Backus Ensign Standish (1 results)

Ephemera. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. The letter reads "Dear "Hoof" (1), Today has been a rather long day. Sunday, usually a holiday finds me on watch twice (four hours each time) from three fourty five to eight in the morning and the same time in the evening. I'm at "Operations" as asst duty officer with a commander in charge. The place is rather quiet at present. The place is quiet most of the time but the minute we have a crash or fire etc. the place hums with activity. We are in charge of the whole base for four hour shifts. If the emergency is to much for me to handle I call the Commander if he doesn't want the responsible duty he passes it on to the head of the station who is at home asleep. We have had three crashes in two weeks here. When a crash is reported, fire engines ambulances, police, wrecking crews, etc. leave here directed by "Operations". If the accidents at sea we send boats planes, ships in vicinity etc. A dive bomber in the hanger next to us didn't come out of a dive and buried itself & the crew of two 15 feet underground ! A mere six miles from home. Well - Oh! We got a letter from John Carroll (2) who is now (or was then) at Pearl Harbor. Ele and I may be there in three or four weeks but no news yet, only idle rumors and we may be in the East for all I know. It was (and this is Nov. 9) 97 degrees here today. Ele and I went to the beach on a party yesterday & I'm brown and she's black. No fooling she looks like a "Mulato" with a red bandana to hold her hair back. This is a truly wonderful spot, and I wish . could see it. Sorry we can't stay here instead of moving. Bud Miller spent the last week-end here. I told you we had been to Don Ameches home with Polly Ameche and Dons four children didn't I? He has a cute little place he bought from . for no fooling a half-million. 375,000 for the place & 70,000 to furnish it! It looks like a movie set. The Island has (or did you know that we live on an island?) Quite a wonderful view. Sort of like the sketch below. [With a hand drawn map of Coronado and islands] The place is really wonderful - (150 new planes flew over in formation last week!) Beach is good on three sides of island. We go in all winter (if were here). Can't write much more Joe so I'll wait to here from you. John Roosevelt (3) is here as an Ensign too by the way & is a real fellow. A good sport & not at all a prude - works hard. (You should here Millers Mice !!! Well Ta. Ta. and all my love, honey. Love to Mom & Dad, Viv (4) & Dot (5) . & Miller Uncle Joe & etc. Your ugly brother, Stan. As best as I can tell - (1) "Hoof" is reference to his brother Charles Backus who was killed in 1965 while foxhunting, when his horse failed to make a jump and landed on top of him. 2) There are several John Carroll's associated with Pearl Harbor. 3) John A. Roosevelt, the President's son, joined the US Navy in early 1941. At the US Naval Station in San Diego, young Roosevelt applied for sea duty in early 1942, where he saw sea duty in the Pacific Combat zone. 4) "Viv" possibly his sister, Virginia Standish. 5) "Dot" possibly his sister Mrs. Dorothy Lunken. Stan Backus Jr., received a BA from Princeton in 1933. After studying painting for a year in Europe, he moved to California. Late in the year of 1940, he was commissioned Ensign in the U. S. Naval Reserve, and on March 6th, 1941, reported for active duty as a Specialist in Net and Boom Defenses. Thereafter he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on Dec. 1, 1942, and to Lieut. Commander on July 20, 1945. In May 1945 Commander Backus was assigned as a Combat Artist to the Navy's Office of Public Info, and shortly thereafter left for duty in the Pacific, to cover Naval operations in the war area. He was aboard the USS Missouri for the Japanese surrender 9/2/45. In 1955-56 he traveled with Admiral Richard Byrd to Antarctica as part of "Operation Deepfreeze" to record images of the exploration. A NOTED ARTIST.