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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in

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<v Speaker 1>this edition is Kenneth Wells. He's a US Marine Corps

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<v Speaker 1>Infantry veteran of World War Two who served in the

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<v Speaker 1>Battle of Okinawa from April to June of nineteen forty

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<v Speaker 1>five and was wounded there. He joins US today to

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<v Speaker 1>share his story of service and describe the conditions on Okinawa,

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<v Speaker 1>the challenges of fighting against the Japanese there, and what

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<v Speaker 1>combat was like for him. Kenneth Wells was born in Ohio,

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<v Speaker 1>just a few years before the start of the Great Depression,

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<v Speaker 1>and looking back now, well says he can see how

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<v Speaker 1>the Depression impacted his family.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, you know, I always felt that something was wrong

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<v Speaker 2>in the family. Have that closest and you have that

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<v Speaker 2>feeling that something just out right. It turned out as

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<v Speaker 2>I got older, I realized that the depression had taken

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<v Speaker 2>such a told to the personality of the individuals. You

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<v Speaker 2>know that we were farmers, and the idea of the

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<v Speaker 2>thought was that you might lose the farm. I think

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<v Speaker 2>that was the problem in their minds, and so this

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<v Speaker 2>was always a thought I picked up without realizing it.

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<v Speaker 1>How did you hear the news of the Japanese attack

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<v Speaker 1>on Pearl Harbor.

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<v Speaker 3>I think by radio.

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<v Speaker 1>What was your reaction?

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<v Speaker 3>You know at that time.

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<v Speaker 2>In forty two, I was still in Betoure, kid, you

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<v Speaker 2>might say, and I had heard of Hitler and what

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<v Speaker 2>was going on in Europe, so you had some preparation

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<v Speaker 2>of what it was like, you know, But.

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<v Speaker 3>It really didn't bother me.

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<v Speaker 2>A great deal that, I think, because you have security

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<v Speaker 2>in your own home life, and security that you could

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<v Speaker 2>take care of anything it came along.

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<v Speaker 1>When did you join the Marine Corps?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, this big old sergeant walked in the room and

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<v Speaker 2>he said, my son, I know you were supposed to

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<v Speaker 2>go to the Navy, but you have just volunteered for

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<v Speaker 2>the Marine Corps.

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<v Speaker 1>So you wanted to join the Navy?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, And so he picked two of us, he said,

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<v Speaker 3>you and you. That's how I got into breads.

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<v Speaker 1>How would you describe basic training at Paris Island?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I had always been an active kid high school,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, and throughout athletics in shape a farm kid,

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<v Speaker 2>you know. I had all type of muscles from shoveling

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<v Speaker 2>corn and doing farm work. What happened to me had

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<v Speaker 2>boot trade was this normal process of life you know

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<v Speaker 2>I was able to handle it, handle most everything that

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<v Speaker 2>they threw at me. Strangest think there was one thing

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<v Speaker 2>that you ever noticed, a like a ladder and you

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<v Speaker 2>would go from one run to.

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<v Speaker 3>The other climb forward.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I had never done that in my whole life,

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<v Speaker 2>and I know that the weight of my body pulling

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<v Speaker 2>on my arm. I said, boy, now this is tough.

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<v Speaker 2>And I would say that was part of the toughest

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<v Speaker 2>thing that I had to go through. No, I shammard

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<v Speaker 2>all the boot trady, getting through in mud streams and

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<v Speaker 2>everything else. You know, it was awaken.

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<v Speaker 1>It was.

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<v Speaker 2>To take this young boy and growing up to a

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<v Speaker 2>man real quick.

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<v Speaker 1>Now you were originally supposed to be part of a

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<v Speaker 1>marine replacement unit that headed to Ewo Jima, but plans

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<v Speaker 1>got changed. You now believe that if you had gone there,

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<v Speaker 1>you probably would have been killed there. Explain what happened

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<v Speaker 1>and explain why you believe that.

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<v Speaker 3>The whole thing started out.

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<v Speaker 2>Carolina at Capel Jude early in that morning when everybody

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<v Speaker 2>was shipping out, why this corporal came along and he said,

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<v Speaker 2>I need you and you and we'll put you in

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<v Speaker 2>as a super nuber. And there were twelve of us,

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<v Speaker 2>and they put us in the pirade ground and sat

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<v Speaker 2>us down by a big tree and said you stay

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<v Speaker 2>there till we call you. And ever really understood exactly

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<v Speaker 2>why this happened, but apparently because of certain outfits that

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<v Speaker 2>might need one else or something, you know, they would

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<v Speaker 2>grab one of us at the time.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, the whole thing was that when the.

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<v Speaker 2>Trade left, there were three of us still there, and

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<v Speaker 2>so we were then recycled with a new group coming

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<v Speaker 2>in from Paras Island and for retraining. And because of

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<v Speaker 2>that that group that I had trained with had been

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<v Speaker 2>with all this time, they ended up going to Iwa

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<v Speaker 2>Java and Earhart who was a friend another student from

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<v Speaker 2>another school that we used to play basketball together. He

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<v Speaker 2>also was one that was selected to be a marine,

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<v Speaker 2>and as soon as he walked on the island of

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<v Speaker 2>Iba Java, he received a bullet right square in the head,

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<v Speaker 2>they tell me, and he was killed almost immediately.

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<v Speaker 3>And I just know that I.

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<v Speaker 2>Would be that save group and walked those same steps

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<v Speaker 2>that they did. And very few of the platoon that

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<v Speaker 2>I traveled with and traded with on Parish Island never

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<v Speaker 2>never left the island. You know, you know you're witnessing me.

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<v Speaker 2>You today, but I'm sure that I would have not made.

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<v Speaker 3>It, sir.

