Veteran Dad

I started to write Veteran's Day and I accidentally typed Veteran's Dad. Hmmm... My mind was going faster than my fingers. So I changed to Veteran Dad.

I didn't think much about it in the past... probably b/c I was in too much pain and just wondering how I'd get through the day. And my dh doesn't have the day off of work, nor do my dc have the day off of school....

But I've thought about the family veterans over the last few days.... my BIL had his special jobs planning the attacks for the 1st Gulf War. Then his son followed for this Iraq War and spent quite a bit of time apart from his new bride.

And dad....

Dad just got in on the tail end of WWII. Thankfully his time in the military was before a wife and family were left behind. His mom had both sons serving during that hard time. Both returned home.

JP & I are studying 20th Century History this year. He mostly comments on the guns and stats of the wars. He had a few pictures taken from WWII, which prompted some questions that I knew Grandpa could answer.

Dad wrote: We were called the Occupation Troops. But we left Pearl Harbor as the Invasion troops. We were only out to sea for two or three days when the Armistice was signed. So they needed some troops there right now. Any troops that were close were sent.

So we just sailed on and landed on the Kyushu Island, Southern most Island. We landed at Sasebo, on the Western side, and entered into a large harbor area that when we were inside it was like the San Fransisco Bay area. Our ship was an LST.

We landed on a Sea plane base so we just opened the front doors and drove out the trucks and construction equipment. We moved first to a small air field and finished some barracks for living space.

A month later we moved thirty or so miles to the North to a large factory with steel plants and factories. There we destroyed their guns and anything military. I was in the gun factory and got a new rifle, which is now in our Historical Center. I also have several samurai swords.

By February, I had enough points that I was able to ship out for home. (I was just 22 y/o and others that were new to the army but older than me with families at home, didn't have enough points to get out yet.) We were on an train to get to the sea port and onto a ship for home. We passed thru Nagasaki but there was nothing to see. A few masonry walls and much rubble. You must have some photos in your books. I have a picture or two here some place.

Our ship coming home was a Liberty Ship built to move things during the war and they were made to carry heavy loads. With just people to carry we did not take much water, we were like a cork bobbing on top of the water. It was hard to get sea legs, so I did not get up much to eat. The first day out to Sea we were in a bad Storm. We were near home before I was able to get up for the Chow line. Our bunks were stacked 11 & 12 bunks high! (Lots of sick soldiers!) One guy across from my bunk was bringing home a pet monkey!



Our ship's engine had a problem so we sailed for San Fransisco, not San Diego. After we docked we were taken to Sacramento. Only 60 miles from Home. A short hitch hike and I was home soon. Mother insisted on a picture.

Thanks Dad!