Hello to all!

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Thank You, MontE and Ghost.

A pleasure to be here, and to meet you both.

[ghost_of_war]

It's always a pleasure to make the aquaitance (sp?) of one of our members of the Greatest Generation. Thanks again to people like you and my grandfathers....

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Ghost,

Where were your grandfathers during the war?

[dan02]

Hello South, thanks for your reply in my other thread and I will be emailing you shortly with the information.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Hello Dan,

Call me Jack. You are welcome to "cut and paste" any of what I have posted in this tread, or from Skipper's Hollandia thread, and save this old boy's fingers for another day.

[dan02]

Hello Jack, I would copy and paste but my teacher said he wants answers directly from the person and nothing copy or pasted, sorry. Ok I have just emailed you all the information, again thank you.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Ok Dan,

I'll make you a deal, read this tread from the first page forward, then read Skipper's Hollandia thread, which should give you a good understanding of the subject matter, as well as the topic. The group may wish to question you on what you read, so I'll answer that laundry list you sent me, but in the old school fashion of my generation, you'll need to work for this.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Dan,

E-mail away, stand by for incoming communication.

[dan02]

Hey Jack,

I have just recieved the email with all the information, thank you again for all your help . Also thank you for all the time you put into these answers.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Dan,

You are most welcome, I do hope the report does well. Drop in when you can, the members of this forum are quite well read on numerous topics, from all points of the compass.

Take care,

[Otto]

Jack,

I've been following this thread with great interest. Would you mind if I got a copy of this interview from dan02 and posted it online? It seems a shame that all this great info is passing "behind the scenes". With your permission I'd love to post right here for all to see.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Hello Otto,



These were the questions:

1.) What is your full name?
2.) What is your approximate age?
3.) What is your place of birth?
4.) To what extent were you aware of the happenings in Japan, Italy, and Germany during the 1930's?
5.) What was your reaction to the war in Europe?
6.) Were your interests heightened once the United States entered the war?
7.) What were your rememberancees of the attack on Pearl Harbor? Where were you when it happened?
8.) What were your feelings about American involvement in the war?
9.) Did these feelings change during or after the war? Explain.
10.) What was your reaction to Franklin Roosevelt's leadership? to Truman's?
11.) Wew you aware of the internment of Japanese-Americans in detention camps? If so, what was your reaction? Did you feel it was justified? Why or why not?
12.) What was your reaction to German atrocities toward the Jews?
13.) What was your reaction to Truman's decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
14.) Did the government do enough to reward veterans for their service in the war? If not, what other benefts did they deserve?
15.) How did you feel about becoming involved in the United Nations and the demands such membership might involve?
16.) At the end of the war, did you anticipate future wars, or did it seem to you that countries would find other means of settling conflicts?
17.) Did you volunteer or were you drafted?
18.) If you had not been drafted, would you have volunteered?
19.) If you were drafted, what was your immediate reaction? Were you afraid, enthusiastic, or patriotic?
20.) What are your remembrances of boot camp?
21.) Where were you sent after boot camp?
22.) What special skills were you taught in the armed forces?
23.) How did you first experience death on the battlefield? Describe that incident.
24.) What was your reaction to this experience?
25.) Did you witness any war atrocities?
26.) What did you miss most about the United States?
27.) Did you resent that you were in combat but others were not?
28.) What was your attitude toward the Japanese and Germans on a personal level? Did you hate them?
29.) Did you feel that you were part of history?
30.) What impact did the USO have on your military service? Did they suceed in keeping up your morale?
31.) Have you maintained contact with any persons in your unit? If so, why do you maintain this friendship?
32.) What was your immediate reaction to being discharged? Were you discharged before or after the victory?
33.) Did you participate in a welcoming home celebration?

Also if you could include your phone number incase my teacher calls and thanks you for the time and effort you put into these answers and what you did for this country. I hope to hear from you soon .

Sincerely,
Dan

[Otto]

Thanks loads Jack. I was a bit more interested in your answers actually. I do have an extensive series of questions for veterans right here, but it would take days to go through. Do you think it would be possible for us to see the answers to the 30 questions? You should of course should keep the personal information such as phone number to yourself. You can either post the in this thread here or email them to me and I'll post them online if you like.

[Skipper]

Good job Otto . Hi Jack, I see you have a new fan! It seems like you wil be busy answering those questions. I will give you a break until you are done with Dan. In the meantime I'll be hunting pictures which I hope to post here later. I'll have some more questions too, can't get enough.