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<v Speaker 1>Instead of going to Ewo Jima, you were sent to

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<v Speaker 1>Guadalcanal for additional training. What kind of training did you

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<v Speaker 1>do there?

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<v Speaker 2>Just before we went to Guadacanal, we went to another

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<v Speaker 2>little island called the Russell, one of the Russell Islands,

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<v Speaker 2>and we continued the basic trading the same as we

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<v Speaker 2>did somewhat later. Who went to Guadalcanal And that was

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<v Speaker 2>more of shall we say, fighting in the IB and

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<v Speaker 2>rifle and then continuing on with we'll say what we

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<v Speaker 2>thought at that time more like jungle warfare and learning

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<v Speaker 2>different tactics along that line, not knowing that Okonawo was

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<v Speaker 2>going to be more of a flat area and trees,

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<v Speaker 2>but not the dense jungle of course, so it would

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<v Speaker 2>just continue marine tactics and learning more about explosives, flame drawers,

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<v Speaker 2>different weapons, and disfinding you for the inevitable goal that

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<v Speaker 2>you were going to be sent into real soon.

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<v Speaker 1>When did you find out that you would be part

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<v Speaker 1>of the invasion of Okinawa?

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<v Speaker 2>It seemed like you're always the last to be informed.

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<v Speaker 3>It was just.

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<v Speaker 2>A few days before we actually got to Oklawa that

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<v Speaker 2>we were told, and.

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<v Speaker 3>We were.

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<v Speaker 2>In groups, and they informed us Shito that there was

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<v Speaker 2>an island out there that we were going to take

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<v Speaker 2>that was closer to the home land of Japan.

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<v Speaker 3>It'd be a.

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<v Speaker 2>Stepping stone after we secured this island. At that time,

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<v Speaker 2>some of the latest weapons were explained to us also,

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<v Speaker 2>particularly some instruments for night fighting, you know, the infra

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<v Speaker 2>red type of thing. So it was probably only about

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<v Speaker 2>two or three days. And then on that April first

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<v Speaker 2>Easter Sunday, you woke up very early in the morning,

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<v Speaker 2>of course, and it was still dark and called in

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<v Speaker 2>for breakfast, steak and all that stuff, the last big meal,

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<v Speaker 2>you know. And then as the sun comes up, since

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<v Speaker 2>we are b was not in the first invasion, not

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<v Speaker 2>the first one to step off the ship or on

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<v Speaker 2>the island, you know, it was daylight and we look

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<v Speaker 2>out and I never saw so many ships in my

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<v Speaker 2>old life all over the horizon, and you just say,

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<v Speaker 2>you've gotta be kidding, you know. And the next day,

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<v Speaker 2>of course, is wave after wave, and I think about

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<v Speaker 2>two hours later that finally we climbed over the side

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<v Speaker 2>of the ship down the rope ladder, you know, and

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<v Speaker 2>got in the Higgins boat and went ashore.

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<v Speaker 1>That's Kenneth Wells, a US Marine Corps veteran of World

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<v Speaker 1>War Two and a veteran of the Battle for Okinawa.

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<v Speaker 1>Still to come, we'll hear about the surprisingly easy, amphibious

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<v Speaker 1>landing on Okinawa and what the fighting was like there

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<v Speaker 1>once combat began. I'm Greg Corumbus and this is Veterans Chronicles.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in

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<v Speaker 1>this edition is Kenneth Wells, a US Marine Corps veteran

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<v Speaker 1>of World War II and the Battle of Okinawa. We

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<v Speaker 1>now pick up his story as the Marines got quite

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<v Speaker 1>a surprise as they landed on Okinawa, and.

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<v Speaker 2>By this time we were formed, you know that there

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<v Speaker 2>was not a vast amount of enemy resistance that time.

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<v Speaker 2>They had already advanced farther than what they planned, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>Even just.

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<v Speaker 2>Different feelings, you know, different awakening that it was different

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<v Speaker 2>than what you had mentally planned. That you expected to

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<v Speaker 2>be pinned down on the beach and it just didn't happen.

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<v Speaker 2>You walked in there like as if a Sunday walk,

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<v Speaker 2>and it was a beautiful day, no doubt about.

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<v Speaker 3>In April first, ninety forty five.

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<v Speaker 1>So were you relieved or did you wonder what they

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<v Speaker 1>really had planned.

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<v Speaker 2>No, we're smart enough to know that the enemy was

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<v Speaker 2>there someplace and it was just a matter of time.

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<v Speaker 2>But as I still resent somehow you just lacked the

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<v Speaker 2>information that you should have gotten, and they never really

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<v Speaker 2>took a hold of you and shook you and said, hey,

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<v Speaker 2>wake up. The fact that these suckers are.

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<v Speaker 3>They're dug in.

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<v Speaker 2>They've got tunnels all over this island and you won't

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<v Speaker 2>see anybody. They had hospitals under the ground. The whole

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<v Speaker 2>army was underground. They could go from one small hill

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<v Speaker 2>to another by tunnels. And this is why you didn't

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<v Speaker 2>see them on Sunday morning when you walk the score.

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<v Speaker 1>How would you describe the terrain?

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<v Speaker 2>It was flat. The hills were not really large. They

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<v Speaker 2>weren't like mountains like in Colorado or some other state.

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<v Speaker 2>They were just a hill of two or three hundred

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<v Speaker 2>feet high. You might say there were trees and there

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<v Speaker 2>were rice panties. That's basically what you saw.

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<v Speaker 1>How long after you landed did the Japanese attack.

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<v Speaker 2>We went in straight through to the airport, turned left

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<v Speaker 2>north and we then secured the northern portion of the

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<v Speaker 2>island and we ran into resistance a certain about you know,

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<v Speaker 2>within a few days and wiped that out and UH

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<v Speaker 2>then continued on to the end of the island in the

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<v Speaker 2>north part, and then UH started back towards the south.

