Sexo

Male

Fecha de Nacimiento

1927-3-26

Lugar de Nacimiento

Hiroshima JP, Japan

Inducted

1947-12-10, Fort Ord CA

Tipo de Alistamiento

Volunteer

Afiliación Militar

Army

Tipo de servicio prestado

War,peacetime

Tipo de unidad militar

Combat,sup

Unidades a las que sirvió

178th Language Detachment, 24th Infantry Division Headquarters
Public Information Office, 24th Infantry Division, Kokura, Japan
Co. 'L' 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Division
6901th Army Service Unit, Oakland Army Base

Especialidad militar

Linguist
Rifleman
Driver

Asignado

USA: Presidio of Monterey, CA
Other Countries: Tokyo, Kokura, Japan; Up and down North and South Korea

Retirado

Camp Stoneman CA

Responsabilidad en la unidad

G-2 in Japan was intelligence service and in PIO, (Public Information Office) news data
In Korea with the 24th Infantry Division to help repel the North Korean and Communist Chinese Armies advances into South Korea.

Responsabilidad individual

In the Korean theater of operations as an ammunition bearer for a light 30 caliber machine gun and 3.5 bazooka initially. Later on, I carried the bazooka and then transferred to headquarters platoon and drove a platoon jeep.

Batallas principales (si sirvió en una zona de guerra)

North Korean invasion of South Korea.
Chinese Communist Army intervention into the conflict and the battles to push the opposing armies back into North Korea.

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

Occupation Medal (Japan)
Combat Infantryman's Badge
Bronze Star
Distinguished Unit Citation
Korean Service Ribbon with 3 Battle Stars

Condiciones de Vida

In Japan, we lived in relative comfort as far as military duty is concerned.
In Korea in the combat zone it was quite different living in foxholes and deserted homes and often subsisting on C-rations and whatever we could scrounge up.
On the front lines there wasn't any running water around so we went for long periods without washing or bathing and often hungry, in dirty clothes which started shredding after long periods of wear. To the common dogface, it seemed like days ad infinitum.
Getting to eat hot meals and have needed supplies was a luxury.
The most important thought was staying alive, to be able to see sun come up the next morning after being on combat alert the night before.

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

The agony and stupidity of war. The smell of decomposed human bodies and viewing of fallen comrades in the moonlit shadows of winter snow.

Trying to comprehend the capriciousness and perfidiousness of fellow soldiers was a task in itself. When we went back up to Taejon, Korea the second time around, there was a half covered grave with the corpses of the men of the town who had been rounded up and executed. The people were pulling the bodies with rope out of the grave while wailing relatives were brushing the sand from the faces of the corpses trying to identify them. It was truly a ghastly sight.

Lo que más extraño durante su tiempo en las fuerzas armadas

The personal freedom. Everything was regimented in the Army and they treat people in a condescending manner. Some of the cadre personnel were really bad news!!

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

To have been able to experience the vagaries of war from the front line positions as opposed to being in the rear echelons of war. I truly believe nothing is gained or accomplished by the killing and destruction of wars. Only the megalomaniacal leaders and avaricious businessmen benefit from the utter destruction and chaos created by war.

Información adicional

Just prior to being discharged and stationed at Oaklnad Army Base, I asked the Adjutant General section about getting citizenship papers. They told me to go to the INS in Oakland and apply.

I thought, 'Well, hell, if they're not going to help me while I'm in the service, I'll go apply later when I'm a civilian.' I found out later that it wasn't that simple a task. I would've had to have a bill introduced in Congress on my behalf to make me elegible for citizenship although I had been honorably discharged after 4 years of service. Something about the Oriental Exclusion Act enacted many moons ago.

Consequently, I went through normal channels later on when it was made available to all aliens regardless of military service. A subtle double standard, of sorts!!??