[bigfun]

Looking forward to seeing your answers to those questions!
Although many of them have been answered here previously!
Thanks Jack!

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Hello Otto, Skipper, Scott!

These were my answers, I kept them toned down in lieu of younger readers. This might be hard to read going back and fourth, Otto...perhaps the two could be merged? [EDIT Slipdigit. See post 144 below for combined questions and answers] Thank you all for your interest.

1. John "Jack" XXXXXXXX
2. 91 on Feb. 16
3. Parker, South Dakota, 1917.
4. When I joined the National Guard in 1940, we knew about the war in
Europe, my Dad told me in '41 the Pacific was the safest place I could go,
with this war in Europe going on, just after I told him we were shipping out for
the Philippines Oct '41.
5. The war in Europe seemed like another fight the U.S. might have to enter,
again.
6. Yes, we were at sea half way across the Pacific when the U.S. declared
war with Japan.
7. It happened live on the ships address system, we were at sea, on the
troopship Holbrook, in convoy for Corregidor, with the cruiser Pensacola
as our only armed escort. we had left Pearl Harbor on Nov. 28 1941,
the weeks before, we were anchored two hundred yards from the
battleship Arizona.
8. We had been attacked, we were going to fight and get this over with.
9. In June of '42 my brother was Killed in the battle of Midway, yes, things
changed for me.
10. We had confidence in our leadership back then, we followed instructions.
11. Not until after the war, it might have saved some from violence by the
civilians back home in the States, in what are now referred to as hate
crimes today.
12. I did not know of the holocaust until the end of the war, I witnessed
terrible atrocities in person, first hand years before by the Japanese.
13. The Atomic bombs saved my life and the lives of all the young people we
were training to go back and finish the job in '45 by an amphibious
assault, the likes of which would have dwarfed the D-Day invasion
June 6, 1944.
14. I earned my degree on the G.I. bill after the war, and bought a home in
California.
15. It led to the next war in Korea, in my opinion.
16. Yes, too many borders had been redrawn, the cold war was to follow.
17. I joined in 1940, South Dakota National Guard, transfered to federal service (Army)
after the declaration of war in 1941.
18. n/a
19. n/a
20. It was nothing close to the type of fighting we faced in the Pacific.
21. Fort Ord California, then to Pearl Harbor, Oahu, then to sea prior to the
Japanese air attack.
22. Leadership, weapons, communications, demolition, tactics, surveillance, hand to hand fighting, navigation, battlefield first aid, jungle warfare.
23. The air attacks of Darwin Australia, '42, 11 year old Dutch girl lost the
lower part of her left leg during the bombing and strafing by Japanese
aircraft, she died in my arms.
24. grief.
25. Yes.
26. My family.
27. No.
28. They killed my brother in 1942, committed unspeakable acts. mistreated
prisoners and the captured wounded, I'll let the reader decide.
29. Yes, many times it looked like the end of my history on earth.
30. We only had one USO show in three years, the red cross did more for
moral.
31. No.
31. Discharged Nov. 1945, glad we didn't have to go back to finish the job
in 1946.
32. No.

[Skipper]

I'm sure Dan will be more than happy with that and so are we. This is a great curiculum.
question 28 must be difficult to understand for the 2008 generation, I like the way you answered it.

[SouthWestPacificVet]

Skipper,

Yes, I'd like us to hear back from Dan, to find out how he did, nice young fellow. He asked if his teacher could contact me, I said yes, no problem with that. I also took the liberty of inviting Dan's teacher to have a look at Otto's forum.

[Slipdigit]

I combined the questions with your answers to make it easier for others to read them.

1.)
Q: What is your full name?
A: John "Jack" XXXXXXXX

2.)
Q: What is your approximate age?
A: 91 on Feb. 16

3.)
Q: What is your place of birth?
A: Parker, South Dakota, 1917.

4.)
Q: To what extent were you aware of the happenings in Japan, Italy, and Germany during the 1930's?
A: When I joined the National Guard in 1940, we knew about the war in Europe, my Dad told me in '41 the Pacific was the safest place I could go, with this war in Europe going on, just after I told him we were shipping out for the Philippines Oct '41.

5.)
Q: What was your reaction to the war in Europe?
A: The war in Europe seemed like another fight the U.S. might have to enter, again.

