Gender

Male

Birth date

1923-4-17

Place of birth

Seattle WA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1943-6-12, Ft. Douglas UT

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

442nd Regimental Combat Team

Military specialty

Heavy Weapons, 81-mm Mortarman

Stationed

USA: Camp Shelby, MS; Bushnel General Hospital, UT (patient); Ft. Lewis, WA; Baxter General Hospital, Spokane, WA; Madigan General Hospital, Ft. Lewis, WA
Other Countries: Italy

Separated

Ft. Lewis WA

Unit responsibility

Infantry & Heavy weapons (88-mm mortar)

Personal responsibility

Ammunition bearer, 81-mm mortar squad crewman, M-1 Rifle, Carbine, Browning Automatic Rifle and Thompson Sub-machine Gun Marksman

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

European Theater of Operation, Hill 140, Italy, Rome-Arno

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

Unit Citations awarded to 442 RCT
Purple Heart
Bronze Star
Combat Infantryman Badge
Good Conduct Medal
ETO Service Medal
Victory Medal
World War II Medal
American Campaign Medal
EAME Service Medal

Living conditions

Typical hutment with cots at Camp Shelby.
Pup tents and fox holes in combat.
Temporary showers for bathing.
'K' and 'C' rations in combat.
Drank 3.2 beer at Post PX. Wrote letters. Listened to the radio.

Most vivid memory of military experience

After being wounded by 88 shrapnel and while being carried by stretcher, an enemy barrage commenced. The four corpsmen carrying me had to take cover while I was helpless on the litter. After the shelling momentarily stopped, they carried me down the mountainside to the aid station for evacuation. I give them a lot of credit for carrying me out down the mountain under constant barrage.

Missed most whilst in the military

Family and friends

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

The cameraderie that developed between both 'Kotonks' and 'Buddha-heads' that we still cherish to this day.

Our efforts resulted in better lives for our families especially our children and grandchildren. They can stand tall amongst their peers because we gave our all for our country.

Additional information

I was discharged from the service and continued my studies and graduated from high school attending evening class so I was qualified to take the state architects exams without attending college. I got my license in 1959 and worked as an architect in Los Angeles until I retired in 1991.