Gender

Male

Birth date

1930-9-1

Place of birth

Honolulu HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

1948-10-28, Honolulu HI

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War,peacetime

Unit type

Combat

Units served

1st Cavalry Division, 8th Regiment
8309th Army Unit Hawaiian Signal Corp

Military specialty

Auto Mechanic
Radio Operator
Radio Repairman

Stationed

USA: Fort Ord, CA; Fort Eustis, VA; Honolulu, HI
Other Countries: Tokyo, Japan; Korea

Separated

Schofield Barracks, Honol HI

Unit responsibility

Motor Pool
Supply electronic equipment and maintain/repair same.

Personal responsibility

Auto mechanic
Radio Operator
Radio and audio amplifier repairman

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

Beginning of Korean War. June - October 1950. Pusan, Taegu Korea.

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

Japan Occupation Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge par. 4, SO 165, 8th Cav. 17 Aug. 50
Korean Service Medal w/1 Bronze Service Star
Good Conduct Medal GO 7 HQ 8309th AU APO 958
UN Service Medal
Purple Heart GO 171 HQ Tokyo Army Hospital APO 1052

Living conditions

Slept in barracks
Bathed in community shower room in barracks
Meals prepared in mess hall were OK
Entertainment on base included movies and pool (billiards). Offbase, went sight seeing, shopping, shows.

Most vivid memory of military experience

Getting shot in Korea through right knee and left chest through left lung. A third bullet hit an ammo clip in my jacket upper left pocket. It hit the first bullet head and ricocheted. If it did not, it would have surely gone through my heart.

Missed most whilst in the military

My girlfriend. We married after I returned to Hawaii and are still together after 50 years.

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

I matured. The Korean War rewarded us with a GI Bill for education. Thus, I obtained a BS Degree in Electronic Engineering which greatly helped in achieving a successful career.