The Beast of Kerama Retto

''This journal belongs to Sergeant Edward Boyington of the 77th Infantry Division. According to Sergeant Boyington,who died recently of heart failure, It contains his accounts of the first stages of the battle of Okinawa.''

March 26, 1945
We were the first group of guys to be sent ashore on the island called Kerama Retto, 15 miles just west of Okinawa. Our job was to secure the island for our fleet to anchor in. Suicide boats from the Japanese were a threat to our navy, thats why we have to secure the island as soon as possible to reduce the risk of losing a number of our warships before the actual on the mainland attack starts. After all, all this was just Phase 1 of the plan.

It was our first day, yet the Japanese attacks were heavy and constant. It really comes to show that these soldiers are determined to do anything to stop us and to protect their homeland from being taken. But we were just relentless. From groups of 80, they were taken down to numbers less than 10.

March 27, 1945
No attacks were observed today. We saw no enemy movement. My squad was sent by our C.O. to report any enemy movement on the hills. For hours we looked, and for hours we saw nothing. We were about to head back until we came across an empty japanese pillbox, or at least we thought it was empty. We got in, and what we saw inside was absolutely sickening.

We saw the bodies of dead Japanese soldiers, mutilated. Their limbs were torn off, their chests were ripped open, and their faces were horribly disfigured. blood, flesh, and internal organs were all over the wall. It was a terrible sight. Even a soldier like me could not stand staring it.

It was getting dark. So we got out, went our way back and decided to report everything in the morning.

March 28, 1945
I didn't sleep well because I kept thinking of what had happened to those Japanese soldiers in the pillbox. I reported to our C.O. and told that we never saw any movement from the enemy yesterday, though I never told him anything of what we had seen. What's important is those bastards are dead, and theres nothing to stop us. Once again, there was no attack, no engagement with the enemy, and once again, we were sent back into those hills, this time farther, to report any movement coming from the Japanese.

We came across the pillbox but didn't bother checking it out. It was only a waste of good time, so we just kept moving. After a long walk, My squad and I found a tunnel made by the Japanese. We knew these tunnels from the marines who fought on Peleliu. All of us agreed to check it out and to see what's inside. We fixed bayonets just incase we encounter the enemy.

As we got inside, we saw rifles and brass on the ground. We turned our flashlights on as we got deeper into the tunnel. Not long enough, we found the bodies of dead Japanese soldiers, same description as those in the pillbox: limbs torn off, chest ripped open and internal organs ripped out. We thought of heading back until we heard something just ahead of us. It sounded like flesh being torn. We pointed our flashlights directly ahead to see what was making the sound.

We saw a tall, dark creature feeding on the corpse of a Japanese soldier. It had long claws, an almost human-like head and had no eyes. For some reason, we just stood there, until it looked at us and gave out a screech. We ran as fast as we could out of the tunnel but the beast chased us and was able to grab two of my comrades. When we got out, all we heard was screaming and tearing of flesh.

March 29, 1945
Private Wharton and I are the only ones left in our squad. We got lost finding our way back, so we ended up here, somewhere in the middle of the forest. We considered calling for help, but we were afraid it would attract the beast. We didn't know what to do. Private Wharton was having nervous breakdown. I tried to comfort him. At some point, he pointed his rifle at me. He thought that if we were to die here. we would die without getting eaten by the beast. I disarmed him and told him to keep his grip. He started crying.

That night, we heard a familiar sound, a screeching sound. It was the beast! It was searching, probably for food. Private Wharton hid under a tree while I hid on dense foliage. The creature seemed to be getting drawn to Private Wharton's whimpering, so I threw two stones on a different direction and the beast seemed to follow it. It vanished, we ascaped it once again.

March 30, 1945
We haven't had food for two days. We were getting hungry. We still kept on finding our way back. Everytime we thought we were almost out of the forest, we would end up on the very same spot where we began. Private Wharton's actions were getting worse. He kept complaining, and complaining, and complaining. I was also starting to lose it because of him. He was just uncontrollable. I aimed my rifle at him, and to my surprise, he quickly disarmed me and pointed the gun at me. I thought this was it. I thought I'll never see my wife and kids again. I thought this is where he shoots both of us. I was wrong.

He pointed the rifle on another direction and fired a couple of shots. He called out for the beast and demanded me to run. At first I thought he had completely lost it, But it turned out he was trying to help me, to get me outta here. I started running as fast as I could, as far as I could. I heard gunshots, then a scream, then a loud shriek. I ran and ran until I was almost out of breath. Then I saw movement, It was our guys! Finally, relief! I approached them. They saw me come towards them. They told me to stop, but before I could act, I lost conciousness.

I woke up, lying down on a stretcher inside a medical tent. our C.O. came in and asked how was I feeling. I responded with a nod. He asked me what had happened. I didn't want him to react in disbelief, so I made up a story. I told him that we were captured by the Japanese and that I was the only who got out alive. He accepted it, told me to get some rest, and got out of the tent.

March 31, 1945
The whole Island was secured. It's really funny because we have not encountered the Japanese for days, or at least me and my squad didn't. I find it difficult to laugh about it, for everything I've been through in this island, and only I knew what really happened. We are to be shipped out of here tomorrow to our next destination.

All I want was to get out of this Island, to avoid the beast responsible for the deaths of my comrades, who stood and fought with me since Guam. I hope that's the last time I see it.