The feature page about interesting people, places and things to do Section B OH! Wednesday, August 31, 2005 THE BATTLESHIP USS MISSISSIPPI as it looked during World War II. ship, just 100 yards from the USS Missouri, where the official end of the war Members of its crew witnessed the signing of the surrender papers from their was declared on Sept. 2, 1945. —Gene Leitner photos Oberlin man was there when Japan surrendered Sailor remembers historic end to World War II By MARY LOU OLSON a castle. Shuri Castle on Okinawa, Military personnel at home and which was the headquarters of the abroad 60 years ago, along with Japanese forces, was touted as be- those on the home front, rejoiced ing impossible to destroy. The when the official end of World War Mighty Missy completely de- II was declared on Sept. 2, 1945, stroyed it and also fired more mil- aboard the battleship USS Missouri lions of tons of steel at the enemy in Tokyo Bay. than any other U.S. Navy ship dur- Gene Leitner, an Oberlin man ing the War.” who was serving with the U.S. Navy “When the war was officially aboard the USS Mississippi, re- over, we had a two-day celebration members the day well, since his ship after serving those 20 months over- was docked alongside the Missouri seas in the South Pacific, then we got for the historic event. a 30-day leave before receiving our He said he witnessed the signing, discharge at Dodge City,” Mr. which brought peace to the world Leitner said. “When we arrived in after nearly half a decade, from just the States, I was so happy that I bent 100 yards away. down and kissed the U.S. soil. The USS Mississippi was chosen “I got into McCook at 4 a.m., so I to be in Tokyo Bay for the surren- checked into a hotel, took a shower der mainly because the original USS and spent the night before calling Mississippi had anchored there in my parents. My mother checked me 1853 in the same location, he said. over thoroughly to be sure I was not The headline above a picture of injured.” the ship in the Aug. 30, 1945, edi- He received an honorable dis- tion of The Oberlin Herald, said, charge on May 25, 1946, from the “USS Missouri to be scene of his- Naval Personnel Separation Center DECKED OUT in his Navy uniform, Gene Leitner of Oberlin toric Jap surrender. Below, the cap- in Norman, Okla., signed by the tion declared: “The United States commander, Capt. Carlson. (above) as he looked during World War II. He and his wife, Navy’s mighty 45,000-ton battle- Mr. Leitner married Marcella Marcella, are shown on their farm near Traer following the ship, the USS Missouri, will end her Riepl, daughter of Bill and Anna war. World War II career in a blaze of (Hutfles) Riepl of Herndon, on May glory Sept. 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay, 25, 1949, and they farmed in the when she serves as the scene of the Traer area until retiring and moving historic unconditional surrender of to Oberlin in 1990. ‘WAR’S END KISS’ was a popular photo in 1945 after a U.S. Japan to the United Nations. They have three daughters, Proudly bearing the name of the Navy sailor grabbed a stranger in New York. The Leitners’ Patricia Tongish, who assists her home state of President Harry daughters found a purse for their mother with the above pic- husband in his auto body business at S.Truman, the fightng USS Mis- ture on it. Newton; Barbara Leitner, a teacher souri has been named by the General at Kirtland Elementary School at of the Army Douglas MacArthur, USS Mississippi, where I served as trance of Tokyo Bay,” he said, “we Farmington, N.M.; and Donna Wil- Supreme Allied Commander, as the a gunner’s mate third class.” had our guns pointed at Tokyo, son, a registered nurse practitioner locale of the formal ending of the The Mississippi crew assisted ready for any unforseen action. As at Via Christi Hospital in Wichita. war in the Pacific.” with the invasion of the Marshall far as the eye could see, and to the They have five grandchildren. A farm boy from Traer, Mr. Islands, using 14-inch big guns to horizon, was every type of ship, the Since the war, Mr. Leitner said, he Leitner said he enlisted in the Navy destroy a sea wall at the western end most I had ever seen assembled at and his wife have attended some of just after he turned 17. He attended of the island. They also fought in one time.” his Navy reunions and several bud- grade school at Traer and completed battles at Kavieng Diversion, at In a story, a shipmate, E M 2/C dies have visited at their farm home. the two years of high school there. New Ireland; Palau Islands, the Phil- John Yakushik, wrote, he said, “On “We took them to a lamb fry at the Russell Anderson was principal and ippines, in preparation for the inva- Aug. 31, 1945, the formal surrender Herndon Veterans of Foreign Wars a teacher at Traer and his wife, sion of Leyte and Luzon; a sea battle drew near. The Mississippi was or- Post, which they really enjoyed,” he Melba, also taught there. Mr. at Surgo Strait; and Okinawa. dered to enter Tokyo Bay and an- said. Leitner was one of four sons of Paul After Okinawa was secured, Mr. chor in the approximate area where Mr. Leitner is a member of the and Theresia (Wendelin) Leitner. Leitner said that the “Missy” joined Commodore Perry had anchored the Herndon VFW and Oberlin Ameri- The others were Robert, Marvin and the main body of the Third Fleet. first Mississippi in 1853. When the can Legion. Jerald. Mr. Leitner said he lost many surrendering was completed, we After the war ended, Mr. Leitner “I enlisted at the courthouse in shipmates during those battles, and were homeward bound, to the city said that the USS Missouri was re- Oberlin, then boarded the “polly- he often helped prepare the bodies of New Orleans, U.S.A., by way of tired to the harbor at Honolulu, but wog” train at Traer, which took me before they were buried at sea. the Panama Canal. From New Or- the Mississippi was later sold as to Kansas City,” he said. “I was sent “We always said ‘The Lord’s leans, the ship was ordered to Nor- scrap iron to Japan. to Farragut Idaho, where I com- Prayer’ at the close of each service,” folk, Va. “Although the Navy did its share pleted two months of boot training. he recalled. “The USS Mississppi BB41 holds in winning World War II, we never After a short leave, we went to “After the war ended on Aug. 14, the sole distinction of all capital could have done it without all the Brementon, Wash., for six weeks of our ship arrived near Tokyo Bay on ships of the line during World War help of the other branches of the training, then were assigned to the Aug. 27 and as it stood by the en- II in the U.S. Navy for knocking out military,” he said..