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<v Speaker 2>So we saw very little resistance, but U very we

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<v Speaker 2>didn't see masters of group.

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<v Speaker 3>You didn't see.

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<v Speaker 2>What we felt like we would see a Bondi attack

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<v Speaker 2>or anything like that. But UH there was this light resistance.

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<v Speaker 1>How do you fight an enemy you can't see.

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<v Speaker 2>When you're fired upon, you have some idea where that

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<v Speaker 2>is coming from. You know, the explosions, the larger mourners,

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<v Speaker 2>the UH are artillery somewhat where they're coming from. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>a rifle fire, you know that, or at least if

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<v Speaker 2>you didn't catch on to where it was coming from,

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<v Speaker 2>somebody told you.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, you're.

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<v Speaker 2>Pretty sure, you know, in a general vicinity. This first

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<v Speaker 2>time when we were fired upon, you knew approximately where

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<v Speaker 2>it was coming from. But I remember Tory that eventually

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<v Speaker 2>got killed, buddy. We were firing back into Sugar Loaf Hill,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, and we just sprayed the areas you know

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<v Speaker 2>that we felt possibly might be coming from. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>That's what we did, you know, and the time on

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<v Speaker 2>sugar Loo when we were right up there on top,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, and the next thing you know is their

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<v Speaker 2>lobby grenades back up over the hill there come out

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<v Speaker 2>the side of the hill, and then they would throw

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<v Speaker 2>grenades up over you.

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<v Speaker 3>Still never saw the enemy. All you did was.

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<v Speaker 2>Finally understanding the explosion that happened, or you felt it

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<v Speaker 2>did real close to you. And it was a weak

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<v Speaker 2>feeling to know that come off out fight like a

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<v Speaker 2>man's you, we say, you know. And so you had

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<v Speaker 2>this depressed feeling somewhat that hey, maybe the time will

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<v Speaker 2>come when we'll corner this sucker and then we'll find

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<v Speaker 2>out exactly how how you really are fighting, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>That's Kenneth Wells, a US Marine Corps veteran of World

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<v Speaker 1>War Two and the Battle of Okinawa. In a Moment,

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<v Speaker 1>Wells described some of the most intense combat on Okinawa.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Greg Corumbus and this is Veterans Chronicles. This is

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<v Speaker 1>Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in this edition

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<v Speaker 1>is Kenneth Wells, a US Marine Corps veteran of World

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<v Speaker 1>War Two and the Battle of Okinawa. In a moment,

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<v Speaker 1>you'll hear all about the intense fight for sugar Loaf

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<v Speaker 1>Hill on Okinawa and other major challenges our marines were

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<v Speaker 1>facing there. But first, mister Wells continues his description of

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<v Speaker 1>fighting an enemy he couldn't see, and it turns out

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<v Speaker 1>that growing up on the farm was good practice for

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<v Speaker 1>dealing with this Japanese tactic.

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<v Speaker 3>I guess the best way to explain it that it's

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<v Speaker 3>just unknown.

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<v Speaker 2>It's like years before that, I used to go pheasant

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<v Speaker 2>hunting back on the farm, and you didn't see any pheasants,

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<v Speaker 2>and you just kept advancing until the pheasant would go up.

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<v Speaker 3>You know.

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<v Speaker 2>That's about what happened, is that you advanced so much

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<v Speaker 2>on this island and you courted them more and more

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<v Speaker 2>that they had to somewhat come out.

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<v Speaker 3>But the actual man, the band, you got very little.

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<v Speaker 2>Of that except on certain amount of Okolama with the hills,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'm starting here for a second.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, sugar Loaf.

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<v Speaker 2>Was the predominant one that mostly had to hand and uh.

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<v Speaker 2>And it was light certain about that, because they would

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<v Speaker 2>come out of the hole and go back in, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>and you'd say they came out someplace, you know, But

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<v Speaker 2>all you did was just got the effect of the

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<v Speaker 2>explosion of grenades or mortar being fired, you know, explosions

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<v Speaker 2>of that.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you chase them into the caves?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes?

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<v Speaker 2>Basically when carrying a flamethrower, you know, you had to

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<v Speaker 2>seal up the caves and.

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<v Speaker 3>You would see a certain entrance you.

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<v Speaker 2>Know, to it, and so you'd lay down the rifle

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<v Speaker 2>fire to it, and then you advanced with your flamethrower

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<v Speaker 2>and you shoot the flame in that respect. Then devilisha

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<v Speaker 2>packs would come in and you'd seal the cave up

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<v Speaker 2>so that, uh, there was no more coming out of

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<v Speaker 2>that cave. And let's they dug them out, dug themselves

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<v Speaker 2>out if they'd survived, you know, of the penetration. But

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<v Speaker 2>up to this time, you know, you you have ships

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<v Speaker 2>out there firing, and you have your own artillery, and.

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<v Speaker 3>There was.

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<v Speaker 2>A mass destruction of human beings from that, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>so that some of this unseed enemy was killed from

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<v Speaker 2>the ships and cannons from your tanks, you know. And

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<v Speaker 2>they also carried flamethrowers too, and helped out with sealing

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<v Speaker 2>up the caves and cause him to go back in.

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<v Speaker 3>You know.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, the Japanese were not the only thing in those caves.

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<v Speaker 1>You guys had to deal with fleas. How annoying was that.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh you'll never forget fleas, never forget, you know, and

300
00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:23.119
<v Speaker 2>you would get so many fleas that it actually it

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00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:25.319
<v Speaker 2>was almost comical that.

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<v Speaker 3>You see a guy.

