Another of Dad's WWII stories.
As mentioned in my first post Dad had enlisted in the army air corp a few months before we declared war on Japan for bombing Pearl Harbor. He was around 22 years old when he joined. Dad was a fairly big guy. He had dropped out of school around the 7th grade to work and help put food on the family table during the depression years. While he had little education, Dad was an intelligent guy. Much of his adult life, he owned his own business. Most of his friends, golfing buddies and etc., had a college degree. Dad had become the top sergeant in charge of the squadron's armor section rather quickly.
Anyway, the story.
Dad's squadron had been in the Pacific for a couple of years. One day he realized his enlistment had ended a few days before and he was tired of the war. So, he walked into his company hdqtrs to see the captain he'd served under most of the time he'd been in the squadron. Once with his captain, he tells him I want to get out of the army and go home. Captain has his head down looking at some paperwork and replies without looking up, Yea, me too, but like me and everyone else, you're in for the duration (of the war), so you're stuck here. Dad replied, that duration thing doesn't apply to me, I joined the army before this damn war began and my enlistment ended a couple of days ago and I want to go home. With these words, the captain looked up from the paperwork and commented, you are serious aren't you.....damn right I am, replied my Dad.
Captain tells him, your enlistment ending means nothing, you're still in for the duration. But, just to shut you up, I have a proposition for you. We are short of 2nd Lts in the squadron....I'll get you a battlefield commission just to make you happy. Dad said, I wasn't prepared for that offer of being made a Lt., told the captain I had to think about it.
Next day, Dad told his captain thanks for the offer, but I'll stay a sergeant first class and....not say anything else about going home.
After listening to Dad's story, I asked him, why'd you turn down being an officer? Dad chuckled, well money wise I already made about the same pay as a 2nd Lt. Dad then pointed to a sleeve on his shirt and then said with the number of stripes I had as a SFC, I had a heck of a lot more pull in the squadron than any 2nd Lt. I would be happier as an NCO than an officer.
