Oral History Interview: Sam Weldon of Urbana

                                    
Pop Up Archive Item: “Oral History Interview: Sam Weldon of Urbana” : https://www.popuparchive.com/collections/3496/items/26948

Transcript for file: samuelweldon2007-10-08.mp3

00:00:00

hi this is an interview with 

view with Sam welding on October 8th 2007 

7 Studio X Campbell Hall Urbana the video auger for 

prefer is Jack work and I’m Nancy Rothwell 

 

okay Sam now you get to tell us where your from 

00:00:30

I was born in Champaign Champaign County in 1925 

5 and how in the world did you end up in ww2 

well one day I was walking down on West church 

Church Street by my church and it was so late 

winter day I was going to do u of Ohio walk down to 

how did the Springer building which was our post office and there was a sign 

Henry’s blowin and it says there was a picture of a guy says 

00:01:05

I need you and then the next sign with a picture of them 

Marine on a desert island with three beautiful ladies 

and I thought that’s for me and the old for you at that 

that’s waiting so you enlisted or you were drafted worst draft 

drafted I I wanted to wanted to go in but my father 

father had a friend on the draft board when I was 18 in October 

he says tell him to stay in school cuz he’s going to be gone by the last part of 

00:01:40

December resin to have family argument I stayed but then when I 

then when I got up in Chicago where they give you the exam you have to ask for it 

fart then it got so bad later on 

they just grabbed anybody they couldn’t get enough enough menu so you 

so you ask for a particularly the outside part of the Sun which wine is up 

which line is the marine line is sergeant there right there son 

okay so you went in you in Indian 

00:02:15

23 what year did you go in that was 

that was not out of the exam was in December of 

43 okay and then they sent you back home 

and called you back and you got on a training 

ship to California trip train around was read your passenger train 

you had a nice bump start interesting I never been a long distance 

long distance train like that but I found out later 

00:02:50

the first there’s a lot longer places on map so 

so when did you decide which which phone service you went in that was 

that was 18 in Chicago or lighten up there yes I 

yes I wanted to go in but I just couldn’t get in because of my father but that’s neither nor get up there 

it up there in about Eric took the exam physical and then they sent us back home 

home and then we had a bit of Chicago on it they send you your ticket 

you had to be there certain day and we boarded up a troop train 

00:03:25

Chuckie all the way to San Diego and I think that was 

free nights in 2 days it was a long trip 

Rosanna sleeper those nights that reunite the federal when your. We got into 

down to San Diego they have to pay back to train into the Marine Corps Base 

and here’s a bunch of guys civilian no idea 

hey I’m the man in charge of the US is a sergeant they woke him up 

I came up that wasn’t very good you got into her for clock 

00:04:00

and you got up at 5 o’clock 1 hour sleep and then you have to take all these 

College tests to have to sit down ass and pussy at the doctor and they give you all your clothes 

closing and cut your hair off it was quite a busy time 

and that is that where you had training that was that we had 

order the Marine Corps training was 12 weeks 

weeks but because the need for Marines in the Pacific I cut it down 

down 28 weeks and then after you 

00:04:35

Hatcher 8 weeks you might have got chance to go home for short hair 

short period of time or or go get some advanced training so my 

next training place whats up north of a waste of San Diego skull camp LA 

but we get up there we found out that though the Navy 

the Navy was taken over the base and they didn’t want to surround 

call home and get some money and go back to Champaign and so I did 

why did I don’t like come back way we move from Camp Elliott 

00:05:10

up to the 

Camp Pendleton monstrosity marine cap on 

unbitten if you could take Senate bill 20 times of butter miles and miles 

 

number one Marine Corps Base on the west coast there and we had death 

so we got their wish everything was this is war 

is war time there was Arkansas setup and 

00:05:45

there was dust on the floor that deep 

a walk through the desk and chair seabags University back a cape on your clothes around there 

an electron and I ask the surgeon where did you get your water 

get your water right up there on top of the mountain 

how do you get water from the mountain Jesus that’s melted Canyon 

so when you talk about when you take a shower 

you pull the car and this melted candle work 

00:06:20

are come down and stepped out the soaped up and then jump everybody screamed at once 

Cole all it was a coldest water I’ve ever had so we stayed there for 

there are 48 weeks and then they shut us out we went down 

1002 Long Beach crip s*** and 

what to Pearl Harbor and we landed in Pearl Harbor 

some trucks arrived and took last place called a trance 

Transfer Center little did I know what am I all the everybody 

00:06:55

 

upon request into the other guy was R week or ten days and I put a sign real small 

small ship and they have no idea where we’re going was it called the 

the landing craft empty and I got out and I can look around and I could see almost 

although all the Hawaiian Islands miles and miles away and they pull 

they pulled out an extra smiley and the rain cap in Maui 

what’s located at the top of a of a flat to a plateau 

00:07:30

work had had a volcano that was in inactive 

active and that you had a lot of nice dance a lot of nice Cole 

ice cold water and you have a dad dehydrated potatoes 

powdered milk but here I am rain on your own efforts R&S away 

you can’t do anything about it so how long were you there well 

well I got there in June 

1945 and I was there June July October 

00:08:05

sober November December and in December I told her 

they told us we were stepping out and we closed our tense up and roll R Way 

we have cots with strapon for all accounts and death they said that 

Wiki Charlie breakfast and truck lock in the morning when you’re gone 

you got out trucks are going to come and get you so we shipped out kami Garcia 

clock in the morning we got down to the dock and we waited till 

11 o’clock in the morning for the ship 

00:08:40

 

the young man who tried to doctors a very small dock in my life he couldn’t. 