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<v Speaker 2>There striped naked and either shaking his clothes out or

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00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:41.279
<v Speaker 2>picking the fleas up, you know, like that, you know,

305
00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:44.960
<v Speaker 2>and you say, oh my god, oh I just have

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00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:46.000
<v Speaker 2>a picture of that.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, they wouldn't believe it.

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<v Speaker 2>No, but unless you live in a certain countries, part

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<v Speaker 2>of the country where you're affected by insects, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you wouldn't have any standing of how miserable it is

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<v Speaker 2>to be attacked by these fleas. They just you know,

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<v Speaker 2>there's thousands of them.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me ask you about a couple of other issues

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00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:14.720
<v Speaker 1>you had to deal with. One over two and a

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<v Speaker 1>half months was a lot of rain. How did you

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00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:21.720
<v Speaker 1>survive the rain and what impact did it have on you?

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<v Speaker 2>You dig a foxhole so deep little and that sucker

318
00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:33.359
<v Speaker 2>would not fill up, but you would have at least

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00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:39.759
<v Speaker 2>five sixes of water it would accumulate that way. And

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<v Speaker 2>of course the trucks it takes they just mogged down,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, because of this terrade that got so soft

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<v Speaker 2>you know.

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<v Speaker 3>The mire right here.

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<v Speaker 2>Though it slowed our advances up a great deal, but

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00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:05.920
<v Speaker 2>you just took a stride, you know, you kept going,

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00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:11.640
<v Speaker 2>and I know particularly you caught on real quick with

327
00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:15.680
<v Speaker 2>the raid that well, we came ashore. We had little

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<v Speaker 2>ligoands that we fastened around our trousers here, and we

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00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:26.880
<v Speaker 2>realized that if you got wet, all this water had

330
00:25:27.160 --> 00:25:30.039
<v Speaker 2>because of gravity, had to go down and filled up

331
00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:34.119
<v Speaker 2>your shoes. So that was the first thing you threw away,

332
00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:38.240
<v Speaker 2>was little legags, you know, because then your trousers would

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00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:41.960
<v Speaker 2>be on the outside somewhat and you wouldn't get so wet,

334
00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:47.400
<v Speaker 2>you know, your feet, you know. But it was miserable

335
00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:51.160
<v Speaker 2>for a whole month their raids, you know, and it

336
00:25:51.319 --> 00:25:55.240
<v Speaker 2>slowed our advances down, of course, but we were still

337
00:25:55.319 --> 00:26:04.000
<v Speaker 2>made our advances, and the CBS came in and cut

338
00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:09.279
<v Speaker 2>outside of hills, made roads new roads.

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<v Speaker 3>It was just shell was there a muddy mess.

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00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:16.920
<v Speaker 1>In May of nineteen forty five, you were part of

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<v Speaker 1>the fight for Sugar Loaf Hill, like you mentioned earlier,

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00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:24.839
<v Speaker 1>What was the objective and how would you describe that fighting?

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<v Speaker 2>Ibjective was to take the hill.

344
00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:31.799
<v Speaker 3>What the fighting was like was.

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00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:37.839
<v Speaker 2>You went up this hill, little trails, you went up

346
00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:42.400
<v Speaker 2>to the top of it dug in, and then the

347
00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:44.920
<v Speaker 2>whole hill would break loose, you know.

348
00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:49.240
<v Speaker 3>They come out their caves and like I said, they.

349
00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:56.240
<v Speaker 2>Would reach out and lob a grenade back up over

350
00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:59.880
<v Speaker 2>the hill, you know. And at first you want to

351
00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:03.640
<v Speaker 2>what the world is happening? Where's this coming from? You know,

352
00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:09.039
<v Speaker 2>because you'll be here and to be here and make

353
00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:15.400
<v Speaker 2>it make a big different. But I remember that the

354
00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:22.480
<v Speaker 2>first day and the first group that came back off

355
00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:27.400
<v Speaker 2>of at that we interviewed because we knew we were

356
00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:28.680
<v Speaker 2>going to be next.

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<v Speaker 3>Soll uh.

358
00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:36.079
<v Speaker 2>This one body that I had worked with before, and

359
00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:38.839
<v Speaker 2>I said to him, I said, what is it like?

360
00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:50.480
<v Speaker 2>And he said, carry all the grenades you could carry.

361
00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:55.480
<v Speaker 2>That's the weapon of choice. Saw off shotgun would be

362
00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:58.799
<v Speaker 2>the best thing, you know, for as close as you

363
00:27:58.920 --> 00:28:04.559
<v Speaker 2>did get to the enemy or shooting into a hole,

364
00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:11.680
<v Speaker 2>you know. So after that you carried as many good

365
00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:19.279
<v Speaker 2>ages you could carry. The destruction of a bad kind

366
00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:28.640
<v Speaker 2>on sugar Loaf was unheard of by this time. It's

367
00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:35.960
<v Speaker 2>just amazing the number of men killed. Someone would be

368
00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:45.319
<v Speaker 2>replaced in the morning and by nightfall you'd settled out

369
00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:49.319
<v Speaker 2>a little bit then and say, hey, remember those two

370
00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:54.799
<v Speaker 2>guys that came in this morning? Were they Now what happened?

371
00:28:55.079 --> 00:29:01.079
<v Speaker 2>And someone would say a couple words to you in

372
00:29:01.400 --> 00:29:07.200
<v Speaker 2>foul language and say, well they got killed, and talking

373
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<v Speaker 2>about that.

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00:29:08.119 --> 00:29:13.960
<v Speaker 3>I remember later on, after got out of.

375
00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:18.359
<v Speaker 2>The service and we have a reunion, I talked to

376
00:29:19.480 --> 00:29:24.000
<v Speaker 2>one of the master sergeants and he said, you know,

377
00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:29.240
<v Speaker 2>we went into that island with two hundred and fifty men,

378
00:29:31.000 --> 00:29:38.640
<v Speaker 2>and before we were complete of that island we registered

379
00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:41.759
<v Speaker 2>six hundred and fifty men.

