Gender

Male

Birth date

1925-11-6

Place of birth

Sanger CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1944-10-6, Fort Douglas UT

Enlistment type

Draftee

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Support

Units served

Ft. Amador Canal Zone Harbor Defense of Balboa

Military specialty

Submarine Mine Loader 656

Stationed

Panama Canal Zone

Separated

Camp Beale CA

Unit responsibility

Care of submarine mines

Personal responsibility

Submarine mine loader

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

WWII Victory Medal; Good Conduct Medal; American Campaign Medal

Living conditions

Living conditions were good. Stayed in a warehouse during the war with four other soldiers. After the war, we moved to barracks. Tried to clean up Panama City. Played pool in the barracks. Had a pet monkey named 'Jocko'.

Most vivid memory of military experience

On my way to breakfast one morning, I looked up and saw the U.S.S. Missouri battleship pulling up to the canal. I ran back to get my cameera to take pictures of it. The sight of it was pretty neat. Another time I was napping under a tree and something woke me up. I looked up and in the tree there was a big Iguana on the branch doing push-ups. It sure startled me!!

Missed most whilst in the military

Rice

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

Learn about other people from other states.