Served February 14, 1945 - December 9, 1946

In the year of l945, Grandfather, being eighteen years of age, was drafted into the army on February 14. He was discharged December 9, l946. His discharge papers show his decorations and citations, he received while in the army. They were: Asiatic, Pacific Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupational Medal. 

The following is taken from Grandfather's army diary: 

Grandfather entered the armed services at Fort Douglas, Utah on Feb. 14, l945. From Fort Douglas, Grandfather was sent to Fort Walters, Texas. At Fort Walters, he was in infantry basic training for 4 1/2 months. He was a private in Company A, 53th Infantry Battalion there. He left Camp Walters on June 25, l945 for furlough. Grandfather went home to visit. He came back off furlough and reported at Ford Ord, July 13, l945. While he was there for two months, he had special training as a rifleman. He was in Company D, 2nd Regiment. He left Fort Ord for Camp Adair, Oregon on July 25, l945. Grandfather was in Company C, 9th Battalion, 30th Regiment. From Camp Adair, he went to Camp Stoneman, California, on August 2, l945. He sailed from San Francisco, California on August 12, 1945 about 7:00 p.m., destination unknown. Eight days after Grandfather and his company left San Francisco, the Allies and the Japanese signed the Armistice ending World War II. 

Grandfather landed on the Philippines on September 11, l945, He entered the 90th Field Artillery Battalion of the 25th Lightening Infantry Division at Camp Patrick on the Philippines on September 18, l945. Grandfather loaded on to the ship at Lingoyen Gulf at 1:00 in the morning on September 22, l945 and headed to Japan. It took 36 days to get there. They were delayed because of mines in the Nagoya Harbor. Grandfather got off the ship, October 27, l945. He left Nagoya for Nara on February 6, l946. Grandfather spent  over a year in Japan with the occupational forces. His responsibilities were to maintain peace,  safety, and reconstruct a new government. There was a lot of danger in this job because Grandfather was right in the center of Japan and they never knew when someone might pull a gun on them. The servicemen were not allowed to shoot their guns unless it was for self-defense. Grandfather dispatched and routed vehicles in column control and small motor convoys.