Dr schep show they had to go find some Hawaiian food who was up 

harbor master could fart this trip you put out there know that so I think we got over 

tamale rr2 excuse me Pearl Harbor 

about 3 o’clock in the afternoon we got up at 2 o’clock to call at time to get over there 

there’s always some snaps it was and then we got all that s*** and we gotta 

00:09:15

we got on NLST there’s a hole for a Dell St serf out 

little cargo ship by the big is a football field and everything 

every company was a sign a ship and while we were there 

they were working on some of these ships and somebody was work 

it was work on that ship with dynamite ass with a torch 

we heard a big explosion and we looked down and there’s a lot of Marines died in the war 

the ship was on earth so hot 

00:09:50

before we shipped out they had to get another step because that wasn’t it out a fire and it was 

seaworthy so we took off and they sell out 

LSTs the speed of an LST it is about 3 or 4 miles an hour 

what are 250 Marines out of the officers and the crew 

and the crew of LSD was all it and so we started wale have any of the other 

the other Marines in the Pacific because we could make that time we were escorted with F 

outer mid Pacific we were guarded with destroyers and Deuce bar escorts escorts Reno 

00:10:25

never saw on a submarine and I’m finally some other ones submarines John 

join the staff report Ventura the Marshall Islands most beautiful woman 

water you ever want to see gorgeous and they put the front of the ramp down 

down in the ELA state and all the men have a swim no bathing suits 

and that was for some of those men that was there last swim because they didn’t make 

can make it through the battle so after we got our swam I will wait for them 

we went down to the earth we went down to the Mariana Islands that was caught him Saipan 

00:11:00

and we anchored in Saipan and we lost our fireplace 

are places to sleep some marine amphibious 

deadliest tanks that will take us into the battle they back them up and they’re so 

from I guess we’re four days we had to sleep on 

Avon on the metal deck there was no place else to sleep in your head on for a battle where 

where party where was the battle going to be well after we left 

the Marianas that was Saipan about 3 or 4 days 

00:11:35

one morning I can hear about you and a bunch of explosions and I have 

I woke up at 2 in the morning and let it begin to get light I looked out 

and I couldn’t believe what I saw and I called my friend I woke him up 

there was 800 North Thousand army vessels 

battleships and cruisers and gun motrin and they are all the shooting had been 

it been shell on this island for maybe 72 hours 

and they have been ballin the island for babies of the Sierra 

00:12:10

Air Force is Ben Whiteman Air Corps been vomiting Allen for maybe 72 days 

but unfortunately we don’t know what’s in the intelligence then 

but the Japanese had Turtle Island 

about 10 miles of tunnels and caves and 

the general 

was on the Japanese general had made up his mind 

that in all the previous battles with the Americans that Dayman 

00:12:45

they met you at the end when you get out your boat that mention right away which Elsinore to heal 

he was going to let a man so he left the first wave then come in and they had all of them all 

aller weapons worth sprint sent a letter do I set the mortars fire 

wild at heart rate so we get in there and the first way we can hear the radio, 

very light resistance and that didn’t sound right to me or any of the other guys 

so amphibious tactics on the beach about 30 yards 

drop the ramp in the back we ran around both sides and I guess we’re out 

00:13:20

we ran 15 yards in them the first shall hear 

well all I can remember is I’m going up in the air 

and a terrible pain in my ear concussion after office 

off of a shell and I got up and my hands and knees like somebody hit me in the jaw 

the jaw and I also my friend and there was my best friend land there 

so we want her to him I couldn’t I couldn’t say I will and I couldn’t say blah 

a blood and then about the time is going to roll them over 

00:13:55

beachmaster who were some major get off the page get off the beach get up there 

kill your hair get in there underneath the shelf so we took his weapon 

around him and I grabbed that a friend of mine who was he was a cook 

but the cooks became an admonition carrier in battle 

so we ran away and I found a great big shell holder chart in here and weep 

and we drove down a nutshell the beginning of the first days in the battle 

everything doesn’t go right it’s not like a basketball or football game everything goes 

00:14:30

so we got an a****** and we face what we thought was the front line 

and pretty soon within an hour to here come our tanks 

and there was a really a brave marine leaving the times he was God needs tank 

 

tank after the show is done I can’t get out so pretty soon the first time master 

hit a place where they couldn’t go any further and Aaron Harrison 

there’s this line of tanks and Prince and Mayte the Japanese began to shoot 

00:15:05

shoot the tax they knock one tank to tank 32 X & I mean bull not safe 

and we’re down in the salt like this and everything this mission the tank is going on 

the other side the whole like shake my friends look at this steel was just raining 

and thus tennis ball cannon - you can believe that 

he left and he went like this you’re trying to get yourself a hole you can’t 

you can’t you can’t go any deeper and pretty soon young fella jumps in after that 

shelling stopped briefly he said you gotta help me I said what’s the matter 

00:15:40

I got my lieutenant is wounded badly in a tank can I 

and I can’t get him out what the f*** go down to the beach and get yourself a cup 

cupola Carmen I said we got chewed out for for trying to help my friend 

so he took off and I don’t know whatever happened prettiest of the pretty 

what land air and the most time of the shelling stopped just begun 

can submit afternoon we go in at 9:30 or 10 o’clock and 

I say they say Berlusconi are tracer bullets ever saw 

00:16:15

soft pastels this tells the who are aspiring wurst bar Fargo 

how come to find out whether or not the front line for bass 

behind us we’re laying out for the night between our our lives and the Japanese 

but I guess we weren’t the only one so I said 40 

we gotta get up out of here we can’t stay any longer so we got up we had a 

like I died I had a mortar and he has some rounds and I had my rifle and yet it’s so we start I don’t have 

don’t highway that we finally found the company about 3:30 in the afternoon 

00:16:50

add everybody was glad to see everybody else and a half 

my friend was a radio operator had a great day 

radio on its back with a big ant antennae and he says I just got a call 

call from the crow that’s what happened he says he wonder 

talk to the company commander and I told him that company commander had been wounded 

and was evacuated and he says what does let me talk to NE 

any company officer sir we don’t have any officers are all dead or what 

00:17:25

what would an evacuated who who who’s running the company the top 

top sergeant forever but who’s running the patroon the sergeants 

office he gulped he said here I got the limitations 

what’s your name sir my name is Caister yeah I know your case I remember 

firmer breast inspection he said please don’t get me wrong 

you’re my only only contact with the company but they won’t let him 

24 hours he said I want you do you know when 

00:18:00

front lines are no but I’ll find them curl it should you go up there and tell 

I tell Amanda to make a skirmish line after line like there One Ring one 

facing the enemy he says and then right before it starts diggin 

again and when your day can expect on a night attack that’s what Japanese 

Japanese like to do they like to attack us a dark so right before Darfuri Austin 

we dug in I was the last guy on the skirmish line so I got my little 

shovel Knight was taken and often punk rock 

00:18:35

where I had to sleep there was volcanic rock and said I had one life 

soft place to sleep so I thought well there rednecks choice to go to sleep prayer 

so I want to sleep like this maybe about all I suppose 930 

3410 o’clock but before they did that the sergeant got into a plastic 

rustic bag in the other pen light and they called he went through the roll call 

call 250 names and one of the first names you call 

call Dennis Nichols I said he’s dead how do you know he’s dead 

00:19:10

because it got his face blown off sergeant it come down and got all 

all the names in an Asian boys were a lot of trouble we have 

99 man left out of 250 

not not always dead but they were if they were dead they were wrong and out on 

Altoona hospital ship so we dug in and then 

we didn’t have any attacks the first night sorry set 

they decided they were just going to stay at the same place yesterday gana until we get Maybelline 