380
00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:45.920
<v Speaker 3>I think twenty nine of us came off of it.

381
00:29:47.079 --> 00:29:53.920
<v Speaker 2>So that was the mass killing, shall we say? That

382
00:29:54.079 --> 00:30:01.039
<v Speaker 2>took place? And not only on Turlop, but all the

383
00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:09.480
<v Speaker 2>other little hills and areas you know that were set

384
00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:10.599
<v Speaker 2>up for destruction.

385
00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:13.799
<v Speaker 1>Tell me about your friend, Daniel Tory.

386
00:30:14.440 --> 00:30:22.319
<v Speaker 2>Daniel was, shall I see, a sweet guy. He was

387
00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:31.079
<v Speaker 2>a Hispanic from Chicago. When he first showed me that

388
00:30:31.079 --> 00:30:34.759
<v Speaker 2>he got a hold of me, we had sort of

389
00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:39.440
<v Speaker 2>known each other from a distance, but he said, hey,

390
00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:46.359
<v Speaker 2>stick with me. And next thing I know is he's

391
00:30:46.440 --> 00:30:52.960
<v Speaker 2>got a camera, a little small camera. I said, how

392
00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:55.519
<v Speaker 2>did you ever get that? You're not supposed to have

393
00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:59.559
<v Speaker 2>something like that. We're not supposed to have any type

394
00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:03.680
<v Speaker 2>of budgy identification. You know. We aren't supposed to have

395
00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:09.359
<v Speaker 2>a picture of our girlfriend or our mother and father,

396
00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:12.400
<v Speaker 2>you know, or we aren't supposed to have a letter

397
00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:15.720
<v Speaker 2>on us, you know, within an address that the enemy

398
00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:19.720
<v Speaker 2>would do about. Oh but y'all don't worry about it,

399
00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:25.519
<v Speaker 2>you know, Dad, Don and I were finally in front

400
00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:32.279
<v Speaker 2>of sugar Loaf and we had later in the afternoon,

401
00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:38.319
<v Speaker 2>by the whole company had come around sugar Loaf and

402
00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:43.599
<v Speaker 2>dug into this position kind of like a ravine, it's

403
00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:51.039
<v Speaker 2>more like a ditch, you know, And that's where we

404
00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:56.160
<v Speaker 2>began to get fired upon from sugar Loaf. They had

405
00:31:56.240 --> 00:32:01.160
<v Speaker 2>gone back into sugar Loaf and assume their old position

406
00:32:01.559 --> 00:32:08.799
<v Speaker 2>from another part the other hill, and start firing at us,

407
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:13.799
<v Speaker 2>you know. And there again, you you didn't know exactly

408
00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:17.079
<v Speaker 2>where it was coming from, but then the vicinity of

409
00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:22.720
<v Speaker 2>that area in front. So we started firing back, and

410
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:30.559
<v Speaker 2>we did a lot of a lot of shooting, I remember,

411
00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:36.160
<v Speaker 2>and as a result of that, we got a lot

412
00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:39.559
<v Speaker 2>of response. Because of that, they knew where it was

413
00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:45.400
<v Speaker 2>coming from, and so it was very much longer than

414
00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:50.519
<v Speaker 2>the next thing I know is Tory says, hey, I'm

415
00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:58.440
<v Speaker 2>hit and he's hit right here, and so okay, so

416
00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:03.240
<v Speaker 2>well we'll let be shirt and everything and get this

417
00:33:03.559 --> 00:33:08.279
<v Speaker 2>band aid out to put on that, you know, and

418
00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:16.200
<v Speaker 2>give him a shot of morphed the little ample and

419
00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.039
<v Speaker 2>the next.

420
00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:21.400
<v Speaker 3>Thing I know is he just passes out.

421
00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:32.200
<v Speaker 2>And not knowing medically anything at that time speak of,

422
00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:38.240
<v Speaker 2>I thought he was dead, you know, but actually he

423
00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:42.559
<v Speaker 2>just he went into shock and because of lack of

424
00:33:44.599 --> 00:33:49.000
<v Speaker 2>medical facility right there or something, he passed out there.

425
00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:50.119
<v Speaker 3>He died, you know.

426
00:33:51.400 --> 00:33:59.000
<v Speaker 2>After that, we just sort of push him aside and

427
00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:05.279
<v Speaker 2>would continue to fire back at the unseen and be

428
00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:12.880
<v Speaker 2>in front. That happens so fast and you couldn't do

429
00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:17.559
<v Speaker 2>anything else about it except do what you could that time.

430
00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:26.039
<v Speaker 2>It's not like somewhat heavy the explosion where a piece

431
00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:30.920
<v Speaker 2>of place was taken out and you could put a

432
00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:41.119
<v Speaker 2>tourniquet on or some bandage. Apparently, so the arteries in

433
00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:46.719
<v Speaker 2>the chest there, coming off the heart were dammies and uh,

434
00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:51.679
<v Speaker 2>he just internally blended death. You didn't have enough medical

435
00:34:51.800 --> 00:34:55.480
<v Speaker 2>knowledge to save and by that time all of our

436
00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:59.760
<v Speaker 2>corna were killed anyway, So it didn't do a good

437
00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:04.360
<v Speaker 2>yel for Corbet because he wouldn't come anyway, but the

438
00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:09.599
<v Speaker 2>enemy kept firing back into our area. And I still,

439
00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:15.480
<v Speaker 2>you know, I have buddies that were in the marine

440
00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:23.079
<v Speaker 2>and in the automak weapon part, and I'd say, where.

441
00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:26.360
<v Speaker 3>Were you guys, you know, to help us out?

