Posted 4 years ago
Biggscasa
(2 items)
Can anyone tell me more about this pin? It is with my dads collection. He has another simple pin and a medal but curious about this one. I am preparing a shadow box with his pins, certificates to give him on his 95th birthday November 3rd.
Thank you! I decided to share with you what I have learned from him about his time in the service. He entered at age 17! I decided to delete his name...not sure why- Just wasn't feeling I could put him on a public sight- if that makes sense.
A sister of mine actually did the interview and write up. Yes- having the Medals and certificates and shadow box prefessionally framed.
10.08.2020
Interview with XXXX XXXXXXXX re Philippines Liberation of 1944-1945
The “minority hitch” is when the young men and women enlisted between the ages of 17-
21. It was expected WWII could not last more than a year or so. You would get out of the
military with an opportunity to finish high school with a GED and achieve a college
education with some assistance for housing. Most of the young enlistees really had no
other way to gain the college education and a better way of life. XXXX left Seattle with a
friend and enlisted out of Portland, Oregon. He didn’t have the training, but a friend,
Morales, was good with the machine shop training and XXXX was fine at math. Together
they helped each other get through the requirements. XXXX also took diesel ship engine
correspondence classes expecting to be more valuable to the Navy. He was young, a
pacifist and really looking to the future for what he would do with his life. He needed that
education.
He was assigned to a landing craft ship, LST 468, initially to probe the Islands of the
Philippines for Japanese occupation sites. Most of those areas had steep hillsides and not
easily approachable beach landing areas. The second phase was focused on the Leyte
landings in October and November of 1944. Sandy beaches and American troops largely
occupied the coastal area. XXXX had a one day leave where he took a vehicle to travel into
Manila. Otherwise, he was often on shore patrol to help out with the jailed Japanese
administrators who had held these Islands in their control. Turns out most of the Japanese
administrators spoke English and were less fearful of the American soldiers than the
Philippine soldiers who resented the harsh management of that Japanese regime.
The Pacific Asiatic arena was famous for the Leyte operations; it was the first time the
US, Philippine and Australian forces were able to push back the Japanese troops by
destroying several of its most significant war ships and for affecting the psyche of the
Japanese who were no longer seemingly unstoppable.
XXXX appreciates the relative safety of his term of service, is grateful he did not enter the
European arena and virtually saw no warships while he was stationed in the Philippine
Islands. He did his job in transporting equipment. He recalls moments of sadness for the
things we do to each other; he saw the Philippine soldiers who were having difficulty
walking because the back of their heels had been cut to keep them from being able to run.
He saw differences between a village of natives who were not influenced by Christian
ministers and those who were…clothing on the natives of the villages with ministers.
WWII was still underway though ramping down when XXXXwas sent home. It had been
three years since he had last seen his family. He had been writing to the sister of one of
his shipmates but had never met her. He called to let her know he was on the way home
and asked if she wanted him to stop over. She lived in Oakland, CA. She said it would be
ok but seemed pretty nonchalant about the possibility of a meeting. XXXXdecided to make
the stop over before going home. Turned out he married that girl, celebrated 70 years of
their wedding anniversary and had 10 children together. He did make use of that GI bill
and went to Seattle College (now Seattle University). He was able to buy housing in
Portland then moved to Seattle and finally in 1971 they settled on
where he still lives in his home and enjoys the beauty and friendship XXXX .
XXXX celebrates his 95 th birthday on November 3, 2020.
Respectfully and with love, recorded by XXXXX
What a superb write up!
Have you thought of submitting that to your dad’s local newspaper? When I was working on my dad’s medals, I made a phone call to the news paper and a reporter came to my dad’s home, made pictures and wrote a front page headline story about him....It was such an honor for him and would be for your dad also!
I commented on your other post some info about the ribbons.