00:19:45

able to get some more replacement then say so we stayed there two or three days we didn’t move very far 

very far and we got some replacements and there are young guys 

guys like us and they had Never Summer Madness verb ends in c** 

combat someone had never even been out of an office that’s when we ride lady 

lady bridge replaced all. The mail store in the off the office job 

Brantley needs brains badly to fight so I got there 

three sergeants in my school hard pipe first class 

00:20:20

but there was no problem they wanted to stay alive so they come 

they come back about the third day or fourth day and it says 

we’re going to move up in the morning so be ready at the crack of dawn so 

at the crack of dawn or artillery starts firing bad ass 

really fired fired a lot of rounds and then after women 

Dark Tower is done you get up and you can go talk to Japanese Lite and we’re meant 

very very stiff resistance and throat 

00:20:55

I don’t suppose we let die few days a few hundred yards 

I had the third day add a gun to get dark in 

since we don’t have enough men behold the front lines 

el company is going to come and hear you guys just start moving back where we move 

remove back to the rare which was made at 30 or 40 off 

40 yards and we just got satellite boy at least I get some rest tonight album 

set the same thing on her district why don’t take your squad and 

00:21:30

and go back to the front line L company does not have enough men to cover their lines 

they had casualties band also so 

o I took my one guy with me like the rest of my hands 

I have to stay back there and we went up and we were with some range we didn’t know 

and was a rather large baked whole may be about this deep 

and I just took 4 hours and you could say that actually say 

police say the enemy is there but they dont shoot at them 

00:22:05

unless they share that because you don’t that they’ll be able to take until where we are 

so we stayed up there and I only had a brain with me who I didn’t know 

and I actually believed him when he was sort of afraid 

I start my washing I said the frog 

it’s time to come out and stick watch take my washing didn’t count my money backwards 

and I’m not proud of it about the third time around 

I been on watch my shaft and Onir Hilson I just I just took my 

00:22:40

just took my rifle and like this today snow 

you’re coming out to watch it says my life is just as good as your 

so I made him go on watch and the other two Marines who have been in there an hour 

fortune setting up with me I should grow your friend she was shakin all over 

over heat he never want to come out must you force them to come out 

and it made me feel bad but later on in 1946 I would live in a pond 

7up on north part of champagne I went home on Saturday afternoon after work 

00:23:15

Mr struck set nurses Iowa 

I don’t know I buy for Iowa and I want around the car my house there was a guy 

the same guy at my wife when I put him up we fed them he never met 

imagine what happened and I never mention what happened because that was a baller 

all of time my date for this is 40 sex and a law 

a lot of a lot a lot of guys died 

it was so bad that death the band 

00:23:50

where’s the burial detail and I got so many dead Marines they could not 

did not pick them up by hand yarn carrying with a stretcher they got trucks 

when driving the truck one guy up on top of that on top of the 

top of the body’s two guys picture no body said it was a health 

it was a health hazard you can leave a body like that no way 

the plains of gold and I spray DDT all that stuff to keep the disease that was a 

that was a terrible job but they game they drove them back bulldozer made an ice pack 

00:24:25

my spouse out there was a rabbi and a priest and a Protestant minister they rap 

they wrap them in a poncho I took their dog Tek one dog to a god and 

set a nice prayer and the boulders or come along and bulldozer it was for health reasons to 

that was all on which Island does Ronnie Ville hey that was  six 

2000 range Devon 30 days people don’t real sex and when you leave the eye 

you look back you say all those crosses hey some of those are my friends I didn’t have time to 

graveyard and then there was a there was 20000 guys 

00:25:00

guys that were were wounded second son fight 

big hospital ship in three hospital ships small 

and one of the doctors who was on the ship my friend was in the Navy 

 

he was right down on 3rd Street and University Avenue he was ahead of the day 

battleship penny said he had a nice visit with him and 

after the after the war he that was still this doctor and he says stop your memory 

00:25:35

 

so everyday we move up a little bit more 

more and we move up a little bit more and we move up a little bit more and 

all the time we ate casualties 

you just hope that it’s your friend when get killed so 

we come to crossroad where we had to we went back time 

gotta ammunition two guys and go back and you currently have 

00:26:10

fast life and you can cry too many because that volcanic ash come up over your 

over your suit tops most of us were smart enough that we put light inside and 

add a wise does volcanic ash dust down in your shoes and socks and health 

call source so I just one place that we would have to run 

I was like it like this and the Japanese own death 

they owned at the ground up there and you didn’t dare go back was all I could see was there but you know 

there was this great big in the Rock had a big to great big metal door 

00:26:45

metal doors and all of sudden these doors with open and there be two machine guns and they start 

start at want a lot of our guys so as we’re going back 

come back we were out across states they couldn’t see it once you get out at waterFire they couldn’t go this way or that 

so I said what are they going to do he says I heard 

by the way you guys going I still going to frontline and get some ammo as a 

as a time you get back here that pill box will be eliminated 

where am I said they going to bring a flamethrower tank 

00:27:20

a pair so the flame start they couldn’t see out they open these doors wired shut 

shut these doors big metal door and I come back and there was a tank there 

and you could is Biola flamethrowers just smoking and I looked there 

and there was 4 dead Japanese 

which are cold and their machine gun but we’re so hot the machine gun 

what format like that so we didn’t have any more casualties 

Isolation after they eliminate that I don’t how many guys got loaded so later on 

00:27:55

later on I said to one of my friends I said ad would you take me 

make you go back in and pick us up a little bit. Ammo sure 

when he didn’t come back I got worried I know something’s wrong he wouldn’t 

when slap I so about another 15 minutes were Lena this great day 

whole area comes tumbling down his name was Tim 

add boil I think was Edmund about Catholic 

it was from Philly told me and it come down there and it he was fair skin 

00:28:30

Christianity poppin what’s the matter that he says we got 

about a hundred yards from here and he said with the Japs start dropping 

dropping some shells on a smith says we both doe B on the ground 

and he says make Qdoba on top of me accidentally you know and he says would you 

would you believe I shall hit him on the top of the head 

and I felt so sorry for the guy but because he had just joined us as replacement heads 

what had been another battle and the other great big world that was banned as they told me 

