Gender

Male

Birth date

1925-10-31

Place of birth

Stockton CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1944-6-19, Camp Robinson AR

Enlistment type

Draftee

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

Co. 'A', 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team

Military specialty

Squad Leader 745

Stationed

USA - Camp Blanding, FL; Southern France; Italy

Separated

Ft. Sheridan IL

Unit responsibility

Combat duty in France and Italy

Personal responsibility

Rifleman during the war. Squad leader during occupation duties in Italy after the war.

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

North Appennines, Po Valley, Rhineland Campaigns

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

Bronze Star; Good Conduct Medal; European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Battle Stars; World War II Victory Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge; Distinguished Unit Emblem (Presidential Unit Citation)

Living conditions

Lived in dugouts, foxholes, empty buildings, and houses, but most of the time in tents.

Never bathed on the front lines. Had showers later.

Meals were field rations on the lines, some hot meals. In peacetime hot meals - which weren't bad.

For entertainment, attended all USO shows that came to our area. Had movies from the states in theatres close by. Went on passes to the cities and Switzerland twice.

Most vivid memory of military experience

During combat - the times I was scared stiff, the close calls (I was never wounded). Seeing the badly injured and all that blood and the dead that were laid out off the trails we traversed.

Missed most whilst in the military

Home and family.

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

To know that I had served my country just like any other American and felt confident that I could live my life with no trouble whatsoever. Now that I am retired, as a VFW member, I enjoy the company of other veterans, the reunions, meetings, special events, golf outings, etc. So my military period of my life still affects the way I live now.

Additional information

Took pre-induction physical exam, at Fort Sheridan, IL. Returned to Jerome Concentration Camp to be with family and was inducted into US Army at Camp Robinson, AR, June 19, 1944.