442
00:35:26.519 --> 00:35:31.559
<v Speaker 2>You know, I thought, if we get sporadic fire back

443
00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:34.840
<v Speaker 2>towards the enemy, you can subdue them, you know, take

444
00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:38.920
<v Speaker 2>care of it that way. And I said where were

445
00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:43.719
<v Speaker 2>you and he said, well, we were there, you know.

446
00:35:44.679 --> 00:35:46.119
<v Speaker 2>And I said, well.

447
00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:48.239
<v Speaker 3>You didn't help help us out.

448
00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:54.000
<v Speaker 2>And you know, but before we knew it, this corporal

449
00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:59.280
<v Speaker 2>comes along and he now tried to tell us where

450
00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:03.639
<v Speaker 2>the enemy is firing from, and because we already knew

451
00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:09.440
<v Speaker 2>exactly approximately where, and next thing, you know, he gets

452
00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:13.840
<v Speaker 2>shot in the leg, you know, and he went down,

453
00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:18.119
<v Speaker 2>you know, the the bolt went through there and fractured

454
00:36:18.159 --> 00:36:25.800
<v Speaker 2>the fever and he was bleeding, and so I cutting

455
00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:33.719
<v Speaker 2>off his pants to put a turning aloud, and.

456
00:36:32.039 --> 00:36:33.159
<v Speaker 3>He passes out.

457
00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:38.280
<v Speaker 2>He goes into shock, and there again, you know, no knowledge,

458
00:36:38.360 --> 00:36:42.039
<v Speaker 2>you know, so you just throw him aside and go

459
00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:45.079
<v Speaker 2>on because you've got other things that take care of.

460
00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:46.000
<v Speaker 3>You've got your.

461
00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:50.360
<v Speaker 2>Own life to protect, you know, Until you continue to

462
00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:57.559
<v Speaker 2>go back to firing it. They entered enemy again. Quite

463
00:36:57.599 --> 00:37:02.880
<v Speaker 2>a day, remember, after all these year eighty years later

464
00:37:03.079 --> 00:37:06.679
<v Speaker 2>or so, remember, just like yesterday.

465
00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:10.039
<v Speaker 1>That's Kenneth Wells, a US Marine Corps veteran of World

466
00:37:10.119 --> 00:37:13.119
<v Speaker 1>War Two and the Battle of Okinawa. In a moment,

467
00:37:13.239 --> 00:37:16.239
<v Speaker 1>we'll hear how Wells was wounded and his war came

468
00:37:16.280 --> 00:37:20.880
<v Speaker 1>to an end. I'm Greg Corumbus, and this is Veterans Chronicles.

469
00:37:22.199 --> 00:37:25.920
<v Speaker 1>This is Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in

470
00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:29.440
<v Speaker 1>this edition is Kenneth Wells, a US Marine Corps veteran

471
00:37:29.559 --> 00:37:33.599
<v Speaker 1>of World War Two and the Battle of Okinawa. Up next,

472
00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:36.920
<v Speaker 1>mister Wells takes us to June nineteen forty five, when

473
00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:39.920
<v Speaker 1>he was wounded and his war came to an end.

474
00:37:40.199 --> 00:37:48.840
<v Speaker 2>We were advancing towards another hill, which we did know

475
00:37:49.400 --> 00:37:54.760
<v Speaker 2>the name of it or too much geographical, except another hill,

476
00:37:55.360 --> 00:37:59.320
<v Speaker 2>and we just keep going ill. All I know is

477
00:37:59.559 --> 00:38:05.559
<v Speaker 2>that an explosion took place and I was strewn in

478
00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:06.400
<v Speaker 2>the air.

479
00:38:08.199 --> 00:38:10.760
<v Speaker 3>And eventually.

480
00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:16.559
<v Speaker 2>Came out of it after I was knocked out, and

481
00:38:16.599 --> 00:38:21.760
<v Speaker 2>then came back to life, shall we say. And by

482
00:38:21.800 --> 00:38:29.079
<v Speaker 2>this time everybody else had left. The whole company had

483
00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:35.760
<v Speaker 2>continued on for their objective, you know, and left me there.

484
00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:39.559
<v Speaker 3>And to this day I.

485
00:38:41.079 --> 00:38:46.760
<v Speaker 2>Say to some of the guys that have survived, I said,

486
00:38:46.840 --> 00:38:53.920
<v Speaker 2>you know you somemcu is you you left me, You

487
00:38:54.000 --> 00:39:00.360
<v Speaker 2>didn't stop, and I wonder what happened. Well, and you're

488
00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:03.719
<v Speaker 2>knocked out, laid there. You're dead far as it goes.

489
00:39:04.199 --> 00:39:07.320
<v Speaker 2>And they they got their war to fight, so they

490
00:39:07.400 --> 00:39:13.239
<v Speaker 2>continue on. So eventually I wake up to a portion

491
00:39:13.480 --> 00:39:17.760
<v Speaker 2>that I shake off the problem that I have. You know,

492
00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:23.440
<v Speaker 2>you have the shrapnel all over you, and you're bleedy.

493
00:39:23.639 --> 00:39:28.960
<v Speaker 2>Uh not not that you have to put turbeted tourniquets

494
00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:31.599
<v Speaker 2>out of them, but there's a place take it out,

495
00:39:31.800 --> 00:39:38.199
<v Speaker 2>you know. So you go back to the people down here.

496
00:39:38.360 --> 00:39:42.000
<v Speaker 2>You see somebody doing something, you know, and so you

497
00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:47.920
<v Speaker 2>you you go go those people. And those people what

498
00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:52.599
<v Speaker 2>they were. They were a medical outfit and they had

499
00:39:52.679 --> 00:39:55.880
<v Speaker 2>set up a first aid type of thing, you know.

