WEBVTT 1 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:16.640 Welcome to Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbez. Our guest in this edition is 2 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:21.079 Willie Clements Junior. He's a veteran of the US Navy. He served in 3 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:25.480 the Pacific theater of World War Two and in the Korean War. And mister 4 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:29.280 Clements, thanks so much for being with us, thank you for having me. 5 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:34.759 Where were you born and raised? Sir? I was born in Victoria, 6 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:39.359 Texas, and I left there the first time. We're going to navy 7 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:43.799 nineteen forty five. And had there been a history of military service in your 8 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:47.840 family at all before you joined the Navy. I had a brother who went 9 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.960 in in January of forty one. And where did he serve? He served 10 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:56.439 in the Army. He was in the Big Window when Europe. He didn't 11 00:00:56.439 --> 00:00:59.920 get out until at the end of the war. I think you really poor, 12 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:03.560 six or late forty five. Wow. How did you hear about the 13 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:08.239 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? Well, Sunday morning? You know we were 14 00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:12.719 all getting ready for church and such a commotion going on around the town. 15 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:17.879 You know, we didn't have communications like yeah, here we had the little 16 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:23.719 wildless radios with a battery type and having a channel strunt from one end of 17 00:01:23.719 --> 00:01:29.280 the house to the other on top, running in Tenna down to the little 18 00:01:29.400 --> 00:01:34.439 box. We knew it was coming because we were already almost safe fighting the 19 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:40.200 war anyway with subs, with chasing our ships done out there and in Atlantic 20 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:46.400 when we were trying to get stupp over to Europe, and German U boats 21 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:49.920 had been it's been in the news that they were fighting since thirty six almost 22 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:59.920 And when Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and December seventh date and Roosevelt, I think 23 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:02.719 it was either that day or the next day he declared war on three of 24 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:09.439 Japanese, Italy and Germany. Now you entered the navy in February of nineteen 25 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:14.280 forty five. Were you drafted or did you enlist? I had joined. 26 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:19.840 I was seventeen and a half. My birthday is first of July nineteen twenty 27 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:25.960 seven, and I was seventeen and a half at nine forty five. I 28 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:31.719 went in February. I would have been eighteen that year until that coming July 29 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:38.080 in forty five. Why did you choose the navy? Well, actually that 30 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:43.319 was nothing exciting in a little town where I lived, no work, and 31 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:50.039 everybody was urt four and I was running around and wasn't going to school like 32 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:53.680 I should have. Just happened to thinking, Hey, my brothers are there, 33 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:59.400 so I might as well go go, you know, so right decided 34 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:02.159 to join, but he was in there. I went to there because I 35 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:07.879 couldn't get anything else at seventeen and a half, because I think he had 36 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:10.479 to be eighteen at that time to get the army, but they were taking 37 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:15.599 navy people in at seventeen. I got my mother to sign for me, 38 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:21.080 and of course we had to go down to city hall and get a birth 39 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:29.840 certificate. And that was hill earthed because the Justice of Peace that gave me 40 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:35.639 my birth certificate. I didn't have one there, and there was no information 41 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:43.800 on me legally. But he was doing my parents and he knew me, 42 00:03:43.960 --> 00:03:46.840 and he need to meet a wife who helped bring me here, and he 43 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:51.919 related all this information to me while I was getting ready, and he wrote 44 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.599 me out a birth certificate stamped with the state of Texas on it. I 45 00:03:54.759 --> 00:04:00.319 was ready to go. I joined up in San Antonio and caught the sutplusc 46 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:05.000 to Saint Louis to Missouri and men another little guy named Red. I think 47 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:10.719 we were about the same age I haven't seen him since then. And we 48 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:16.120 went to Great Lakes, Illinois. Wau Keegan really is where we started our 49 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:23.600 boot training at Camp Robert Small. And what did that training consists of drilling, 50 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:30.399 teaching you how to be a sailor and discipline out of pot orders and 51 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:35.720 basically what the Navy was all about. And training, well, they were 52 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:42.040 teaching how to swim and how to take care of yourself and how to shooting 53 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:45.720 forty five. And of course you know, we didn't couldn't bring him out 54 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:49.639 with us, but most of us training or started after reading and writing and 55 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:53.759 so forth. But I was already there. I could do that pretty easy. 56 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:59.120 But it was a segregated group. We was in Camp Roberts Small. 