I don't know how to stress how hot it was there. The sun was so intense. My initial sunburns were gone, they were replaced with skin that was like leather. Years ago, I had been to the Puget Sound in Washington state. The ocean water there was close to fifty degrees, it was cold. Here the water was nearly always eighty degrees. Since the water was so pleasant, we swam all the time. It was one of the only activities we could do besides soldiering and burning up. We were told the Japanese never swam or took showers. They must have been a stinky lot. At least we all thought so.

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After laying around for a while, I was given the opportunity to volunteer for a duty no one else wanted. If I accepted, I would be promoted to sergeant, given a hefty raise in pay, and have the chance to stay out of the heat for a significant amount of time each day I was able to do my volunteer work. I soon found that volunteering in the Army could have significant rewards.

After the Marines were done in taking an area, they made sure it was clear of Japanese holdouts. But the Army, in their wisdom, decided that in holding an area and really cleaning it up required they be doubly sure no Japanese soldiers had been able to slip by the American cleanup efforts. And that was my volunteer job. I decided to be the one that looked into caves and made sure there were no Japanese threats left in our area. Many of the guys in my regiment thought it was dangerous or at least high risk work. I didn’t think so. The way the Japanese fought, most of the lingerers in caves were either dead or starving. Many of the dead ones had committed suicide by what they called hari-kari. The dead bodies had to be treated carefully. Many times they would booby trap their bodies because the Japanese loved to take others with them. I think the live ones were surprised the American’s would even check on them. The Japanese did not like to be taken prisoner, but a starving Jap wanted food. I think the lack of food would cloud their judgment. Starving Japs were very compliant. When I first volunteered, my commanding officer gave me a 45 caliber pistol and sent me into a cave. It turned out to be easier work than I thought. Since I did not have to dispose of the bodies, it was a piece of cake. After New Guinea, the Army sent me to Biak Island. Biak was only about one hundred miles away from New Guinea. While stationed on Biak, all I had to do was go through caves. I got good at going through caves. I even figured I would make a bit of a show of it. I did not want others to think I was into something too easy. I wanted them to think I was resistant to some degree. I made it seem like I did not want to go into the caves. I think they bought my show, hook, line, and sinker. I never heard any scuttlebutt about Boyle. No one thought it was easy. They were happy I was doing it.