Sexo

Male

Fecha de Nacimiento

1927-9-21

Lugar de Nacimiento

Hilo HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

1946-2-14, Honolulu HI

Tipo de Alistamiento

Volunteer

Afiliación Militar

Army

Tipo de servicio prestado

Peacetime

Tipo de unidad militar

Support

Unidades a las que sirvió

7775 Signal Service Co.

Especialidad militar

502 - Administrative in Communications - Signal Corps

Asignado

U.S.A., Germany

Retirado

Honolulu HI

Responsabilidad en la unidad

Maintain communications via telephone, teletype and radio.

Responsabilidad individual

Communication Sergeant - writing SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures) for the various operations.

Reconocimientos, medallas, menciones (individuales o de la unidad)

When Gen. Omar Bradley visited, we were selected as the honor guard based on our impeccable service record. About 1/4 to 1/3 of our outfit was from Hawaii and of various racial extractions.

Condiciones de Vida

Lived at the repeater station in Bremen, Germany but dined at HQ. We had showers. As part of reparations (I believe), we had a cafeteria with waitresses. Slowly things got to be more GI. When we transferred to Bremerhaven, Germany, everything was strictly GI. Reveille, mess hall food, weekly inspections, etc. Athletics - golf, swimming, basketball, volleyball, etc. was our entertainment. We also had a club for drinking and shows.

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

My furlough to Paris, Rome, Milan all over Switzerland, Holland and Denmark. In Italy - St. Peter's Cathedral with Michaelangelo's masterpiece, the original 'Last Supper', the Catacombs in Rome, and the Cathedral of Milan. Denmark: Tivoli Gardens and the breweries; Paris: Eiffel Tower, Arc d'Triumph, Versailles and the Louvre; Holland: the tulip gardens and Chinese restaurants; Switzerland: The Alps, and the cleanliness and punctuality.

Lo que más extraño durante su tiempo en las fuerzas armadas

Family, girl friend and rice.

¿En lo personal, qué obtuvo de su experiencia militar?

That I was kind to the Germans who worked for me at the repeater station and that I be-friended a number of children who did not beg. I visited a couple of living quarters in the ruins - cramped and spartan but clean.

Información adicional

My primary purpose for volunteering for 3 years after I was drafted was for the GI Bill to go to college; the secondary purpose was to travel in Europe. Japan was close enough so I could manage it on my own. Discrimination in the army - my position called for 6 stripes (Master Sergeant) but I had only 3; the directory clerk (Caucasian) called for 2 stripes but he had 4. The clerk outranked his boss! They offered me another stripe if I re-upped but I told them I had to pursue an education.