57 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:04.519 Great Lakes, Illinois had quite a few camps at that time where boots came 58 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:11.160 in to get their basic training, and this camp was Robert Small And a 59 00:05:11.399 --> 00:05:15.759 unique thing about this camp Company one party one was Buddy Young. He was 60 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:18.920 a football player and his brother was in my company one eighty one. And 61 00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:24.120 we were there for I think eight or nine weeks. It's hard to tell 62 00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:27.600 right now, Camper, I know in April we left, we got nine 63 00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:31.800 d Lee came back and they since we called Old gu which is called our 64 00:05:31.879 --> 00:05:36.920 going unit, was there. We were really the schedule for Europe and that 65 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:42.800 was at April, but the ball ended in Europe in April, so we 66 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:48.439 switched around and they put us on a troop train and sent us to California. 67 00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:53.079 Well, we were there until they got enough troops black troops too, 68 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:58.199 of course understand this was segregated at the time, and until they got enough 69 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:02.319 troops to send to the South Pacific. So they got us on a troop 70 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:09.279 ship and we went to Hawaiia. Paul Brown was the was a special service 71 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:12.920 out that time, and he had the football team. He was closed to 72 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:17.160 the neighbor football team at that time. We were there matter of fact by 73 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:20.360 the Young Maiden's team and he stayed in the States and I went right street 74 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:25.680 to the South Pacific. But anyway, we went to uh They put us 75 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:30.040 on a troop ship and we went to Hawaiia. That we did basic training 76 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:34.000 on how to load and offload ships and some more instructions on how to be 77 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:40.480 a sailor, and we from there. We were there for about three weeks 78 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:47.000 and we got on the lst Or landed ship and it took us to Philippines. 79 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:51.240 That was in May. I think, yeah, Bob May. But 80 00:06:51.319 --> 00:06:56.120 anyway, we got to the Philippines and we went in a little air called 81 00:06:56.279 --> 00:07:01.680 Manna Kenny. I have to look on the map again and relocate that. 82 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:06.480 But we did our job at Seabees, the out that that will supposed to 83 00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:12.480 be attached to. But we did stevea doors work, We loaded and offloaded 84 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:17.839 supply ships, put a complete time until the wall was over in September. 85 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:25.279 When the wall was over in September, we went to Guam and we did 86 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:30.560 the construction battalion work in Guam and we built a marine drive number one of 87 00:07:30.680 --> 00:07:41.120 the first pitiful highway there and uh Iguam and another. The crazy thing the 88 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:46.160 jets are still coming down. Now this was after September. Oh, I 89 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:50.439 guess this must have been around Christmas sometime. Some of the jets are still 90 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:55.959 coming out of the hill surrendering. Yeah, they was. They didn't know 91 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:58.959 the wall was over. Oh that's what they said. I think they got 92 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:03.439 hungry and they would they would come down and at the end of time with 93 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:09.399 days something mostly at night. And uh. The little thing about this was 94 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:13.959 we had a guy standing guard duty with a dummy gun. You know, 95 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:16.959 it looked like a rifle, but it was a dummy. No ammo in 96 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:24.000 it. This was worth remembory. This Japanese came down from the mountains with 97 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:26.560 a little conson huts. We had him in the roads on one side, 98 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:31.440 one role on each side of the road, and this little post where we 99 00:08:31.559 --> 00:08:39.279 had standing guard duty bubbs. Jeff came down to hout and surrendered Joe. 100 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:43.559 Surrender Joe, and he threw that gun down. Start running to the camp. 101 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:48.279 Japanese coming, Japanese coming, and of course he didn't have a gun. 102 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:52.879 And he woke just by the airs up in the club and Clanson huts 103 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:56.879 and wouldn't Coanson Hut. He with Chense so it was a good place to 104 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:00.600 be. Anyway, They got him out, they got the sky and he 105 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.279 said that he didn't know the war was over and he was home grin so 106 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:07.879 forth. So, yeah, but that was one of the unique things that 107 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:13.639 happened there, and later on before we left there that next year. I 108 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:20.159 was able to get out in nineteen forty six because I had my mother, 109 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:24.440 all my thing I have, they dependent and I got ten extra points for 110 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:31.000 that, and also got points with being in the war zone. I was 111 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:35.480 able to get out in four to six and that's when I realized that I 112 00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:39.159 need the education. So I got it. I went back to his high 113 00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:41.799 