." Another reads, "Okinawa isn't the same place it was 9 months ago. Now it has roads, bridges, and I even saw a civilian car today...a staff car without the G.I. paint. I imagine this place in 5 years will be quite a place."