1

He says, “I have just returned from about 18 mos. in Hawaii, and I have been
assigned to a schoel here. Two of my instructers were with T. P. threughout
his career in the M.C. - and left him just before the Guam campaign where he
was killed. . . . They told of T. P.'s popularity with his men and efficers.
Of ceurse, T. Pe didn't always de things in the prescribed military manner -
but he always get them dene - and well dene. They chuckled abeut the way

T. P. would mother and worry over the beys in his platoon - according te them,
"Tepe was like an old mother hen with a brood." And naturally his boys loved
him for ite They told of several instances when a man who was causing trouble
in another eutfit would be transferred to T. P.'s, and T. P. would make a
geod man out ef him. .

“As yeu prebably know, T. Pe was recreation officer for his battalion,
and Fairfield teld how on Guadalcanal, when everyone else was ‘taking a siesta,
IT. Pe would get his boys out fer a fast game of basketball - and play himself,
toee You remember how religious he was = they teld ef one night in their hut
in Ne. Zealand - a gunner was saying seme things abeut religion that T. P.
didn't like - he tolerated it just se long - then calmly rose - socked the
gunner right on the jaw and breke it in three places. This might seund a bit
eut of line, but these two assured me that the gunner really had it coming. .
- « It is a tragedy that T. P. Hunter won't come back, but it is up to the
rest of us to make ourselves deserve sacrifices such as his."

The great leve that T. P.'s college chums had fer him is evidenced by
the fact that I received a letter from ome of his dear friends, enclosing a
check for $100.00, the same to be used asa living memorial in henor of this
great Marine. A committee will be named te work out this memorial.

Te Pe Hunter, in every man's language, was a first class fighting man,
a practical Christian, an athlete that any ceach weuld qualify as teps in
his book. He was afraid of nothing. Men followed him for the power that he
pessessed and fer the tenderness and kindnesses that were his.

"His life was gentle, and the elements
So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up
And say te all ef the werld, 'This was a mani'"

When I see so many boys from the battle frents whe drep in my effice
here in Rebinsen Gymnasium, I feel very much as Frances Burns did in de-
seribing a Lte Jones when he said that he weuld be sitting at 12:30 talking
te ene of his squadmen and at 2 o'cleck he weuld be dead. "In all, 72 of
these 94 men died in action. They meant more te me than anybedy I'd ever known,
and new when I dream I get all mixed up. They are the living and I am one of
the dead. I have te turn the light om and leek at their pictures to know
where I belong." As I look at T. P.'s picture each merning on my dresser,
I wonder if this isn't the: state ef mind of most ef our beys whe have been in
mortal combate A thousand times mere de I realize hew you beys on the many
fighting fronts, in these bitter battles, count the living and the dead and
be confused. When you come back yeu will want to be left alene to work out your
own adjustments. The men whe are fighting are only concerned with getting ~
heme again. They will get back in the groove if the home front will give them
plenty eof time. 2

Of course, you will want your old jeb back, as good or even better than
the ene you had when you left. It is up te the Selective Service boards te
shew the same fidelity in serving yeu now as you showed te your country when
you served them and the rest of us here at home. Of course, most of you beys
will want te continue your education, and rightfully se. The G. I.Bill of

137