school, then went to college. Well, we're gonna follow up on that 114 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:43.440 in just a moment. We're gonna take a quick break. Right now, 115 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:48.480 we're speaking with Willie Clemens, Junior, veteran of the US Navy serving in 116 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:52.879 the Pacific Theater of World War two and also in the Korean War. I'm 117 00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:58.240 Greg Corumbus, and this is Veterans Chronicles. This is Veterans Chronicles. I'm 118 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:03.240 Greg Corumba, our guest in this edition as Willie Clemens, Junior, a 119 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:07.720 veteran of the United States Navy serving in the Pacific Theater of World War two 120 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:11.879 and in the Korean War. And Willy, you gave us such a great 121 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:15.799 overview of your service in World War Two. I just want to zoom in 122 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:18.120 a little closer on a couple of the points, one of which you mentioned 123 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:22.039 in passing a couple of times both in training and then also out on the 124 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:26.720 West Coast as you waited to go into the Pacific theater. And that's of 125 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:31.399 course that at that time the military was still segregated. How did that impact 126 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:39.039 your personal experience in the service at that time? It really didn't bother me 127 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:46.639 any because I came from a segregated state. It was surprising to me that 128 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:54.600 when we left checks on the Southern Pacific, we had to ride in segregated 129 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:58.679 cars until we got to Saint Louis. And once we crossed Mason Diction of 130 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:05.519 everybody was sitting. Everybody wanted to so we just a little buddy of mine, 131 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:11.080 God, I'll remember now his name was Read and we had on the 132 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:18.200 trackers jump of sweaters of jackets and blue. I remember my pants are blue, 133 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:22.240 great pants, you know, big knees and little legs at the bottom. 134 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:30.200 And we got into Chicago in February. Snowing was coming down like all 135 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:35.679 get out, and we had on Texas clothes. White lady gave us some 136 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:39.080 comfortable as she put her for a cool around us while we were waiting on 137 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:43.519 the ail station for the train to come out of take us out to war 138 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:48.600 Keegan. So that was one of the things that our incidents that I will 139 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:56.759 always remember. And getting to war Keegan and where Great Lakes is located in 140 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:03.440 Illinois. We stay in that area for three days until we got our uniforms, 141 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:09.159 and man, it was a change to wear clothes for that climate, 142 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:13.679 ruther than the clothes that we had all coming up from Texas in the winter. 143 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:16.120 So, you know, I had us thrown any end because I thought 144 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:20.919 I was kind of interesting. But you know, being in a segregated South, 145 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:26.000 it wasn't anything knew to me to be segregated in the service. We 146 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:31.039 had no offices in the Navy. Well I didn't see it. I'm won't 147 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:35.960 say we didn't have any, but I didn't see any. We didn't have 148 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:39.960 it in our group and most of our penny offices until after a while. 149 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:46.519 You know, we were in the last one of the last organizations to integrate, 150 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:50.360 and I think the Marines, well I know the Marines was the last 151 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:56.960 one, but just the way things were at the time, and you didn't 152 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:01.639 pay much attention to it because I you could say, we would satisfied serving 153 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:09.320 our country and doing what we could to in that crazy war. So and 154 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:16.399 then it was it was an experience for me as a young black kid who 155 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:20.399 would never have left Texas had it not been for the trip in the Navy 156 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.559 at that time, So it was really a great experience for me. Wellie, 157 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.080 let's move over to the work you were doing in the Philippines now, 158 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:33.480 the onloading and offloading of the ships. What type of things were you unloading 159 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:37.879 and offloading? Was it ammunition? Was it food? Was it basic? 