500
00:39:57.000 --> 00:40:02.519
<v Speaker 2>And I went back to them and I said, hey,

501
00:40:02.760 --> 00:40:08.519
<v Speaker 2>could you take care of some of my problems? And

502
00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:13.320
<v Speaker 2>they said, buddy, forget it. We got other problems a

503
00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:17.320
<v Speaker 2>lot worse than yours. So they just pushed me aside.

504
00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:26.679
<v Speaker 2>You know, there is this scenario continues, This sergeant comes along.

505
00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:32.320
<v Speaker 2>Somehow I had seen him before, and he always carried

506
00:40:32.360 --> 00:40:37.800
<v Speaker 2>this automatic weapon, this forty five automatic.

507
00:40:38.719 --> 00:40:42.519
<v Speaker 3>You wondered what did he ever do? You know? But

508
00:40:43.159 --> 00:40:44.079
<v Speaker 3>somehow he.

509
00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:48.639
<v Speaker 2>Appeared in this picture and the next thing I know

510
00:40:48.920 --> 00:40:53.559
<v Speaker 2>is he gets shot. And this cave has a large opening,

511
00:40:54.320 --> 00:41:00.480
<v Speaker 2>and he gets shot. And I immediately say, what is

512
00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:06.400
<v Speaker 2>a medical tr group doing setting up a porrible thing?

513
00:41:06.519 --> 00:41:10.360
<v Speaker 2>You're right from a big cave when you know that

514
00:41:10.360 --> 00:41:16.079
<v Speaker 2>the japsyld come out all that, And I don't, you know,

515
00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:19.760
<v Speaker 2>I should think this machine gun and I should go

516
00:41:19.840 --> 00:41:25.000
<v Speaker 2>back into that cave myself. But I h my day

517
00:41:25.119 --> 00:41:28.760
<v Speaker 2>is slowly coming to it end. I don't want anything

518
00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:32.119
<v Speaker 2>to do with anything else. It's almost like a prize

519
00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:38.760
<v Speaker 2>fighter being knocked out. After he gets knocked out, you know,

520
00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:41.440
<v Speaker 2>he's he's ready to stop fighting.

521
00:41:42.440 --> 00:41:44.559
<v Speaker 3>His day is over with, you know.

522
00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:50.199
<v Speaker 2>And that's because of this traumatic situation that happens in

523
00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:55.320
<v Speaker 2>your braid. Your braid gets rattled so bad, and there's

524
00:41:55.400 --> 00:41:59.079
<v Speaker 2>a a medical term for it. What I should know,

525
00:42:00.199 --> 00:42:03.719
<v Speaker 2>that's that's what happens when you do get knocked out

526
00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:10.119
<v Speaker 2>from explosion or from a concussion, like a boxer does.

527
00:42:11.239 --> 00:42:12.679
<v Speaker 1>How long did it take to recover?

528
00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:18.960
<v Speaker 2>Not really having any idea except I would say that

529
00:42:19.559 --> 00:42:24.280
<v Speaker 2>from a time but I actually received this more to

530
00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:27.880
<v Speaker 2>barade and KB in it was at least an hour

531
00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:34.239
<v Speaker 2>and a half all this scenario took place alone. I

532
00:42:34.239 --> 00:42:36.800
<v Speaker 2>would say probably an hour and a half, you know,

533
00:42:37.719 --> 00:42:44.320
<v Speaker 2>because by the time it was all finished and I

534
00:42:44.360 --> 00:42:51.679
<v Speaker 2>finally got enough breeze together to know that I should

535
00:42:51.679 --> 00:42:56.760
<v Speaker 2>get back with my outfit, why it would begin to

536
00:42:56.840 --> 00:42:57.480
<v Speaker 2>get dark.

537
00:42:58.119 --> 00:42:59.760
<v Speaker 3>All so, I know.

538
00:43:00.360 --> 00:43:04.360
<v Speaker 2>All this happened after three o'clock in the afternoone and.

539
00:43:04.320 --> 00:43:06.119
<v Speaker 1>That was that was the end of your battle.

540
00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:10.840
<v Speaker 2>I was the end of my battle. Basically, I'm done.

541
00:43:12.199 --> 00:43:17.079
<v Speaker 2>I'm saying my war is over, you know, and hit

542
00:43:17.239 --> 00:43:21.239
<v Speaker 2>like a boxer, layl on the matt there.

543
00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:24.480
<v Speaker 3>He said, I don't wall box no more, you know

544
00:43:25.159 --> 00:43:25.440
<v Speaker 3>it just.

545
00:43:26.159 --> 00:43:30.760
<v Speaker 2>I mean, but I go back and check in with

546
00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:37.800
<v Speaker 2>the captain immediately he seized the condition and he send

547
00:43:37.920 --> 00:43:41.480
<v Speaker 2>me back to the first aid part of the medical

548
00:43:41.599 --> 00:43:44.239
<v Speaker 2>group and get out of the jeep and go back to

549
00:43:44.280 --> 00:43:47.320
<v Speaker 2>the headquarter or to the field hospital.

550
00:43:47.519 --> 00:43:47.800
<v Speaker 3>Law.

551
00:43:49.599 --> 00:43:54.840
<v Speaker 2>Even at that time, I'm thinking, why did you leave me?

552
00:43:56.599 --> 00:43:59.960
<v Speaker 3>I just know that I was probably.

553
00:44:02.280 --> 00:44:07.920
<v Speaker 2>Wouldn't respond to somebody who'd be knocked out or that condition,

554
00:44:08.880 --> 00:44:14.119
<v Speaker 2>and realized that they couldn't have done anything anyway, probably,

555
00:44:14.320 --> 00:44:20.119
<v Speaker 2>you know, but you can at least check a pulse.

556
00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:26.000
<v Speaker 2>You could do something about nature, see if everything's still alive.

