Sexo

Male

Fecha de Nacimiento

1924-10-3

Lugar de Nacimiento

Kahaluu, Oahu HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

1943-4-10, Ft. Sheridan IL

Tipo de Alistamiento

Draftee

Afiliación Militar

Army

Tipo de servicio prestado

War

Tipo de unidad militar

Combat

Unidades a las que sirvió

815th Bomb Squadron, 483rd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force

Especialidad militar

Waist-tail Gunner on B-17 Bomber

Asignado

Various Air Bases in USA.
Sterparone, Italy

Retirado

Santa Ana Army Air Base CA

Responsabilidad en la unidad

Bombing of military targets in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.

Responsabilidad individual

To protect Bomb Group from being attacked by German fighter pilots during bomb runs.

Batallas principales (si sirvió en una zona de guerra)

Bombing oil refineries, ball bearing factories, aircraft factories, marshalling yards and other important military installations in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.

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

Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Purple Heart
Presidential Unit Citation
The Greek Commemorative Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Prisoner-of-War Medal

Condiciones de Vida

Home was a tent with sleeping bags and cots for 6 enlisted men.
Restroom was 2 blocks away and showers were always cold.
Breakfast was the usual dehydrated eggs, coffee or milk out of dry skim powder.
For recreation, a good softball field was available and the pool-tables were always occupied. Also, checkers, chess and card games were entertaining.

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

Seeing my second cousin, Kotoku Nakata, from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in the same prison camp (Stalag 7A) in Mooseburg, Germany. It was the last place I expected to see him.

Lo que más extraño durante su tiempo en las fuerzas armadas

Family, friends and continuation of college education.

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

Even though I was a Japanese, my bomber crew members treated me with real respect and understanding. For this, I was grateful. Even after 60 years, we are still very close friends.

Be proud of your ancestral heritage. If possible, try to maintain or keep viable some of the old customs and traditions of our forebearers.

Información adicional

Shortly after being drafted, I requested a transfer to the 100th Battalion and later to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Being a Japanese, I was sure that my request would be granted. Unexpectedly, I ended up in the Army Air Corp as a gunner on a B-17 bomber.

On a bombing mission to an oil refinery plant in Vienna, Austria, on 20 February 1945, our B-17 bomber was heavily damaged by anti-aircraft fire. The plane was shuddering and out of control. It started straight down, and then gained control at 14,000 feet. At 10,000 feet they were able to hold their altitude for awhile. Everything possible was jettisoned. By the time they reached the Russian lines, or so they thought, they were down to 3,000 feet and they began to bail out. We were forced to bail out near the German-Soviet front line near Lake Balaton, Hungary. Ginoza landed in German territory and was captured. All others landed on the Russian side of the line. One died when his parachute did not open.

I was captured immediately upon landing by four Hungarian civilians. They took me to a small village hospital for treatment of wounds received from small arms fire during descent. After five days they took me to a German field interrogation center in Papa, Hungary.

From the 28th of February until 20th of March, we (six airmen) journeyed through Bratislava, Pilsen and numerous small town in Czechoslovakia (walking and short truck rides) on our way to Stalag 13D in Nuremberg, Germany. After only two weeks at this location, the entire group of prison-inmates were force marched to another prison camp (Stalag 7A) in Moosburg, Germany. During our first day of marching, the column of prisoners was strafed by American P-47 Thunderbolts. I was fortunate and had time to make a dive into a road parallel ditch. We were liberated May 10, 1945 and sent to South Hampton, England. Returned to the US in August and finally discharged in December 1945.

For a more detailed account of the exploits of this flight crew, please request the librarian to see a short recollection titled 'Harlin G. Neuman Crew 815th Squadron'.