00:29:05

go back make you the fourth division will take care of you 

so he got it you got a second Purple Heart and that was his last 

last Purple Heart so I looked at ad and as we have metal helmets 

telmisartan camouflage covers and I said hey 

would you get me home please my home is just give me your help 

natural way to understand me and I’ll what does helmet cleaner 

cleaning and ash the other man’s brain cells around to help he didn’t know it 

00:29:40

he’ll never know it today but I’m telling you this because this is actually happening 

the way it happens so we get nearer to thee we got today 

two days we can see the end of the island in the battle is over and we have got burn a guys left 

and we can get a replacement and we get ready to go 

ready to go to bed and I look up about 30 yards and there’s three Marines up there 

doctor who are not in our company I dont know yall been together at night 

night and they they put these rocks and they had one wish to young guys like me 

00:30:15

me and one man I have heard him talking to his face I like that Kentucky 

Kentucky or Tennessee on must have been 30 south 

37 38 years old and I woke up during the night I was standing watching you 

you can hardly stay awake after 20 days do you keep nodding off 

and I looked up and I saw a knife in that hole 

smoking all free I can see the cigarettes you can smoke 

what you got to get down where nobody sees it safe and I thought my god I hope nobody 

00:30:50

nobody sees it there’s a tremendous drop off your whole eye be about 20 or 30 feet 

replace all rock an American could never climb that we didn’t have the right kind of shoe 

shoes and I’ll end up like this like this and all of a sudden there’s a 

there’s a tremendous explosion and I can say fire and stone 

I can hear screams and a Jap climbed up there and 

and tossed some grenades in with them and it was terrible so 

so you don’t move around at night on file 

00:31:25

parachute flares that we put paradise by 4 o’clock in the morning we could lose these guys and tell 

until daybreak and so we got to a man 

Catholic purple flowers after one ring with lost his heel 

and it was all full of shrapnel all over we gave him the corpsman gave him 

Dave and morphine and the other brand he got a lot at 2 

Sam Berns maybe but when we got to the older man is bad 

he musta musta set on the Great grenade and a test 

00:32:00

blue part of a step away is hip bone sticking out 

asking if there’s a lot of pain yes given two shots of amorphous what difference does it make 

so when the Daybreak come we carry them down to the ambulance cheap 

people just a little cheap dressers at a time with you guys to halt and Jeep so I’m trying to 

- 1 guy who I didn’t know and he says what’s your name I set my name Sam 

Sam the surgeon was Sammy he says I’m so glad to get 

how to get off the island oasis even if I moved it like this he says I get an ocelot 

00:32:35

ally I was afraid I was going to get killed so we got to the the last 

the last gentleman the older man I’m sorry I was 28 37 weeks old am 

and we try to move in an 

all this muscle and tissue that held the hip in place wasn’t there and he let out a 

 

piece of plywood underneath it and we pick them up and Carmen 

which type his legs up wedding hair down in back and got a man and I love him 

00:33:10

how orthopedic doctors repair it but there was no damage to the hip 

hip is just getting some cash you know and we’ll stand around 

it’s just getting white and I look down in this hole and I can’t believe last day 

there was this this paper were wondering land is land for growing age 

that didn’t explode hey every guy would stand around like I was 

I wasn’t carrying the comet that killed everyone so that at Radio Shack 

step so we moved up a little bit and I looked we can look at me to say the end of the island 

00:33:45

Island ad say white boy 

there’s some cases. There and pretty soon I heard this radio, 

Welding take your squad and rescue boat he’s laying out 

in the front lines he’s been wounded oh here we go 

 

3 guys in myself and there was a bunch of rocks sex rape victim 

battery box outlet Dover and so we go over the first bunch of rocks 

00:34:20

and thus the Japanese start shooting at us and we get down to bottom 

we get down behind the guy says Sam 

I don’t want to die and I said I don’t want to die either just give me a minute I’ll second ascent 

what I’m thinking to myself how can we do this without getting off 

so we skirted around the rest of this rocks 

and we get down we can’t run and we run down as about a hundred yards 

hey for muscle running with a stretcher and you can’t believe the Train rocks and boulders in 

00:34:55

holes in SAP and we finally got down to my friend and 

and open to stretch to stretch your put him on it and to carry a stretcher 

picture on level ground and is hard but carry him on rocks in his bouncer 

bouncing up and down and finally we got it out of the line of fire we laser stretch or down 

down and had his name was Jim Bolton 

and he was the machine gun or what he was doing these cuts we’re going to move up and do I stand 

about it would be over but he had a pistol tied to his hand and a bunch of Marines die 

00:35:30

Einstein about a hundred two hundred Mr Cambridge app and they start shooting headache 

Tennessee went down the house the pistol as a rock and he falls 

and he shoot himself in the groin and Isis gym 

are you hurting he said yes I said just a minute I found a dead marine 

dead marine and I want and I gas mask where everybody had a gas mask 

as maths West Retta morphine to open a morphine octagon image Avenue Pratt 

took some of his blood but Chonga great big am there and I ask one of the guys 

00:36:05

there’s a animal is Jeep coming up here would you stay 

you stay with me until the Carmen Traymore the doctor gas so the Apalachee 

we got gem on their own when the guy didnt come back so I sent with him I just like something 

something always happens so the guy come back in about 2 or 3 hours nice as one half 

what happened he says when we get back to the first aid station and the Navy had 

we had decided that there wasn’t enough food so they moved the main station 

first aid station down to the front line and he said when I got there 

00:36:40

there was 24 Marines land on the ground and assist to Carmen and one doctor 

so they treated the worst wounds first to his was the second-worst no 

so they gave him a shot and more 

morphine right away they shut them off talking down on small boat after window tint 

down to the beach in May at the hospital ship and Mason minor surgery 

and he was shocked you want to Saipan or changing world how to army or navy hospital did sommore 

then they flew him to Treasure Island in California in April and the Great Lakes 

00:37:15

and I was 22 Marines in a room at Great Lakes 

that’s the way we look at with the rules for my friend Jim lay there and then and than a man 

anthem at the president’s son and they were talking and then look down his name 

name and says what you say your name was and a gentleman 

my name’s Welton have you got a relative’s got a real short haircut 

and ranch ACF says he and his squad save my life 

ad when they operate they took him at Great Lakes in the operating 

00:37:50

sold he was able to father children that was a concern about it safe and I got away 