6.)
Q: Were your interests heightened once the United States entered the war?
A: Yes, we were at sea half way across the Pacific when the U.S. declared war with Japan.

7.)
Q: What were your remembrances of the attack on Pearl Harbor? Where were you when it happened?
A: It happened live on the ships address system, we were at sea, on the troopship Holbrook, in convoy for Corregidor, with the cruiser Pensacola as our only armed escort. we had left Pearl Harbor on Nov. 28 1941, the weeks before, we were anchored two hundred yards from the battleship Arizona.

8.)
Q: What were your feelings about American involvement in the war?
A: We had been attacked, we were going to fight and get this over with.

9.)
Q: Did these feelings change during or after the war? Explain.
A: In June of '42 my brother was Killed in the battle of Midway, yes, things changed for me.

10.)
Q: What was your reaction to Franklin Roosevelt's leadership? to Truman's?
A: We had confidence in our leadership back then, we followed instructions.

11.)
Q: Were you aware of the internment of Japanese-Americans in detention camps? If so, what was your reaction? Did you feel it was justified? Why or why not?
A: Not until after the war, it might have saved some from violence by the civilians back home in the States, in what are now referred to as hate crimes today.

12.)
Q: What was your reaction to German atrocities toward the Jews?
A: I did not know of the holocaust until the end of the war, I witnessed terrible atrocities in person, first hand years before by the Japanese.

13.)
Q: What was your reaction to Truman's decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
A: The Atomic bombs saved my life and the lives of all the young people we were training to go back and finish the job in '45 by an amphibious assault, the likes of which would have dwarfed the D-Day invasion June 6, 1944.

14.)
Q: Did the government do enough to reward veterans for their service in the war? If not, what other benefits did they deserve?
A: I earned my degree on the G.I. bill after the war, and bought a home in California.

15.)
Q: How did you feel about becoming involved in the United Nations and the demands such membership might involve?
A: It led to the next war in Korea, in my opinion.

16.)
Q: At the end of the war, did you anticipate future wars, or did it seem to you that countries would find other means of settling conflicts?
A: Yes, too many borders had been redrawn, the cold war was to follow.

17.)
Q: Did you volunteer or were you drafted?
A: I joined in 1940, South Dakota National Guard, transferred to federal service (Army) after the declaration of war in 1941.

18.)
Q: If you had not been drafted, would you have volunteered?
A: n/a

19.)
Q: If you were drafted, what was your immediate reaction? Were you afraid, enthusiastic, or patriotic?
A: n/a

20.)
Q: What are your remembrances of boot camp?
A: It was nothing close to the type of fighting we faced in the Pacific.

21.)
Q: Where were you sent after boot camp?
A: Fort Ord California, then to Pearl Harbor, Oahu, then to sea prior to the Japanese air attack.

22.)
Q: What special skills were you taught in the armed forces?
A: Leadership, weapons, communications, demolition, tactics, surveillance, hand to hand fighting, navigation, battlefield first aid, jungle warfare.

23.)
Q: How did you first experience death on the battlefield? Describe that incident.
A: The air attacks of Darwin Australia, '42, 11 year old Dutch girl lost the lower part of her left leg during the bombing and strafing by Japanese aircraft, she died in my arms.

24.)
Q: What was your reaction to this experience?
A: grief.

25.)
Q: Did you witness any war atrocities?
A: Yes.

26.)
Q: What did you miss most about the United States?
A: My family.

27.)
Q: Did you resent that you were in combat but others were not?
A: No.

28.)
Q: What was your attitude toward the Japanese and Germans on a personal level? Did you hate them?
A: They killed my brother in 1942, committed unspeakable acts. Mistreated prisoners and the captured wounded, I'll let the reader decide.

29.)
Q: Did you feel that you were part of history?
A: Yes, many times it looked like the end of my history on earth.

30.)
Q: What impact did the USO have on your military service? Did they succeed in keeping up your morale?
A: We only had one USO show in three years, the red cross did more for morale.

31.)
Q: Have you maintained contact with any persons in your unit? If so, why do you maintain this friendship?
A: No.

32.)
Q: What was your immediate reaction to being discharged? Were you discharged before or after the victory?
A: Discharged Nov. 1945, glad we didn't have to go back to finish the job in 1946.

33.)
Q: Did you participate in a welcoming home celebration?
A: No.