160 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:45.720 Everything that they would send from the States to put the service people in that 161 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:50.159 particular area. The ships, the other ships would come in that particular to 162 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:58.480 get supplied. We would empty cargo ships. We had games of eight or 163 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:03.799 twelve bubbles in a game, and we learned how to use the winches and 164 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:11.360 drive um most real things you use to pick up boxes with parklift park lifts 165 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:18.360 and use hand sables of pool ree winches up and out, and you learned 166 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:24.919 how to unload and load ships. We wasn't so much load and ships loads 167 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:28.639 the small ships that came in to get supplies for that personal ship. I 168 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:33.279 think folks would be very surprised at just how much was needed in the war 169 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:37.559 zone. You think of, you know, military supplies to actually fight the 170 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:41.360 war. But you gotta feed everybody, you gotta house everybody, you gotta 171 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:45.519 have supplies to treat with the wounded and everything else. And I'm not even 172 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:50.200 mentioning a million other things. But I'm guessing that the parade of ships to 173 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:54.320 unload and load never stopped. It didn't. We had we worked around the 174 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:58.320 clock. We worked eight hours shifts and we had three shifts and they would 175 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:03.639 alternate. We lived on what we call a floating hotel. It's a shift 176 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:09.720 that they had anchored out in Manicandi there and it didn't have a motor well, 177 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:13.360 I say engine to run. It was just anchor out. It's like 178 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:20.879 a hotel, but it had generated to do what you would normally do in 179 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:24.399 the house, you know, cooked food and everything you need in you a 180 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:31.600 regular shepherd or home. We had it available and you know that we could 181 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:41.919 get together and you wouldn't know one guy was a senior seniors payoffice or what 182 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:48.320 because everybody you didn't wear uniform with at our group that loaded unloaded the shifts, 183 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:52.879 you didn't have your rank on. Everybody knew who you were, so 184 00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:56.399 it didn't make a difference. What was the weather like? Was it pretty 185 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.919 human over there? I can't remember any bad whether. All I know is 186 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:03.360 that we would get picked up on a boat in the morning and they would 187 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:07.559 take us to wherever the ship we had to unload and we'd see there until 188 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.240 we got that we're done to move to another ship. We would go back 189 00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:17.879 to the two hour ship where we've slept. Now we did get to go 190 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:22.399 or R and R. They cleared the Marines, cleared out by a half 191 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:25.240 a block for us. Oh man, a cannywhere we could go. And 192 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:29.720 I never forget this. I didn't drink anything at that time, but they 193 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:36.679 had Milaha life beer and the guys would drink that beer. I'd go there 194 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:41.960 and our medioc cathlete and I'd like to run up and down a little kind 195 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:45.559 of square block that we had that was secure for us. They kept the 196 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:49.679 Japanese away from there. Now, when you got to the Pacific Theater, 197 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:55.879 we're talking late spring of nineteen forty five, was there a general idea among 198 00:16:55.960 --> 00:17:00.279 everyone that we were winning and that hopefully the war would be over soon. 199 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:04.359 Well, we were taking the outlands back at that time. We're going back 200 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:11.480 to your Gyma guy, and we were really knocking him out. But the 201 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:15.680 thing when Truman dropped a bomb that just solidified everything less is hard. A 202 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:21.319 lot of people criticized Truman for dropping that bumb but I tell you, we 203 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:27.240 would have lost a lot of American personnel if they had attacked going sure like 204 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:33.599 they did normally in Europe, because the kids would be fighting and shooting and 205 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:37.920 there was no place safe that you could really go to like they did in 206 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:42.480 France. So we would have lost in my opinion, we would have lost 207 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:48.680 consimably more personnel if we would have had to attack. He destroyed a lot 208 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:51.440 of people in a lot of time, but we would have lost a lot 209 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:56.200 of people in my opinions if we would have had to go into Japan like 210 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:03.519 we did in Europe. Japan, of course, refused to surrender in most 211 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:06.200 cases, and so the fighting they were not. They were not going to 212 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:11.839 surrender until they dropped that bumb on Nasa Hiroshima, that's right. And after 213 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:15.279 dropt the first they had to drop the circling before they knew they could be 214 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:21.880 annihilated. So that got us out of there much quicker and without a lot 215 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:26.079 of loss for American life. How did you hear about the end of the 216 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:30.480 war, Well, we heard about the bum, the first bum, and 217 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:36.920 everybody was jumping up and down about that, and then we heard about the 218 00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:41.240 second one, and immediately after that we had the wildest on the ship. 219 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:45.559 You see the news came over the direct Japan had surrendered, and man, 220 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:49.559 I'll tell you that was a great day. That was a great day because 221 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:53.440 we thought that we had to go to Japan. I think we were getting 222 