I was inducted into the Army of the United States with 38 other boys from Dickinson County, KS on August 3, 1944. Most of us were sent to Camp Hood, TX for seventeen weeks of infantry basic training. I left the United States from Seattle, WA on February 9, 1945. After brief stops in Hawaii and Saipan I arrived on Okinawa on April 27, 1945 and joined 'H' company, 105th Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. After five or six days on the line we were relieved by the 1st Marine Division. We were then sent to the northern part of the island for mop-up duty. In May I was made a radioman. When the war was over we were sent to Japan for Occupation Duty. We were the first troops in the area we occupied. When the 27th Infantry was deactivated I was sent to Hokkaido to join the 77th Division Field Artillery. I was a battery clerk at Hokadate. In March of 1946 I was sent to the 78th Military Government Company at Nagaon on Honshu. I was there until I was sent home and arrived on September 1, 1946.