One of my clients was a wiry old guy that made a living on a small farm with a few cows and hard work.
A nice guy, fun to visit with. I'd known him quite a while before it came out he had jumped "out of a perfectly good airplane" onto Corregidor in Feb of '45. He only talked about the funny things that happened. But no doubt he saw some stuff. It was quite a battle.
Out of all the World War II veterans that I knew, I only ever met one who was a paratrooper in that conflict. He was an interesting old guy that trained beagle dogs. He made that jump onto Corregidor and lost his leg there. I wander if they knew each other?
This is the only man I ever met who also jumped at Corregidor. I was acquainted with him when I lived in Los Angeles. If you ever watched a teevee show titled
The Twilight Zone, you'll probably recognize the name.
ROD SERLING - "Military decorations from the Second World War include: World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with Arrowhead Device), Good Conduct Medal, Phillippine Liberation Medal (with one bronze service star), Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Honorable Service Lapel Pin. Also retroactively authorized the Bronze Star Medal, based on receipt of the Combat Infantryman Badge during the Second World War.
Served in the United States Army, under the service number 32-738-306, from January 1943 to January 1946. Discharged in the rank of Technician 5th Grade (the equivalent of a Corporal) having served as an Infantry Combat Demolition Specialist and a Paratrooper."
L.W.