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:57.559 ready to go to Japan, somewhere closer to Japan than the Philippine. I 223 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:03.960 think we were to move our team to closer to where we could load and 224 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:07.480 also supplies. We didn't knew it then, but that was a life blood 225 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:12.240 of the military, getting them food, drink, and we found out what 226 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:17.119 to do with the number was for liquor. You know, they slipped, 227 00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:22.559 they slifted on a medical supply. There's always a way. There's always a 228 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:25.759 way now, you know, you find out things when you worked there for 229 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:29.640 a while. You know. Now, we talked a couple of minutes ago, 230 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:33.400 mister Clemens about how the Japanese would fight to the last man. They 231 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:37.920 didn't believe in surrender, and that's why if there had been an actual invasion 232 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:41.079 of the Japanese mainland, it would have been so costly to us and to 233 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:45.559 the Japanese people. But the Japanese they didn't do that. And one of 234 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:48.680 the ways that they also tried to attack even though they knew they were losing 235 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:52.519 was through Kamakazi attacks, and I believe one of your boats doing that in 236 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:56.440 Lazy. Yes, they were doing that in Lady Gulf, but we were 237 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:02.559 close to that area, but we weren't that there when they were coming over. 238 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:07.519 I complains off in the Philippines, they wouldn't go back after they came 239 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:11.119 out on the suicide mission. Anything that moved out there, and that golf 240 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:17.599 they would knock it off a dive and took because it would been disharmorble for 241 00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:21.400 them to return alive, so they would not go back. How long did 242 00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:26.680 you stay over there after the Japanese surrender, Well, we left the Philippines 243 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:30.720 and went to Guam and we started rebuilding Guam, and I think I had 244 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:34.559 thirty six points to get out on you know, at that time, it 245 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:38.720 depends on they were letting everybody out. You know that they didn't need military 246 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:42.920 as many military person held as they had at that time. So the first 247 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:51.000 people they let out was the reserves, okay, And just so happened hours 248 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:55.839 a reserve and I had my mother as they dependent, and then I had 249 00:20:56.039 --> 00:21:00.759 points for being in the war, so I got out quickly. When they 250 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:08.640 started discharging people that they didn't need and I was I got out. I 251 00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:14.759 think it was an April. I got out in time to get back in 252 00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:21.480 school for my junior year, and then I got I went back and finished 253 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:27.519 my junior year and senior year that Paul and I got out. I finished 254 00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:34.119 high school in part to seven, and I would have been twenty in July. 255 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.680 Well, mister Clements, let's pause one more time. When we come 256 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:41.480 back, we'll talk about what you did between World War Two and the Korean 257 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:45.440 War, and obviously your service in the Korean War as well. We're speaking 258 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:48.839 with Willie Clements Junior, a veteran of the US Navy, served in the 259 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:53.519 Pacific Theater of World War Two and in the Korean War. I'm Greg Corumbus 260 00:21:53.720 --> 00:22:00.240 and Veterans Chronicles. We'll be right back. This is Veterans Chronicles. I'm 261 00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:03.599 Greg Corumbus. Our guest in this edition is Willie Clemens Junior. He's a 262 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:07.440 veteran of the US Navy. He served both in the Pacific Theater of World 263 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:12.039 War two and in the Korean War. And mister Clements, we were just 264 00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:17.799 finishing up your service in World War two, and you explained how after fourteen 265 00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:22.319 months in the Navy. Come April of nineteen forty six, you were discharged 266 00:22:22.359 --> 00:22:26.480 and you were able to continue with your high school education. So it would 267 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.480 be seven years later that you would rejoin the Navy. But before we get 268 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:33.119 to that, tell me a little bit more about what you did in those 269 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:38.640 intervening seven years. Well, I wouldn't like to high school because our real 270 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:45.839 life being in the Navy, it was important to have an education. At 271 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:51.319 that time in my life, that was not a lot of emphasis put on 272 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:56.279 an education in our community, so I didn't realize how necessary it was to 273 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:02.720 get it when we were growing up. Most people when they got to be 274 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:04.920 twelve or fourteen years over in that area, they would get a job to 275 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:11.480 help support the family. I realized that, and I always had a job 276 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:15.200 doing something. But I knew I had to have an education if I wanted 277 