Last Monday, May 19, Steve had to out of town to Northern California for auto auctions, so I decided to run down to St. George to see the folks. Mom and Dad got new carpet in the living room and their bedroom that looks very nice. It is soft and plush. Dad took us to "Up Chuck O' Rama" for dinner (that's what he calls it).
I went with mom to the temple on Tuesday.
While there, I had the opportunity to visit with dad and ask him some questions about his service in the army.
Dad was 18 years old in Jan. 1943, when he volunteered for the army. He went to basic training at the US Army Airforce Base in Kearns, Utah for a couple of weeks and then was sent to Fort Collins for tests. If the tests showed you had an IQ over 110 you got sent to Regis College for specialized training which is what happened to dad. He was there until the fall of 1944 which is when he got sent over seas.
He first landed in Le Havre France, then went to Bonn, Germany, crossed the river and went up to the Ruhr Valley. He was shot in the leg on April 6, 1945 while chasing Germans. He was transported to Leuze, Belgium for surgery and then flown to Manchester, England where he stayed in a military hospital for about six weeks. Next, he was put on a hospital ship to New York and then put on a train to a Madigan General Hospital at Fort Lewis in Washington State. He was there from June to December of 1945 because of problems with infection in his wound, stomach problems, and sinus infections. During that time, he was able to go home twice on furlow. The first time, he went by train to Salt Lake and then by bus to Leeds. The second time he came down by plane to Ogden and then by bus to Leeds.
He was finally discharged at Fort Sam Houston in Texas.
I had never known the details of his experience, so I enjoyed having him sharing those memories with me.
I returned home on Wednesday. It was a short but enjoyable stay with mom and dad.
I went with mom to the temple on Tuesday.
While there, I had the opportunity to visit with dad and ask him some questions about his service in the army.
Dad was 18 years old in Jan. 1943, when he volunteered for the army. He went to basic training at the US Army Airforce Base in Kearns, Utah for a couple of weeks and then was sent to Fort Collins for tests. If the tests showed you had an IQ over 110 you got sent to Regis College for specialized training which is what happened to dad. He was there until the fall of 1944 which is when he got sent over seas.
He first landed in Le Havre France, then went to Bonn, Germany, crossed the river and went up to the Ruhr Valley. He was shot in the leg on April 6, 1945 while chasing Germans. He was transported to Leuze, Belgium for surgery and then flown to Manchester, England where he stayed in a military hospital for about six weeks. Next, he was put on a hospital ship to New York and then put on a train to a Madigan General Hospital at Fort Lewis in Washington State. He was there from June to December of 1945 because of problems with infection in his wound, stomach problems, and sinus infections. During that time, he was able to go home twice on furlow. The first time, he went by train to Salt Lake and then by bus to Leeds. The second time he came down by plane to Ogden and then by bus to Leeds.
He was finally discharged at Fort Sam Houston in Texas.
I had never known the details of his experience, so I enjoyed having him sharing those memories with me.
I returned home on Wednesday. It was a short but enjoyable stay with mom and dad.
