http://norfolkdailynews.com/news/long-lost-medals-arrive-at-last/article_beac5629-b533-51f5-b037-66315f5f44dc.html?mode=story
Grandpa finally received his war medals more than 62 years after his service. Click the link above to read the full story.
I went into the army in June of 1941. Took my basic training at Camp Roberts. Was there 13 weeks, then went to San Louis Obispo, California. We were there when war broke out. Had guard duty there for awhile. Then went to Fort Lewis, Washington. Took advance training there. In Sept of 1942 left for Hawaii. Stood ground there and more training. In 1943 left Hawaii for Gradacanal. Mopup operation, from there went to Boganville, then on to New Britain. Was there quite some time. Another small clean up of Japs. Jan 9th, 1945 mad our first landing. Wasn't much opposition. Hank and I were scared to death. Anyway went up into the mountains and fought Japs in the caves there. Wasn't there too long when we made another landing in pana Island. There were a few more Japs there. We were on patrol one day and ran into opposition. We all baled out of jeep into the small ditch. There I was withno radio for help. Our officer reached up into jeep and called on radio. That is where Honeycutt dropped a stone on my helmety. I thought I was hit, then he laughed. We finally got help and we got out of there 3 hours later. We were there about 2 months, not much fighting there.
Next was Negros Island, there it was different. We had much more opposition there. That is where I got my radio hit and also my rifle. I didn't get a scratch. Lucky, lucky. We found the guy that was in a pill box with machine gun. He was dead. He looked as if he wasn't over 14 years old.From there went up into the mountains. There we had more trouble. Japs were all there I think. I felt so sorry for Hank, had to string telephone wire to the companys, they got sniprf all the time. We went 3 days without our chow wagon. We were out of K rations in our pack. Was nice to see it come. Still we couldn't eat much. Our stomach was so shrunk up I suppose. Then came the time when we were stopped couldn't move for 3 or 4 days. General MacArthur came up wondering why we weren't moving. We told him we couldn't. So he got into the jeep and went up to the front. He was shot at several times. He left and never said anymore. Finally we all started moving. Our planes were bombing ahead of us. Once they dropped bombs on C company - that was terrible.
We were in combat 69 straight days. That was the record at that time. We finally got relief from combat in the mountains. The Filipino Gorrillas took over. What a relief. We were all so happy. I did find a silk Jap flag with about 50 signatures on it . Anyway we went back to Panay. Was training to invade Japan. In about 3 weeks the war was over. I and Hank had enough points to go home. So in about 2 weeks we were headed for the ship. One of the happiest days of my life. On the way home the ship broke down. We were worried just sitting in the ocean. We were afraid some of the Jap subs didn't know the war was over and here we were a sitting target. Hot, no air conditioning, etc. Anyway from Hawaii we didn't zig zag from then on. It took 30 days to get home from Panay. When we got about 1 day from the statesit was so cold, you see we were in hot weather for 3 years. But oh what a nice feeling.
We went up the Columbian river to Portland, Oregon. We docked and there was the Red Cross with cookies and all kinds of food. Time we seen the Red Cross, they didn't come when we needed them. We got off the ship and went to our barracks. There they had a big meal for us - what a meal. So the Red Cross didn't do anything for us. We got our discharge there. I was discharged in Fort Logan, Co. and there was my uncle, so he took me home. They gave me money for a train ticket, what a surprise. This is a small sampling of what I went through, I don't suppose I told you half of it. Now I will be 84 the 30th of May and I'm still here. I remain, Willis Kuchar
40th Division, 185th Infantry , 1st Bn
