Gender

Male

Birth date

1919-11-25

Place of birth

Stockton CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1941-10-1, Atherton CA

Enlistment type

Draftee

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

Basic Training - Camp Roberts, CA
California National Guard - Los Angeles, CA
Ft. Bliss, TX
Infantry Training - Camp Shelby, MS
442nd Regimental Combat Team, 2nd Battalion, Company F

Military specialty

Infantryman
Machine Gunner

Stationed

USA: Camp Roberts, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Ft. Bliss, TX; Camp Shelby, MS
Other Countries: Italy; France

Unit responsibility

Infantry

Personal responsibility

Machine gunner

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

Italy
North Apennines
Po Valley
Rhineland
Rhineland-Ardennes-Po Valley

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)
Good Conduct Medal
WW II Victory Ribbon
Bronze Star (from President Truman for meritorious service)
Distinguished Unit Badge
Unit Citation Badge with Cluster
European-African-Middle East Theater Ribbon

Additional information

Sonau was born in Stockton, CA with his twin brother, on November 25, 1919. Reared in Atherton, CA and attended Las Lomitas Grade School and graduated from Sequoia Union High School in Redwood City, CA.

He was drafted into the US Army in October 1941, three months before the Pearl Harbor attack. He reported to and obtained his basic training at Camp Roberts, CA near Monterey, CA.

After December 7, 1941, he was sent to the California National Guard in Los Angeles, CA. In March of 1942, he was shipped out to Fort Bliss, TX. Then in the spring of 1944, he was sent to Camp Shelby, MS to train as a replacement soldier for the now famed 100th Infantry Division, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Company F. He went overseas soon afterwards to Italy. Fought as a machine gunner in Italy and France. He came back to the United States and was discharged from Army Service in November 1945. He made Private First Class.

He relocated to Los Angeles, CA and spent his life there until his passing on March 2, 1989. He was married, but had no children.

Information for this military history was provided by Mochiu 'Mac' Ishida on 08/05/2005 and updated on 10/27/2005.