Before the war, I had to quit school in the 10th grade to work to support my mother, sister and brother. When my sister turned 18 years of age, I was about to be drafted, so I went and enlisted in the Marine Corps on July 26, 1943. All of us who enlisted that day in the Marines were told that their quota was filled, and today was Navy day, so we all ended up in the Navy.
I took my boot camp training at Farragut Idaho. After boot camp training, I was sent to school to learn to become a corpsman. After hospital duty, my buddy and I volunteered for the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) duty. The 1st Mate who signed us up told us that no one signs up for the FMF. Most corpsman are drafted for Marine Corps duty. It was the fastest transfer I had ever experienced in the service!
I was sent to Santa Margarita Ranch for three weeks of indoctrination courses on February 2, 1944. From there I was sent to Camp Elliott from March to May, 1944.
I was sent to Camp Pendelton to finish my training. I was with the 81 mm mortar section, H Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Regiment, 5th Marine Division. I landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945.
Casualties were heavy everywhere, and corpsmen were busy treating casualties of all kinds, and all types of wounds. I was transferred to F Company (same battalion, regiment and division) due to the heavy casualties in rifle companies.
I was evacuated from Iwo Jima on March 12, due to a concussion from heavy artillery fire. I was transferred to the hospital ship USS Solace (AH-5). I was never treated or examined by a doctor. In fact when they found out that I was a corpsman they asked me to assist them with the many casualties that were being treated aboard the ship. Eventually, I ended up in Guam, then sent back to my regular outfit, the 81 mm mortar section.
I participated in the occupation of Japan, and served in Sasebo and Kyushu from September to December 1945.
After the war, I had many jobs due to my lack of education, but I had to support my Mother and sister, who became ill while I was gone.
I worked at just about everything, like factory work, bartending, cab driving, and construction work. I hurt my back in construction, and was out of work for 14 months. I was told I could no longer do manual labor, so I started selling insurance for Mutual of Omaha, and other insurance companies throughout the years.
In 1971, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and owned my own agency for 8 years. I sold my insurance agency and went into manufacturing Aloe Vera products for cosmetics and health food. Our partnership ended in three years, and I started my own aloe vera company called Natural Living Products, Inc. I went into marketing, rather than manufacturing, and was very successful.
When my wife was diagnosed with lung cancer in late 1987, I was told she did not have long to live. I sold my company to be able to spend all our time together. She lived 2 1⁄2 years.
For two years, I owned a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona, but I ended up selling it because I was spending most of my time – 7 days a week – working there.
I re-married another beautiful lady, Virginia, and we will be celebrate our 13th anniversary on June 26, 2006.
