Gender

Male

Birth date

1925-1-30

Place of birth

Watsonville CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1944-9-17, Fort Douglas UT

Enlistment type

Draftee

Service branch

Army

Service type

War,peacetime

Units served

9th Infantry Division - Quartermaster and 9th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop

Military specialty

Infantry; Rifleman; General Clerk

Stationed

Camp Blanding, FL; Germany.

Separated

Camp Beale CA

Unit responsibility

9th Quartermaster - Guard prisoners and distribute food and clothes. 9th Cavalry Recon Troop - Keep the peace.

Personal responsibility

Guard German and Polish prisoners; Distribute food and clothes; As a clerk, updated rosters, typed letters, etc.

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

Occupational force in Germany.

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; Good Conduct Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Army of Occupation Medal

Living conditions

Stayed in German barracks. Had showers and baths. Meals were very good. For entertainment went to company dances, played cards with my buddies, and took tours to Denmark, Switzerland, and France.

Most vivid memory of military experience

Me, a small guy with a '45' pistol guarding a dozen over six foot German SS prisoners - by myself! In the reconnaissance troop, we stopped refugees-prisoners from rioting.

Missed most whilst in the military

Home with my family. I appreciated Mom washing my clothes, etc.

Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?

War is terrible - destruction of homes, buildings, starving children, homeless people, etc. Fortunately it didn't happen here in the USA. I'm proud to have served in the US military

Additional information

Was a farmer. Started farming in Watsonville with his brothers and grew strawberries on his own until his retirement in 2000. He continued tending to his greenhouse garden at home. Was a devoted and active member of the Watsonville Buddhist Temple.