I got a letter from him that I was single and I never get it needs thanks so much for gas 

and I could never find the letter and I could never find his address I could never find a phone 

the phone number why boiler Center how many people like all trying to find Jim how he was doing but that 

but that was just one thing I know so did you get medals for that for the thing 

to get a medal do you have to have a witness and your witness have to be somebody who’s 

spare or an officer who’s on blast we didn’t have 

00:38:25

no officers no no officers they were all dead or wounded 

the company commander who got wounded three weeks later or two weeks later 

weeks later maybe he has all the shrapnel dug out of it and he volunteered to come back 

you have to keep books the guy’s number number to hear the song 

the song so Thai in a lot of paperwork and that he did all the paperwork I couldn’t fight 

loaded with a lot of shrapnel said so he’s as we walk out 

walk out that day he says to one of my friends 

00:39:00

you know he says I hope you guys know it or not water one road goes by 

it goes back to the ocean will we get our ship he says 

we got dirty for guys left back there the original and that’s all and a cyst 

Wednesday so nice so we go back to the ship we get on a ship 

or tech RC bags which is laid out there on the beach I still have my uniform my mom 

mom saved at home packed away and you 

uniform and we got back they made you the captain the ship says now 

00:39:35

everybody takes off all her clothes and put them great big mess 

cardboard box store all your clothes and everything but your shoes and your helmet 

and then they come along and they sprayed with DDT 

 

all of a sudden somebody hello Michelle in the Rye 

 

always bridge down on the ground with no clothes 

00:40:10

I said hey all you all your squad leader who inspect 

Apple the cap Navy captain boy was mad because. Come on through that balance you could kill 

kill somebody accidentally so Wichita auto rifle 

rifles at its brightest and then we run and got a hot shower and it gave us all 

all clean clothes clean underwear clean socks cleaned under a shadow 

but they won’t hear such NOC ice when you eat you can eat all you want but if you 

too much bone I’m going to tell you you’re going to spend a lot of time in the bathroom you’re going to have diarrhea 

00:40:45

diarrhea because you haven’t had a good food for 30 days and 

so I never heard her a lot of screaming the first night wears on the ship I had an 

I had a nightmare I dreamt it that they were trying to attack us tonight 

is the guy next to me and he carries a great day automatic rifle in the head shoe laces 

like that and during the night when I just erased over and I 

and I grabbed his rifle and was comforting me is like a hungry man eating 

and I got up the next morning as this he’s a little guy 

00:41:20

must weigh 235 pounds part 30 pounds during this big rifle 

he said you had a bad time since you I said I had a terrible he says your wrist over 

Annie SEZ you grab my rifle this all everything I said aren’t you going to come to 

come to breakfast dishes no I’ve been asleep all night and I’m not sleepy so we 

so we went to eat and we come back and find 

finally he want to sleep he slept the whole day William waking my pic of figuratively 

freaky anytime it wants so I didn’t tell you one story that are like to tell you 

00:41:55

Italian my friend his name was Charles Miller and Charles from Carbondale 

Armadale news about 5 years older than I am as been gone about 10 years 

died on the golf course in Florida Charlie got wounded on 

Saipan he got shot to the shoulder he got hit before that 

for the Cat Rescue and they got shot today is another big hole he said he will 

he woke up three days later in hospital ship in the carmen was changed in distress 

addressing and he says his shoulder hurts so bad any c*** understand a little Japanese 

00:42:30

Japanese boat like that would hurt so bad what he had a pistol 

a holster back hair he would never be taken alive and during the 

firefight the Japanese bullet hit this thing and exploded 

became a bomb and he says we’re not Carmen turned around and had a full length 

this is why does my shoulder Nokomis and I’ll tell you why the turnaround 

iPod to put my hand in that world on my shoulder and it should have took about 6 weeks 

Wix so this happened before I was with a man at battle 

00:43:05

battle but he was on a was your man and he got it was commissioned where are the charges 

cyclist was a lieutenant and he says Sam rhinos last 20 days 

payday is she says they set me an alarm Kidde was a Carman and he had no 

had no business being a corpsman a looked around and he says his eyes were this big 

 

and if we get a wounded I’ll go with the enterprise and Charlie 

 

00:43:40

it’s not like this and he says not having any sleep he said I dose 

dozed off and he said I was awakened by a blood curdling scream 

scream while I looked up and saw the holes around here comes the Japanese office 

after he’s bringing a sword down on my head should I raise my rifle up like this 

like this and block it block the thing it is at his fingers and his rifle 

he said I rolled him over and they said I had a knife right back here and I just put him away 

and he said hadn’t been for that young could Sam he said I’ve been dead 

00:44:15

reset for sale vacuity you can’t have any kind of wounds because infection 

he got off and then as I saw him at a reunion and 9th St Louis 

bush and I hadn’t seen him all that was Benjamin in the eighties I had seen him since 

Charlie let me ask you something 

what what did you do after well I got a degree I got married I was a teacher I was 