00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:18.839 to have a decent life. And that was after I came out, learned 278 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:25.480 that in the Navy responsibility for myself. So I came back. I went 279 00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:29.359 to high school and I played football. I still had my age allowed me 280 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:34.240 to play, and I got a scholarship to preview an m and I went 281 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:40.119 there for three years and I got out and went to work. I got 282 00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:45.599 married, went to work, I got a divorce, and I decided there 283 00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:51.559 was no work there for me in Texas. I was out of school and 284 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:55.440 said, well, I was running alternative and I had to go back to 285 00:23:55.480 --> 00:24:04.519 the Navy. So I rejoined the Navy nineteen fifty three and close to November. 286 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:10.599 I'm sure I think it was November. Yeah. But my life as 287 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:15.799 a surveying was good and I charged, but I still know that an education 288 00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:21.680 was what I really did need and it helped me conceivably. Once I went 289 00:24:21.799 --> 00:24:26.640 back in the Navy, I was older, a little wiser, and another 290 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:30.680 reason, going back in the Navy gave me an opportunities to have a little 291 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:34.759 more security because there was no work, no paying jobs. It may have 292 00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:41.960 been working in Texas in Victoria, but they weren't paying anything and no benefits 293 00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:47.440 or anything. And I kind of had a little forethought about getting myself ready 294 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:51.160 for what age, and I knew I needed a job to make some money 295 00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:56.119 and to take care of a family. So decide the best place for me 296 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:59.480 was back in the Navy, and I was gonna stay. I was gonna 297 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:08.160 do a career in the Navy. But I got married and fifty six, 298 00:25:08.839 --> 00:25:11.640 and so I decided that, hey, I gotta get out of this. 299 00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:15.359 I can't go back to see being married, so I decided to get out. 300 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:19.799 Well, of course, when you rejoined the service in the US Navy 301 00:25:19.880 --> 00:25:25.799 in the fall of nineteen fifty three, the major combat portions of the Korean 302 00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:30.160 War had just concluded. So what did that mean for your service? Where 303 00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:33.599 where did they send you? As soon as you rejoined? I got only 304 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:41.839 a destroyer in Philadelphia, USS Waldron six nine and nine, which part of 305 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:48.720 this of twenty two. And we left there and went through the Suez Canal 306 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:55.240 and around from San Diego and way you know, through the South Pacific Guam, 307 00:25:55.559 --> 00:25:59.920 not Guam, but Okaanaa, and then we wound up staying in the 308 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:04.400 area of Japan and Korea for four months. We'd come back to Japan and 309 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:08.799 do our R and R and then we go back. We operated mostly with 310 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:15.799 the valotship was heard number two. But I was tracking for a quartermaster on 311 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:18.519 the ship. And tell me a little more about that. What did that 312 00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:25.519 job entail? Well, in a tail of visial communications signal, and at 313 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:30.880 that time it was navigation. But my education didn't allow me to see there. 314 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:37.200 I couldn't held I couldn't held it too well. We was in Korea 315 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:47.359 for in Korea and Japan. We got to Japan and we would stop in 316 00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:55.079 Yucusca and Sassebo, and those were our point of recreation when there would come 317 00:26:55.160 --> 00:27:00.440 back from Korea and we'd operate near the thirty parallel from Missouri, and we 318 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:06.559 were escort most of the time that we were there. Mister Clemens, what 319 00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:11.839 do you remember about Korea itself? One thing I remember that once very foggy 320 00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:19.279 morning, we woke up and we had gone two miles north to the thirty 321 00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:23.279 parallel and we had to get the heck out of there in a hurry. 322 00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:29.720 We were were supposed to run the boat the Missouri, but we were off 323 00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:33.119 based up of about ten miles, so we had to get out of and 324 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:37.319 get back below that thing before we read in the National incident. That was 325 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:42.160 one of the highlights. But another thing was that we traveled. We traveled 326 00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:48.200 across from a radian in the Equator and quite quite an experience. Now, 327 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:53.000 when you accidentally went north of the thirty eighth parallel. Was it Americans who 328 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:57.319 told you you had to turn around right away? Or was it his name 329 00:27:57.440 --> 00:28:02.599 was Cunningham. He came up in the morning and I had that eight to 330 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:04.359 twelve ship or twelve to eight, I'm not sure, but anyway, it 331 00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:10.240 was earther than one. He came up real folgy, and he looked up 332 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.440 and checked his equipment and everything. He said, hey, we're in the 333 00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:19.799 wrong place. So he called for the navigator, the lieutenant command, the 334 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:25.319 lieutenant he's a two striper, two big stripes and one half a stripe, 335 00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:30.880 lieutenant commander. I think it was them because our captain was a full commander. 