Gender

Male

Birth date

1917-4-1

Place of birth

Lafayette CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1942-1-8, Fort Ord CA

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

I Company, 442nd Regimental Combat Team
29th Infantry Company

Military specialty

Surgical Technician, Infantry Rifleman

Stationed

USA: Station Hospital, Camp Grant, IL
Other countries: Vosges, France, Battle of the Bulge, Belgium, Shaef, Frankfurt on the Main, Germany

Separated

Camp Grant IL

Unit responsibility

Defeat the Germans.

Personal responsibility

Follow orders.

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

France: Vosges, Bruyeres
Belgium: Rochfort Battle of Bulge
Germany: Sheaf, Frankfurt on theMain.

Living conditions

We slept and bathed whenever we could. Meals were K rations and C rations.

Most vivid memory of military experience

Ordered to go to Aid Station in Bruyeres. Told to ride particular truck and when the truck stopped we were in Belgium. The Lt. in charge said you are now attached to the 29th Infantry Co. Our duty was to guard property left by the Germans.

Missed most whilst in the military

Rice, miso soup, tsukemono, mother's cooking.

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

I feel that by traveling around the world, I realize how fortunate we are. The prejudice, opportunity is nothing compared to here in California now. To my family younger people do the best you can go for it. We have proved we're not 2nd class citizens.

Additional information

While serving with the 29th in Belgium, the East entrance to Rochfort was tank German 88 that was pinning down a company of men. The Co. Lt. and a Major of the tank Co. decided that the solution was to send a Bazooka man to cripple the tank, which I volunteered to do. And I did knock off the tracks to make possible the pinned down soldiers to escape. That was my good deed for my fellow soldiers whom I knew nothing about.