I was a superintendent and then I got called back to the car 

the Korean War you told me never to volunteer on this 

00:44:50

this was a good outfit that you just bought he said if I didn’t have a choice that was in trees lyrics 

so what happened in Korea a boulder fell off a small 

small hill and hit me the small of the back and I fell and I laid there and all of them 

and all the mud and he says there was no marine first dates result 

is all army so they had to get an army guy and he’s laying there that small of back 

black bad injury he got frostbite on the inside of a slice a turkey 

I took a mentor there until the operating temp and this doctor 

00:45:25

doctor says got his records and it’s just Charlie 

we’re going to discharge you we don’t need your body anymore it’s Vita 

beat up your iPad won’t share with their rooms here and now you got this bad back in Utah 

bar fights how much how much more 

punishment you think your body is going to take the sugar test good luck charlie 

try to say Sinai Hospital but imma get back to the United States on a hospital ship it was in pretty good shape 

it was John Hurt in here but I saw him and he would it was there a great golf 

00:46:00

what golfer he left the golf and just like Bing Crosby he had a heart attack on the golf course 

of course no better way when you were you were alive 

a private when you went in and you were what will happen if you don’t do your best 

basic you get up you get to be a private first class then after that 

how to get promoter you’re just like an hour away Cyrus and I got come over somebody got 

tell us that simple because my friend and I they always give you a test 

do you want it would you like to be a leader no do you want to become a 

00:46:35

man know what you want to do we want to go how far we want to go home 

and I also read a new I said boy you guys will never get 

you get promoted and I did we did and I got promoted my friend got killed and my friend 

my friend when he when he got killed on the beach 

later on they said he was missing in action when we landed 

good at low tide Lego round check all the wonders as they 

I say and the balusters boys jacking off make sure they’re dead we don’t do anything about because you got it 

00:47:10

you got it you got to make it stay on there so what happened like a lot of the tide come in 

c** in his body floated out to say I know how to go back and read your statement 

statement 2 as folks I think it was a name is not important I think it was from Texas 

so you could verify yeah but see if they have a 

missing in action when they have missing in action the parish 

dentist pay for another 12 months ant 

one of the days we go get ammo and we had a guy with us 

00:47:45

he was a serious and he had something to do it was from Chicago it was a little diva 

he knew a lot about rush series make rug so he didn’t keep up 

keep up with her she walked away and I should stay up with a snot rug beater and we get down 

get down on a Japanese had a farm order about as big as my body 

but they couldn’t guide it very well and sometimes I went over the island into the ocean 

when I hit it was like have enough earthquake earthquake move like this 

like this not as we got down after the first 11 Austin Howard it’s hard in bed 

00:48:20

dial to recharge everybody get down they’re going to fire another shelter usually fire 

fire to and sure enough they fired another one and I get up 

and here’s my friend stand up like this 

and I’m looking at him and he is expecting 

spitting blood I know that he said he didn’t hurt me you gotta want it 

I think you guys got to take Rogers down to the 400 ex remember his name 

Ellie Rogers from Kansas you don’t seem that I never knew what his first name la that was that 

00:48:55

so they were able to walk him down but I’m sure that he lost a long and 

and then we got back daughter ammo and an officer 

what’s up we’re missing a map I said hey we’re missing rug beater 

and I said remember the last time that she’ll one-off about a hundred yards down there 

I thought I saw him there but not yet released track what will you guys go down 

go down there and get some of those Marines are in the foxholes asked him to help you we gotta fight 

how to find out if you got killed our face not there Sonos bridge help them when they come back 

00:49:30

the guys gave me there was a 525 dollar bill and a piece 

piece of a shoe with a serial number on it but it was a marine sailor 

there was no blood there was no tissue no uniform no nothing 

so he got a direct hit and that way he was listed as missing in action 

folks won’t get back in the day 3 insurance policy worth $10,000 

and its spokes got his monthly salary for a year and then the tenth hour 

10 thousand dollars what the hell is a merciful way to die 

00:50:05

I rather just die suffer never know what hit him so on the way 

on the way back we have a lot of but we never saw I don’t think 

the bar was so advanced that when we are on a world they needed that thing 

Fang because the big bombers were leaving from Saipan and canyon 

and if they are flying over Japan and they got shot up they have to 

we have to ditch their airplane and if they dead 

they did that they had lost airplane that lost a crewman so we figure out how many but I know 

00:50:40

what time the Warriors on how many of those planes landed on it would Jima the restrainer strips 11 

1 what’s going in in RCB’s they did a wonderful job to stay fit 

they finished those errands strips so I’m a big plant could come in their laps 

AmeriSpec before the battle was over guy said he couldn’t get any feel I need to have fun 

gasoline so he landed 

it was a terrible act bounce bounce better than wreck anything and there was a terror force 

sky jump in there real fast and there was a valve stuck and he was available to us 

00:51:15

what are strict about told a guy now you’re getting gasoline the gates come right up at shirt 

turn the plane around go home so we figured all the all the 

all the planes that landed there and counter them by the number of man 

we saved at least 20,000 guys from going into the drink 

West Plains where did so you were on on 

on you and then you went where after that one or that we want back to me 

how can I give you are on our way we want back to my way ok and aunt 

00:51:50

Anton nice trip ship and we got back there and they gave us are not 

don’t bother you too much you know for a week or ten you don’t have to shave you don’t have to make 

to make your bed up you don’t want to they know what it is so they gave us a tour 

45 days over in Maui and I 

we got over there another guy find a nice nice Japanese or oriental 

place to stay at with a screened in porches which left outside in a one half cup bras 

and then we go down to the restaurant we found a place where have all we could get a glass 

00:52:25

glass of beer and I found a place where I get a glass of beer 

and some fried shrimp dying for shrimp my folks were in the seafood 

Bourbonnais I watch replicas and get it so after that thing was over we went 

we went back they come and get us on a ship and take us back to Molly and Chris Hughton ever 

tell ne your parents grandpa 

grandparents at Knoebels where you were but you could say I saw 

I saw a gym the last couple of days I write to my mother that was my brother-in-law 

00:53:00

are you as my brother more than that so my mother 

my mother would call and tell his mother 

that we were together for a few days they and they 

that’s what we want and what time at 8 at the at the 

after initial submarine quest headquarters all the subs in the Pacific 

Pacific come back from the runs they had 30 days off hey they didn’t shave 

look like a bunch of animals but they didn’t care that was a submarine service 

00:53:35

and the food was excellent I had to end the Navy got the best coffee 

you can eat you can have coffee 24 hours a day and then I always got 

always got fresh coffee Lyle Lovett I love coffee my grandmother was a tremendous she always 

always had coffee I just drank coffee ever since I was 5 years old so when the W 

when the war was over there was a lot of guys that had been overseas for 

40 months party 8 months and had been a family so they had more points in 

I got to go home they have division got to go back to Los Angeles what was the Wiz laugh 

