Another of my Father's WWII stories - 02/25/17
Sometime late in 1941, a few months before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, a family friend on the local draft board let my father know his draft number was very low and that he'd be one of the first drafted in to the military...."so, you might as well enlist now in the branch of service you want." Dad enlisted in the Army Air Corp. Dad was in Colorado, in training, when Japan attacked. After Colorado, he is assigned to the 312th, a newly created squadron in which he will serve till the end of WWII.
So, sometime late in the war, he's with the 312th bomber squadron/5th Air Force in the Pacific and is the top sergeant in charge of the armorer section when this story happened.
Like many of his fellow squadron members, they thought the war was never going to end. One day, he realized that his enlistment had expired the prior week. So, he walked into the captain's office/tent and told him, "I want to go home." Captain was behind his desk reading some papers and without looking up, replied, yea, so do I and everyone else, but we're in for the duration and can't go home. Dad repeated, "I want to go home, adding, that duration thing doesn't apply to me." Captain then looked up from the papers asking, "you're serious aren't you?" "Damn right I am", I wasn't drafted, I joined before the war began and my enlistment expired last week....I want to go home."
Captain replied, I understand now, but forget it....you can't go home. Just to shut you up and get you out of my office, we need some 2nd Lts in the Squadron.....I'll talk to the Colonel and have you made a 2nd Lt. Dad was not prepared for the offer of a battle field commission as an officer, told the captain, let me think about it.
Next day, he thanked his captain for the offer, but declined it....that he'd shut up about going home.
I asked my Father, "why did you turn down being a 2nd Lt.? He smiled and pointed to the sleeve of his polo shirt, saying, I was a SFC, with my stripes, I had more pull in the unit than a damn 2nd Lt......besides that, I made about the same money as one and didn't think I'd be comfortable serving as one after being with the unit from its beginning.
This answer made sense to me....having been in the army myself and being a Vietnam Vet.
So, sometime late in the war, he's with the 312th bomber squadron/5th Air Force in the Pacific and is the top sergeant in charge of the armorer section when this story happened.
Like many of his fellow squadron members, they thought the war was never going to end. One day, he realized that his enlistment had expired the prior week. So, he walked into the captain's office/tent and told him, "I want to go home." Captain was behind his desk reading some papers and without looking up, replied, yea, so do I and everyone else, but we're in for the duration and can't go home. Dad repeated, "I want to go home, adding, that duration thing doesn't apply to me." Captain then looked up from the papers asking, "you're serious aren't you?" "Damn right I am", I wasn't drafted, I joined before the war began and my enlistment expired last week....I want to go home."
Captain replied, I understand now, but forget it....you can't go home. Just to shut you up and get you out of my office, we need some 2nd Lts in the Squadron.....I'll talk to the Colonel and have you made a 2nd Lt. Dad was not prepared for the offer of a battle field commission as an officer, told the captain, let me think about it.
Next day, he thanked his captain for the offer, but declined it....that he'd shut up about going home.
I asked my Father, "why did you turn down being a 2nd Lt.? He smiled and pointed to the sleeve of his polo shirt, saying, I was a SFC, with my stripes, I had more pull in the unit than a damn 2nd Lt......besides that, I made about the same money as one and didn't think I'd be comfortable serving as one after being with the unit from its beginning.
This answer made sense to me....having been in the army myself and being a Vietnam Vet.