| Description | His life as a youth in northeast Texas; family experiences during the Great Depression; his long-time love of mules and horses; his decision to join the 112th Cavalry, Texas National Guard, November, 1940; mobilization of the Texas National Guard, November 18, 1940; training with horses, Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, 1940-41; advanced training at Fort Clark, Brackettville, Texas, 1941; return to Fort Worth for additional mounted training, 1941; Louisiana Maneuvers, July-September, 1941; voyage from San Francisco to New Caledonia, 1942-43; assignment to Townsville, Australia, 1943; assault on Woodlark Island, July, 1943; dismounting of the cavalry and its conversion to regular infantry; the landing at Arawe, New Britain, December, 1943; combat around Arawe; comments about the fighting qualities of Japanese soldiers; his role as a machine-gunner; rest and relaxation in Australia, July, 1944; combat near the Driniumor River, Aitape, June, 1944; invasion of Leyte, Philippines, November, 1944; combat around the Ormoc Valley; hospitalization due to malaria; landings at Lingayen Gulf, January 27, 1945; his battle wound from a Japanese machine gun burst; rotation back to the States, August, 1945, and subsequent discharge. |