00:54:10

is left and they comin I said 

you’re going to China Ansul system 

I was 20 years old I was not married I thought really bad like I know I could see China 

that would be my only chance I’d never get another chance so I put a sinus 

the name of the ship was the bomb Homme Richard to Good Shepherd said it was so small 

aircraft and it was converted for troop ships the flight deck 

flight deck was open and the hangar deck where they kept the plans we had our bunks and roll Boulder 

00:54:45

folded down there and it was happened to be full moon the Sun I swear on 

we are on the ocean and it was the most beautiful trip they didn’t put the size up you could say 

they say I say this dolphin swimming with the ship the next 20 miles of aisles 

you are not a part Albany said that goes 100 miles they think it’s fun to get 

how to get close to the ship’s bow Japan like that so we’re out to see I guess 

I guess about three or four days and also I noticed the answer 

is the answer stop and I hear the actor Cody 

00:55:20

trickle down anchor chain willie Geist what are you doing I said I don’t know what we’re 

what were done I don’t like it like that anchors down they call her dance 

report to the top of it to the flight deck well I know something’s changed 

change right away just like we used to say always change in orders 

where civilians and I want to make so up on the flight that the guy had one of those tables 

tables like that sergeant and they have what’s your name welding you’re getting off 

getting off air line looked around I said this is not China 

00:55:55

it says I know it’s not China you’re getting off air this is Guam 

when I had given us about you cold weather gear long johns 

heavy boots jackets such as temple closed out 

Kohls out of my seat bag and throw my deck somebody else can take these another Marine 2 Spec Ops 

wake up someone to go to China they got on there and we got down there and a captain 

at the at the dock ready or nice gentleman 

new looks after all the names in all the world is a circle 

00:56:30

you guys are nothing but a bunch of different for a man all the Irani was your girl like 

does that make us bad no I don’t make it bad but it says this is an MPI 

you’ll have to get used to it he says when you get in there 

you can put your weapon away you have to carry a 45 when you have to drive a Jeep 

Jeep through the jungles take turns he says your 8 hour shift 

one way to add another eight hours 24 hours a day I drove that even at night you want these jungles 

Tetris Japanese there but they never bought it they were just survivors 

00:57:05

vibrational and he says you got a guy thats driving that was right 

ride shotgun and also a fish and a Navy base decals 

tackles in the village you’re wrong amount they don’t want to 

they didn’t want the Navy man with the native women because they had to date a boyfriend 

cost trouble safe all they would really get mad we make him come out and go back 

go back to their banquet never did anything to him that I had so we were there from 

September and I think in March 

00:57:40

I said you guys are going to go home and I just got already have that we have fresh 

have fresh milk we had fresh eggs they have everything out in the Pacific that we never had in Hawaii 

because that was Admiral Nimitz’s headquarters and when he drew his rations 

fashion she got everything we had steak once in awhile never knew what state was named after 

trouble getting spam sometime so anyway 

we got on the ship and it was loaded for 

burberry is currently putting get another Marine on air who was in March last part of me 

00:58:15

part of March no I’m sorry it was a pro so 

so we went to Treasure Island and we unloaded Darin 

everybody want to get out right away go outside never bend up to drink never seen a lady 

nah I can wait go out the next morning 

next morning so I went out the next night three of us went out I guess we want.. 1 

had a big dinner and there’s a beautiful beautiful bar at the 

at the top of Mark Hopkins hotel it was a call the top of the mark it was called a 

00:58:50

you could say all about a ship’s everything floating in the harbor and then 

 

Starbucks 7 o’clock will never stop drinking till 5 o’clock the next morning 

we celebrated our first night in United States we went back in the day later 

later I put a sign of trip time and they 

shepherds cross the country the Great Lakes 

and we process Theron I got discharged in April 21st 

00:59:25

1946 and the war was over the war was over oh yes it was over 

do I have to stay long when the war was over a lot of guys got out but if your younger yet it still points 

the point system which is okay that’s the way it should have been and as I got out mr. Kohl’s Ann Arbor 

cold cold Easter Egg grate 

 

whooping that you’re never wore and it like we put all of those and we drop down 

download North Shore train tickets down to 

01:00:00

Cubs ballpark and we got off Cubs ballpark all three of us 

 

can walk from there and we walk down there and my inlaws are all 

German hate that had food there and they had whiskey and they have y 

why did they had the neighbors and when your world Marine uniform 

in Chicago you never bought a tree you couldn’t buy a drink 

 

01:00:35

yo policemen firemen really nice people and 

after about three days I got a call from my mother 101 ice come 

coming home mom I said I’ll be home tomorrow night 

and don’t worry I said we’re just having a nice time this too young rings with me 

they were my age they were from the east coast so my grandmother 

plenty of sleep and area and plenty of food 

we would come back to my app with late look at their eyes 

01:01:10

look at their eyes Chuck that was my uncle you make an Asian guy 

these guys drink hey Julia I said they didnt make a strength we’re just looking for 

place to drink sold the other two guys I’ve been home for a while I never saw him again 

Paul McGann and I want home at night and when I got home 

I got home and stuff at the station downtown there was about sex 

6070 Mott high school buddies waiting for me there and they had been in the service 

okay okay 

01:01:45

did you make them 

okay so ss the train that made a funny 

my mother my father and my my best friend 

best friends sister was there hey when I went away no highways at night 

I think she was 15 or 16 law and behold 

she told my mother viola I’m going to marry 

marry your son and I thought I knew my mother and I 

01:02:20

and I’ll bet that that dont go over there a 20 year old son just got home and there’s a young 

pretty young girls that I’m going to marry and you know we did get married 

enchant cat we had three children. She died I thought 

top ten Mexico 10 years ago and when she said that 

is that my mom never told me but blonde wife told me later I said I’ll bet that went over Bay 

but she became my mother never had any girls just two boys and she 

and she became a daughter to her she took my mother is a doctor or a shopping all the things 

01:02:55

things that she never no never could do with a daughter and her mother left her mother lives 

lesbian S&M nursing home down as salt when she has to be a hundred two and 

February she outlived Fiat left chest 

has five children to shout them all but two Wow 

and I wouldn’t give 1 million dollars for Mike’s 

my experience and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody what happened to me 

and when I want in the service the day I left I have to get somebody 

01:03:30

somebody to hold my mother she says I know you’re gonna get hurt I know 

I know you’re going to get hurt cause you got your you got your finger caught in a shotgun 

and you got shot in the leg on a rifle bullet that hit you in the 

all the things happen to me but I might 14 at 16th and it wasn’t 

drink under Dr Zhang Zhang like they just happened yo black stepdaddy and 

and when that first shell hit on a word she a man like I find air 

I thought about what my mother said when I was up in the air something is going to happen to you 