336 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:37.119 But anyway, Petrov was his name. He didn't quite know what he 337 00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:40.480 was doing. I don't think anyway. The chief pay officer came in and 338 00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:44.799 got aside there. But that was a thrill where the halp pull up anchor 339 00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:48.000 and just run. We had to pull up anchor and scat. But that 340 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:52.319 was just some of the interesting things that we did that we had to do 341 00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:59.319 while we were while we were in career. But then it was an experience 342 00:28:59.400 --> 00:29:03.640 to get into Japan and other places around that particular are and for that time, 343 00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:10.440 and that's a that's another thing that really helped me as far as my 344 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:15.920 education is concerned, because I don't know whether it just being around the people 345 00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:18.839 are not a being in the navy. I was able to do a lot 346 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:22.799 of things. Plus I did some studying while I was there. We had 347 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:26.920 a pretty good goal of it. Matter of fact, I wouldn't have trade 348 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:33.880 that experience right now for any name in the world for anything. But being 349 00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:38.400 in Korea was not like some of the dogs that was fighting in the trenches, 350 00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:42.559 you know what I mean, being on the ship. We never got 351 00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:47.359 off the ship to go into Korea. During the time we got off that 352 00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:52.799 ship out there then was to go to going to Aucousco or Sansabo, Japan. 353 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:57.119 And when we left that we steamed. I know one particular time, 354 00:29:57.200 --> 00:30:04.279 we steamed for thirty days and we had to keep up with that ballotship. 355 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:15.319 We had to refuel every four days because that ballotship would run thirty one knots 356 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:22.240 without you know, and that was unusual. Look out look m destroyer. 357 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:30.319 The top feet I think at that time was about thirty two knots, So 358 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:33.400 we had almost run the top speed to keep up with that thing. And 359 00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:40.440 they had a couple of cruisers with the fellot remember I don't remember there the 360 00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:45.799 name of them, but we had four destroyers that traveled as a group as 361 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:52.880 a squadron, and we had another point about division who would replace us all 362 00:30:53.319 --> 00:31:00.480 the rotation as we left, So it was it was kind of little spirits, 363 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:03.440 really, mister Clemens. Just a few closing questions here. First of 364 00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:10.319 all, given your service in both World War Two and Korea, when you 365 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:15.880 see a thriving democratic Japan, and then especially the vast difference between the way 366 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:21.480 North Korea is now and the free and vibrant South Korea that we have, 367 00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:25.920 how does that make you think about your service. Well, I'll be frank 368 00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:32.680 with you. I was proud to be part of it, and I am 369 00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:41.559 now as I grow older, I am more satisfied with my participation in fighting 370 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:48.359 for the country because I feel like I feel like I've accomplished something. It's 371 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:52.279 just a good feeling to know. Now there are terms with this country. 372 00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:56.119 I'm a little disappointed there are time because we got people in here in our 373 00:31:56.240 --> 00:32:05.400 government now that seems to be that seems to be more like they want to 374 00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:09.920 be another part of what we bought, far than what we should be now. 375 00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:15.880 It's kind of disappointing to see the way that some of us say hid 376 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:22.880 it at this time, so that it's really kind of disappointing to me to 377 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:29.119 think that that could be Americans who could be so disloyal in my opinion, 378 00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:35.519 or act like that. And I have my opinion about that too. It's 379 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:39.960 disgusting, really to tell you the truth, that we would have our elected 380 00:32:40.039 --> 00:32:46.440 officials fighting against what we're fighting far the things that we far to guess when 381 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:53.519 I see our government going along with things that commonness people say, putent all 382 00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:58.200 the rest of the countries that don't a lot of people to think for themselves, 383 00:32:58.920 --> 00:33:01.720 the rule that we're going on now, in my opinion, is just 384 00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:07.799 a road to ruins. Again, I'm opinionated. I'm an old man, 385 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:14.359 but I love this country and if I had to go and fight again, 386 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:20.279 I would. But there have been some changes made and we have a confidence 387 00:33:20.359 --> 00:33:27.400 life thing. But we're getting right now worse than I've ever seen this country. 