Ralph was inducted into the U.S.Army on May 25, 1942 at the age of 22. After training Ralph was assigned to the Army Air Corps.
Ralph’s specialty was radio operator/ gunner. He soon found himself serving in the Aleutian Islands, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
The Japanese actually landed on American soil early in the war. The islands of Kiska, and Attu were actually occupied for a time. The Aleutians were a strategic jumping off point for the Japanese. It was thought that the land bases would be perfect for the eventual attacks on the American west coast.
Ralph’s missions were anti-submarine patrol, and also air-sea rescue. It was known however, that if a pilot found himself in the frigid waters of the region, the chances were slim that he would survive the cold.
Ralph attained the rank of PFC. He received the Asiatic-Pacific Theater medal with two bronze stars. He also was awarded the Air Offensive Aleutian Islands Anti-Submarine wings. He also was the recipient of the good conduct medal.
He was discharged from the military on October 29, 1945.
No comments:
Post a Comment