01:04:05

so you know I did get wonder that got bad Harris but 

it’s much much much better to have bad errors in Oceanside or no legs 

legs and no arms or anything like that and so many young guys get that 

I just wish sailed away from a wall look back on this trip ship and I can 

and I could see all those white crosses over 6,000 crosses 

what they did 6 or 8 years later they came back and 

and they exhumed all the bodies and some of the body’s 

01:04:40

they were unable to identify they were blowing up so bad or they didn’t have any dog tags 

tags for sale and those a very dim sum place under unknown 

unknowns in a navy or a rough f*** graveyard 

graveyard International graveyard over in Danville Panda 

unfortunate it got so bad we usually have a reunion 

they decide reunion down & R marine reunion a division reunion 

and down in Louisville but my friends were 

01:05:15

friends were sold they don’t go anymore they couldn’t travel 

and anybody was in my company there was not a soul the last time I went 

so it’s just hey we want to the last reunion I want to do is so San Antone Texas 

Texas beautiful beautiful hotel once again my way 

whats with me then and I Matagorda springs 

Express lot of good friends I made in the service but the unfortunate thing was 

most young guys not married no responsibility you should have wrote 

01:05:50

who wrote your name address and all your friends in a book safe but the war the war 

the war come on and ended and panko everybody wants to get home or get for you 

that’s where you’re going to get get rid of this and RRK 

RCAP was on a plateau and sometimes you Drake 

sketcher Tampa and there be clouds coming down the street that’s how high up we were 

 

here down in the town of Wewoka was their main town on Maui 

01:06:25

I got acquainted with a lady there’s an older lady she was in the fifties 

she like the young red s*** caricature of us how much is a train to hear 

maybe to interest a year and yet it was still green 

Green honor safe and that’s just about Kano 

inactive and so I act like I ask a guy one day who want them a lie 

what what is there were the Camp yesterday what level does the government 

how to put it back shape they least its ground and subdivisions 

01:07:00

do they have thumbs up there and I he said you would never never 

never recognize the place that was like going to Guam Guam had when I got there had everything in it 

McDonalds and A&W but while Missouri 

is a stopping off place for Mary japen 

Japanese that was where they honeymooned because it’s real close that’s nice beaches none of those play 

those places have burial grounds no fr 

I don’t never heard of a or perhaps 

01:07:35

M&I analyst I did 

why did hear one ended question everything what are they had it was from Illinois 

where there’s a whip there’s a military explosive that you still use today 

is today it’s like a piece of putty and you take it take a pencil 

make a hole entered you put a crime or primer cap diner 

how do you put a fuse in it hey when you can put wrap around and you can blow up 

butter over there and blow up anything but you do not force the cap and we were 

01:08:10

we were down Eminem verse in my life at one time and I heard just terrible explosion 

lotion namless come down the young guy I just forgot 

the nearest do unless a force the cap 

that’s why I wonder how they probably buried him in Maui 

because I had no no no I didn’t I was had I have 

I have burial at sea you know that’s another thing there’s no way to keep earth anybody when your itchy 

you put him in a body bag and Utah shells shell casings 

01:08:45

play taps floating around his body 

BBQ the saying that would be to me a very terrible for the folks 

Danny don’t have your boy is not closer Helia never have closure 

but most of the guys that went in the Marine Corps 

realize what they’re getting into and when they go in today they know 

they know what they’re getting into I feel sorry for the mothers and their fathers and their relatives but that’s what 

that’s what they want to be something that happened to me I wouldn’t begrudge anybody so 

01:09:20

so when you say a man going to the rain car young man the worst thing 

slang is going to get killed the next thing is going to get MAME the next thing is 

saying he’s going to get maybe I maybe you get a light wont our flesh bone of my car 

my cousin had that it was on that was on Saipan 

Pizza shrapnel went through a tank what to his elbow 

that’s the one that ended up in Great Lakes and I think it’s seven operations and 8th 

and he had a short farm the rest of his life but I finish college and 

01:09:55

had he got a real good job with them State Farm 

as ever junior executive a truck in percent ship came out someplace in Connecticut 

nice place to raise a family in the last two or three years he came back 

can’t back down they were from now Northwood and last 

what is the last exit on the interstate my wife died 

and 97th and he had 

he said she had cancer and he called her and talk to her 

01:10:30

and he says we deserve better than this tell my wife. 

I said that’s the truth you do both so he he had a big military funeral had 

bagpipes that’s what he wanted so my brother and I went up to the funeral 

my brothers truck with the triple twist 

all the small towns up their subdivisions we got lost we didn’t get 

I didn’t get back back to the family home for 1 hour Kelly 

Kelly R Kelly a relative that your former friend from sapping got lost on the Great 

01:11:05

this is summed up 

up all of your experience could you could you sum it up could you 

if it wasn’t worth it yes pay if if I if I was 

if I was 18 today and there was a war on 

that would be the same thing I do the same thing to me it was a 

it was the hardest and the toughest and the meanest and yet when you get done 

get done you know just like a guy called me a year and a half ago 

01:11:40

and he says hey how would you like to join the Marine Corps League 

Lake I said fine meet me out there 

VFW and I went out there and I sound 20 guys 

Sam Yonker a lady marine she’s got the bay 60 Pyron 

Riddick she was in the band was called after they call them Ray Bans and she’s at 

activator and we’ve got a couple guys who are wounded 

add effect 2 weeks ago I had a funeral this man 

01:12:15

this man what are some range to be at his casket five ministers all day 

and he was an ex-marine so we just did that as a favor and they have a color guard 

face replacer Marine color guard we got we got friends that do that night. Uniforms and ever 

everything probably so I can’t I’m getting sold I can hardly remember the meeting tonight 

 

21 does her something to a door 

we’ve come to think we’ve covered it or not I think we’ve covered just about all of it I hope 

01:12:50

I hope they wouldn’t care about it also wants to go into the range 

how to do we need anything we do the sum it up for anything 

anything you just hit his family his summary was was kind of a good ending 

good ending