388 00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:31.279 It's just terrible as far as I'm concerned. So, but we got 389 00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:35.519 a lot of good people this country. I've still got confidence that we will 390 00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:40.000 survive everything that's going on right now. I think we'll survive. I hope 391 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:45.400 we do. The gardens on outside, I'm sure that one of the things 392 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:52.440 you mentioned a few minutes ago, mister Clemens, is that President Truman desegregated 393 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:55.279 the military in between your first time in the Navy and when you came back 394 00:33:55.359 --> 00:34:00.440 in nineteen fifty three. Was your experience the second time around remarkably different as 395 00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:05.319 a result of that, Oh, definitely, definitely. But that was still 396 00:34:05.480 --> 00:34:09.119 segregated pockets in the search. Don't get me wrong. It was never all 397 00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:14.119 peaches and cream. That was some rough spots. But you know, we're 398 00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:17.880 a country of individuals, and you expect that. I do. I know 399 00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:23.000 it, and I've experienced it. They're good people and they're bad. But 400 00:34:23.119 --> 00:34:28.960 in my opinion, there's more good people in this country than it is bad. 401 00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:32.559 And I think this is going to keep us going the way we're going. 402 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:37.639 We didn't we didn't do this four hundred years just to be thrown under 403 00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:42.119 the bus. So I'm pretty sure we're strung enough to take care of all 404 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:46.760 these little things that we see popping up around the country now. That people 405 00:34:46.840 --> 00:34:52.280 want to take other people's love whatever away from freedom, everything, well make 406 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:57.400 everybody think like they think you just can't do it. I think this comes 407 00:34:57.400 --> 00:35:00.440 to the built on the fact that everybody has a mind, and they're advisor's 408 00:35:00.519 --> 00:35:06.280 individual but to majority and law, you know, rule. Like I said, 409 00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:08.400 I'm opinionated, and I think I have a right to be. I 410 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:15.199 learned the right to voice my opinion and sometime to get me in trouble. 411 00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:16.599 But then I don't mind. Not been in trouble all my life. I 412 00:35:16.679 --> 00:35:22.599 don't mind not with me, sir, not with me. Just a couple 413 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:25.559 of questions before we let you go, m what did you do after your 414 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:30.519 military service? Well, I went to work for the government. I worked 415 00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:37.639 for the government's for thirty years with time of my military time, and I 416 00:35:38.119 --> 00:35:45.320 retired forty years ago in nineteen eighty three. And that was well. Like 417 00:35:45.400 --> 00:35:50.400 I said, I got married when I was interviews them. And that's one 418 00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:52.679 reason why I got out of the Navy, because I had a seagoing rate 419 00:35:53.920 --> 00:36:00.559 and I knew that if I stayed in the Navy, which was a choice 420 00:36:00.599 --> 00:36:04.719 I could have made, I wouldn't be around a family as much as I 421 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:09.840 would like to be. So I decided to get out in nineteen fifty seven 422 00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:15.159 and I moved to Dayton, Ohio, and I've been here ever since and 423 00:36:15.320 --> 00:36:20.119 raised the family here. Fantastic, sir. When you look back at your 424 00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:24.920 military service. What are you most proud of? Well, it made a 425 00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:30.199 man out of me. I went from a young law kid to a man 426 00:36:30.880 --> 00:36:39.159 who knew what responsibilities were and how to accept it and how to make good 427 00:36:39.280 --> 00:36:47.199 decisions sometime. But survival was what I was very most and I made it 428 00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:52.079 so far, so good. And lastly, sir, we're very grateful for 429 00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:55.119 you taking the time to share your story. What does it mean to you 430 00:36:55.480 --> 00:37:00.800 to have the American Veteran Center hear your story and preserve it for future generations. 431 00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:10.119 I hope it helps somebody, and I hope that they can understand what 432 00:37:10.360 --> 00:37:15.159 I'm saying. I'm not better. I'm thankful that I was born in this 433 00:37:15.320 --> 00:37:23.239 country and the opportunities that he gave me to be the success was wonderful for 434 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:30.559 me and my family. So you can't overlook that. And so this is 435 00:37:30.639 --> 00:37:32.679 what I'm really proud of. And I try to do what I can, 436 00:37:32.920 --> 00:37:37.840 but who will I can and do the best I can to serve by God. 437 00:37:37.320 --> 00:37:40.920 Beautifully said and a perfect way to conclude, mister Clements, thank you 438 00:37:42.119 --> 00:37:45.320 very much for your service to our nation, and thank you so much for 439 00:37:45.400 --> 00:37:47.440 your time today. We really appreciate it and thank you for having me. 440 00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:52.719 Willie Clemens Junior is a veteran of the US Navy and he is a veteran 441 00:37:52.760 --> 00:37:58.280 of both World War Two and the Korean War. I'm Greg Corumbus and this 442 00:37:58.840 --> 00:38:13.719 is Veterans Chronicle. Hi. This is Greg Corumbus and thanks for listening to 443 00:38:13.880 --> 00:38:19.119 Veterans Chronicles, a presentation of the American Veterans Center. For more information, 444 00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:24.039 please visit American Veterans Center dot org. You can also follow the American Veterans 445 00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:30.800 Center on Facebook and on Twitter. We're at AVC update. Subscribe to the 446 00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:36.440 American Veterans Center YouTube channel for full oral histories and special features, and of 447 00:38:36.519 --> 00:38:40.480 course, please subscribe to the Veterans Chronicles podcast wherever you get your podcasts. 448 00:38:42.119 --> 00:38:45.320 Thanks again for listening, and please join us next time for Veterans Chronicles.