What It's Like

Like millions of other kids fighting the war, Seaman Jack Cooper had his next leave mapped out. He was going back to Elkhart, Ind., marry his girl Helen (he called her "Big Eyes"), put away some home-cooked meals. Like tens of thousands of others, Cooper never made it. Radioman on a Navy torpedo plane, he was shot down in the Pacific by the Japs, drifted for "weeks alone on a rubber raft. More than a month later a Navy vessel found the frail craft with Cooper's body and on paper leaves in his wallet a record of what a kid thinks about as he dies slowly and painfully. Wrote Cooper after three weeks adrift:

"July 6 -Mom: Wings are in sewing kit, am entitled to all stars and more. Be sure to check ins. etc. 10,000 ins. [Roses] to remind me of Helen. I've always loved her. Love kisses same for you mom, dad and all.

"July 8 -Weak. Can't catch fish ... no rain . . . love big eyes.

"July 10 -Rain last nite very weak land close somewhere.

"July 11 -Mavis [a Japanese fighter plane] flew over . . . no see . . . left eye bad shape . . . still have water.

"July 12 -Little cloudy no planes no land headed north P.M. Jap Nell saw me . . . strafed, hit me, in both legs . . . bandaged them . . . drifting E.

"July 12 [sic] -Very weak from loss of blood . . . land in sight . . . no food since the 4th . . . 6 ounces of water left. . . .

"July 14 -Caught one small fish last PM . . . very slight breeze SE. If this is my last day tell my big eyes to be happy with someone else. I'm back to salt water . . . God bless you all.

"Surprise July 15 tell Helen I found God be happy love. No rain for 2 weeks . . . to Helen I loved her until the end--Jack. I love mom dad and all wish I eat some of her cooking."

Cooper missed rescue by four days.

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