557
00:44:27.199 --> 00:44:31.039
<v Speaker 2>So that bothered me for a long time. You know

558
00:44:31.480 --> 00:44:38.000
<v Speaker 2>that marines never leave a land, but they do. It

559
00:44:38.039 --> 00:44:43.000
<v Speaker 2>does happen. And because you have knowledge enough to know

560
00:44:43.199 --> 00:44:46.679
<v Speaker 2>that they've got things to do. They haven't got time

561
00:44:47.320 --> 00:44:54.000
<v Speaker 2>for a disabled individual. They got more important things to do.

562
00:44:55.079 --> 00:44:57.960
<v Speaker 2>And like Whitaker said to me, he said, well, we

563
00:44:58.079 --> 00:44:59.280
<v Speaker 2>didn't like you anyway.

564
00:45:00.559 --> 00:45:02.960
<v Speaker 1>What are you most proud of from your service?

565
00:45:03.760 --> 00:45:10.280
<v Speaker 2>I survived and what I'm really more proud of the

566
00:45:10.280 --> 00:45:12.760
<v Speaker 2>fact that here they.

567
00:45:12.639 --> 00:45:18.000
<v Speaker 3>Take a kid. Yeah, they put him in the Marines.

568
00:45:19.400 --> 00:45:23.920
<v Speaker 2>They transport him to an area and they trade you.

569
00:45:24.960 --> 00:45:29.000
<v Speaker 2>They give you weapons, they give you clothes, they feed

570
00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:33.599
<v Speaker 2>you three meals a day, and then they ship you

571
00:45:33.639 --> 00:45:35.639
<v Speaker 2>across the country.

572
00:45:36.840 --> 00:45:37.400
<v Speaker 3>My trade.

573
00:45:38.199 --> 00:45:41.679
<v Speaker 2>Then they ship you by a boat to an island

574
00:45:42.519 --> 00:45:45.079
<v Speaker 2>and they prepare you for that battle.

575
00:45:47.039 --> 00:45:48.239
<v Speaker 3>And you handle it.

576
00:45:49.719 --> 00:45:53.119
<v Speaker 2>And you come out of it, go back to a

577
00:45:53.159 --> 00:45:59.480
<v Speaker 2>hospital shade, you know, back to the States and to

578
00:45:59.639 --> 00:46:05.519
<v Speaker 2>a hot closest to where you were inducted, take care

579
00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:12.960
<v Speaker 2>of you that hospital and then medically discharge you, give

580
00:46:13.000 --> 00:46:19.880
<v Speaker 2>you a few dollars to go home, and then pay

581
00:46:19.920 --> 00:46:25.679
<v Speaker 2>you fifty dollars a month for so many months. Then,

582
00:46:25.880 --> 00:46:34.960
<v Speaker 2>because being Purple Heart recipient, being you fall under a

583
00:46:35.480 --> 00:46:42.159
<v Speaker 2>different law, Public Law sixteen that sends you to college unlimited.

584
00:46:44.599 --> 00:46:49.599
<v Speaker 2>You could have gone to any number of years if

585
00:46:49.599 --> 00:46:50.480
<v Speaker 2>that was your goal.

586
00:46:52.639 --> 00:46:55.000
<v Speaker 3>They send me to college.

587
00:46:56.000 --> 00:47:05.360
<v Speaker 2>I became a chiropractic position. Now the government did all that.

588
00:47:07.239 --> 00:47:13.320
<v Speaker 2>I could have never paid the back all that they've done.

589
00:47:14.159 --> 00:47:15.360
<v Speaker 2>There was a lot of good.

590
00:47:15.159 --> 00:47:18.960
<v Speaker 3>Times, a lot of bad times, and a.

591
00:47:19.039 --> 00:47:23.159
<v Speaker 2>Lot of things you carry to your grave, you know,

592
00:47:24.599 --> 00:47:28.440
<v Speaker 2>but you have to say that it was a good life.

593
00:47:29.320 --> 00:47:30.679
<v Speaker 3>Now that I'm sitting.

594
00:47:30.360 --> 00:47:34.679
<v Speaker 2>Here and you're interviewing me and we're talking one to one,

595
00:47:35.800 --> 00:47:37.239
<v Speaker 2>it's been a good life.

596
00:47:37.719 --> 00:47:40.199
<v Speaker 1>Kenneth Wells is a US Marine Corps veteran of World

597
00:47:40.280 --> 00:47:43.440
<v Speaker 1>War Two and the Battle of Okinawa. He's also a

598
00:47:43.480 --> 00:47:47.880
<v Speaker 1>recipient of the Purple Heart. I'm Greg Corumbus and this

599
00:47:48.400 --> 00:48:02.639
<v Speaker 1>is Veterans Chronicles. Hi, this is Greg Corumbus, and thanks

600
00:48:02.679 --> 00:48:06.440
<v Speaker 1>for listening to Veterans Chronicles, a presentation of the American

601
00:48:06.519 --> 00:48:12.199
<v Speaker 1>Veterans Center. For more information, please visit American Veteranscenter dot org.

602
00:48:12.719 --> 00:48:15.719
<v Speaker 1>You can also follow the American Veterans Center on Facebook

603
00:48:15.960 --> 00:48:20.360
<v Speaker 1>and on Twitter We're at AVC update. Subscribe to the

604
00:48:20.360 --> 00:48:24.199
<v Speaker 1>American Veterans Center YouTube channel for full oral histories and

605
00:48:24.360 --> 00:48:27.960
<v Speaker 1>special features, and of course, please subscribe to the Veterans

606
00:48:28.039 --> 00:48:32.800
<v Speaker 1>Chronicles podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks again for listening,

607
00:48:33.039 --> 00:48:35.960
<v Speaker 1>and please join us next time for Veterans Chronicles