Now that the war was over everyone wanted to go home, right now. Clearly, this was impossible for many reasons, including lack of transportation. Some of the B-29 units used their airplanes to fly home, but this was stopped after several serious crashes occurred, probably due to inadequate maintenance. It upset us no end to learn that brave men who had eaten with us and enjoyed our company, had completed their wartime bombing missions only to die in an aircraft accident while heading for home. Our commanding general, W. W. Irvine, was equally disturbed and ruled that airplane travel was forbidden except for official business and emergencies. There simply were not enough ships to get the men home in a hurry. Some medical specialists would have to await replacements while others would be needed for occupational duty. A point system was set up to bring equity to the demobilization process. Those with longer periods of military service would be given preference over those with less time in service. But humans being what they are, some sought to escape by having their families enlist the assistance of the Red Cross in obtaining emergency leaves. The “emergencies” were, at times, trumped up. One doctor on Saipan arranged to be called home because his wife had given birth. Another went home because his father had died. There were other such excuses for expediting a quick return. The real problem was that none of these individuals was, to my knowledge, ever returned to his overseas post once the “emergency” was over. Medical officers in scarce categories were locked into their positions by the inability to obtain replacements from the zone of the interior. I recall one poor fellow, a captain M.C. and ENT specialist, who had served in forward areas in the Pacific with combat units for over two years, who was being held because there was no replacement for him. He began to drink heavily and was drunk on duty. The commanding officer was contemplating a court-martial for him and asked me for my advice. I looked into the problem and discovered that the doctor had served well for a number of years and had seen his potential replacements rotated back home on an emergency basis, leaving him holding the bag on Saipan.

I reported to the C.O. that I sympathized with the man and did not feel we should court-martial him.