“We Can’t Let This Happen Again”-Ensign Francis Tatem, YMS-346

“We can’t let this happen again.” During World War II, Ensign Francis Tatem wrote these words in a letter while on board the YMS-346. The letter was featured in an article published January 3, 1946 in the Westbury Times, Westbury, NY. The article was sent to me by the son of a sailor who served on another minesweeper, the YMS-75. I thought it was worthy of sharing for its thought provoking subject matter and its timely relevance. Highlights of the article, A Local Man Writes of the Havoc of War, are featured below. The image above is titled Guadalcanal. It was created as a screen print by Jack Whiteman’s grandson Joseph Whiteman in college shortly after 9/11.

In reference to Ensign Tatem’s letter, the writer, who is not identified, states, “ We believe the following paragraph from Ensign Tatem’s letter reflects the general attitude of every man who has had an opportunity to observe the awful havoc of war. “When you see the ruins of such cities as Manila, Tokyo, Yokohama, and Hiroshima, you realize that we can’t let this happen again. Yes, we as Americans have to become people of the world, and cooperate with the world’s leading nations, England and the Soviet Union. We must also aid such countries as China and France. However, we must not overlook our duties in helping the more backward nations advance by aiding them - not by treating them like Great Britain and France.”

The writer goes on to say (and note this was written 79 years ago). -“ A great many people are of the opinion, like Mr. Tatem, that it must not happen again, and in this connection, when the cost of winning a war is taken into consideration, running into hundreds of billions of dollars, it is not extravagant to express the opinion that spending several billions of dollars annually to preserve the peace might in the long run be cheap insurance and help to avert another war say after the elapse of twenty-five or thirty years.”

The article ends with, “Mr. Tatem says “We can’t let this happen again.” If the thirteen or fourteen million men who have shared his experiences will agree along that line, possibly they are capable of making a noise that will penetrate the ears of political America.”

I don’t know when Ensign Tatem joined the crew of the YMS-346. I believe it may have been in 1945 after the YMS-346 was sent to the Pacific to assist with the clean up of the remaining mines in Kobe Harbor. Jack was transferred to the YMS-44 in October 1945 so I don’t know if they served together. An internet search shows Ensign Tatem served on the LST 803 in the Pacific Theatre, prior to the YMS-346. His letter is clearly written from the perspective of a seasoned sailor who has experienced the incredible toll of war.

A previous blog post YMS-346- Photographs of the Crew and Stories - Part 3 included a quote from Yeoman Meyer H. Leavitt when he ran for his local school board after the war. “After serving 44 months in the navy during World War II, operating in both the Atlantic and the Pacific theatres, and receiving two bronze stars, and having observed at close quarters the destruction, waste, suffering and heartaches that are so common with war, I am fully convinced that the only way in which to avert such future catastrophes is by the proper understanding and education of our youth.”

My brother Tom remembers my Dad, Jack Whiteman, talking about the war and saying “I just hope it never happens again”. He remembers Dad telling him that when he was in the South Pacific, he once saw a flyer posted somewhere that caught his attention. The poster said “The whole civilized world is at war, and the savages are at peace.” It made quite an impression on him back then. And in today’s world it makes quite an impression on me, 81 years after D Day, as I try to decifer the distinctions between perspective, truth and propaganda. I pray it will never happen again.