Banco de Dados da Experiência Militar Nipo-Americana
Howard Haruto Tao
Sexo
Male
Birth date
1925-1-30
Local de nascimento
Watsonville CA, U.S.A.
Inducted
1944-9-17, Fort Douglas UT
Tipo de alistamento
Draftee
Ramo das Forças Armadas
Army
Tipo de serviço
War,peacetime
Unidades onde serviu
9th Infantry Division - Quartermaster and 9th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop
Military specialty
Infantry; Rifleman; General Clerk
Stationed
Camp Blanding, FL; Germany.
Separated
Camp Beale CA
Unit responsibility
9th Quartermaster - Guard prisoners and distribute food and clothes. 9th Cavalry Recon Troop - Keep the peace.
Personal responsibility
Guard German and Polish prisoners; Distribute food and clothes; As a clerk, updated rosters, typed letters, etc.
Major battles (if served in a war zone)
Occupational force in Germany.
Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; Good Conduct Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Army of Occupation Medal
Living conditions
Stayed in German barracks. Had showers and baths. Meals were very good. For entertainment went to company dances, played cards with my buddies, and took tours to Denmark, Switzerland, and France.
Most vivid memory of military experience
Me, a small guy with a '45' pistol guarding a dozen over six foot German SS prisoners - by myself! In the reconnaissance troop, we stopped refugees-prisoners from rioting.
Missed most whilst in the military
Home with my family. I appreciated Mom washing my clothes, etc.
Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?
War is terrible - destruction of homes, buildings, starving children, homeless people, etc. Fortunately it didn't happen here in the USA. I'm proud to have served in the US military
Additional information
Was a farmer. Started farming in Watsonville with his brothers and grew strawberries on his own until his retirement in 2000. He continued tending to his greenhouse garden at home.
Was a devoted and active member of the Watsonville Buddhist Temple.