No 407499,
Sgt Goode R.M,
R.A.A.F.
C/o R.A.F.
Records Office
Gloucester,
England.
31/11/41

Dear Everybody,

Am at sea off the Irish Coast, will post this in England. Heres a poor description what we saw in Hawaii. _______

Up at dawn 5:30 A.M. A Catalina Flying Boat ‘talked’ to the ship with an Aldis Lamp, ten minutes later a Flying Fortress flew over the boat, three warships were on the Starboard side.

About 0615 dimly through showers of rain the Mountains of Hawaii came into view.___ Four Warships on the Portside.___ Six different types of aircraft had by this time flown over the ship 0715 A small steam vessel brought out quarantine officials, & they boarded the ship on the Port side. Quarantine inspection 0730.

As we drew into the warf native dived for coins. Looking up above the warf I noticed a large clock tower with the word ‘Aloha’ underneath the clock ‘Aloha’ (love to you farewell or welcome as the case may be)

We were met on the warf by American Red Cross Representatives all Women they had over 100 cars to take all of us round the island (of Oahu) & show us a few of the beauty spots.

Our hostess Mrs Jamie on being introduced to us placed paper leis round our necks & welcomed us to Hawaii. Getting into a new Ford V8 we were driven away along a well kept high-way. Right hand traffic rules, left hand steering wheel, seemed strange at first. A traffic policeman on a motorcycle marking tyres, mass production fines one dollar each, 300 to 400 dollars are collected some days. Along a tree lined road, flowering trees shrubs plants, beautiful homes in wonderful settings. Stopping for cigarettes, (two of the boys smoked) we bought two packets of 20. While having an Ice Cream Soda next door the shop owner from whom we brought the cigarettes appeared & presented us with a carton of 200. Everywhere we went hospitality was dished out on a lavish scale. Mrs Jamie insisted on paying for everything. Our next stop at he Upside down falls, no water flowing unfortunately, the water falls over a cliff & the wind whips it back over another cliff the water actually goes upwards. Set in rugged mountains, every shade of green, tree ferns flowering shrubs, a gorgeous splash of colours here & there in the greens. As we climbed higher & higher, up a winding road we passed many tropical flowers, lots of Hybiscus etc.

The winding road gradually climbed upwards, till near the top of the range we stopped at Nuuanu Pali where in 1795 King Kamehameha fought a battle & brought all the Islands under his rule. Thousands of warriors were driven back over the 1,200 feet precipice. What a view, & what a wind leis & hats blew off & away, (its nearly always windy here). The view of fields of rice & sugar cane, Coconut & Banana groves all shades of green, the dark blue sea in the distance, several small islands in the distance out at sea, & a white surf breaking on Palm lined golden sands.

Down a winding circling, twisting steep road, several times on the way down I found my feet pressed against the front seat. Doing some back seat driving. Down to the sea along a road that hugged the edge of the sea, Hybiscus & Palmed lined. (there are over 1,000 varieties of Hybiscus on the island) highway backed by the rugged beauty of the Nuuanu Pali Mountains. On to Panaluu Park, Mrs Shingles summer residence. Changed into bathers & had a swim before lunch, the water was grand, though it seemed to be extra salt, & one had to avoid cutting feet on sharp bits of coral.

After a shower lunch, every kind of sandwich done up in waxed paper, cake, bananas, beer or fresh pineapple juice to drink.Four Hawaiian Girls played musical instruments, a soft haunting melody. A native girl in a hula dress danced a hula, the Air Force soon formed a good natured jostling ring round the dancer & musicians. Hundreds of photos being taken of the little dancer. After several dancers 30 or 40 of the boys lined up to have their photo taken with their arm round the hula girl.

Leaving early we sped round the coast, passing native huts, a Morman village thousands of acres of Sugar Cane (Hawaiian Green Gold.) Through Pineapple fields past the Schofield Barracks (the largest U.S. Military Post.

The Leilehua High School, to gain entrance you must be at least ¼ Hawaiian, a high standard of education is set, 50 dollars a year covers books etc. Past the Wheeler Aviation Field, the Kohulu Golf Course along the Kamehameha Highway, it branched into 4 lines of traffic. Along Pearl harbour where hundreds & hundreds of homes were being built, mass produced. Many U.S. Naval Craft in the harbour. An Aircraft Carrier, quite a few destroyers, (some anchored in lots of four) cruisers & a lot of smaller craft all in their dark grey, nearly Black coats of paint.

Back through Honolulu past the warves to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Waikiki Beach. A Beautiful Building in a perfect setting, Coconut Palms, beautiful tropical gardens, lawns etc. Through a large arcade, cool gardens to a dance floor by the sea, there at small tables we had a drink served from a bar in a Coconut grove. The beach with its golden sand, blue water, surf, bronzed surf men & surf boats riding in towards the beach on the crest of a foaming rolling wave. (No wonder Waikiki Beach is world famous.) Beach umbrellas, sun bathers, spectators lazing away this paradise for holidaymakers where time goes all to quickly. This is where all the film stars like to go.

We hurried back to the ship as our time for sailing was getting close. Leis countless flowers strung together were being sold by native girls half hidden in their sweet smelling loads. Our hostess hung a lei of fresh blossoms round our necks saying “Aloha”, mine was of ginger flowers very sweet smelling.

On the ship thousands of colored ribbons swirled & swayed in the breeze, every possible space was filled, with a laughing cheering throng, every neck with one or more leis round it, all saying Aloha to Hawaii. There is a Hawaiian saying “Aola oe i noho a ihe ia Hawaii”. You have not lived until you have seen Hawaii.

As the ship drew out the Native boys were again diving, shouting, & frolicking in the water as they dive for coins. The clock tower above the warf faded into the distance, as we drew out, & the words ‘Aloha’ underneath became unreadable.

As the ship left leis were cast into the water. According to an age old legend, if they drift ashore, you will return to Hawaii.

Will write another letter tomorrow have to go on watch in a few minutes.

Love, Ray