Gender

Male

Birth date

1925-5-30

Place of birth

San Francisco CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1946-10-3, Ft. Dix NJ

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

Peacetime

Unit type

Support

Units served

1st Cavalry Division, 5th Cavalry Regiment

Military specialty

Public Information Office

Stationed

Japan

Separated

Camp Stoneman CA

Unit responsibility

Occupation duties in Japan

Personal responsibility

Public information office. Dispersing reports back to U.S. on individual personnel.

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

Army of Occupation Medal - Japan

Living conditions

Living conditions were satisfactory. Standard army barracks. Japan could get mighty cold in winter. We often slept in our G.I. uniforms, overcoats and blankets.

Most vivid memory of military experience

Seems like my Army life consisted of cleaning my rifle, polishing boots and endless drill formations.

One incident that I remember was when a G.I. (American) got his foot caught between train and station platform. In outskirts of Tokyo, people pushed the train so he could get his foot out. His foot was dangling so I held it in my hand. Seems as tho' I held his foot for about twenty minutes. My memory is hazy but I think the ambulance came. I didn't get his name and I often wondered if he lost his foot.

Missed most whilst in the military

I was young so lived day to day.

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

I had a lot of interesting experiences. Army life teaches you discipline. I think all high school graduates should serve two years in the military.

Additional information

After my Army stint, I finished my art school studies and worked in various art jobs until I got a job in aerospace as a graphic artist (Northrop Corp.). I worked there for 37 years until my retirement in Oct. of '90.

During the early part of WW II, our family was relocated to Topaz Relocation Center, UT.