Hi: I think Ken meant to post his reply to the list, not just to me. Thank you, Ken, for your service to our Country. The work you did at the shipyards before you "joined up" was equally important to the War Effort, I am sure. It must have been both difficult and interesting to interview those that had been Prisoners of War. I will never forget the tale my old insurance agent, Gerald Fitzgerald, told me of being in a German Prisoner of War Camp and how he had survived. God Bless the officer's wife that left mashed potatoes on the back porch for him every time he mowed the lawn. He and his men owe their very lives to her. Lauren -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [MarinGenSoc] Veterans - Lest We Forget! Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 11:58:19 -0800 From: Ken Wiltz <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Lauren, Thank you from a WW II vet. My experience in the US Marines was not like most, as I was one of the 10% who never went overseas. After working in the Kaiser Permanente Shipyard No. 2 in Richmond, CA from September 1941 to January 1944 (where I worked on 246 different Liberty Ships) I entered the Marines on March 14, 1944. This was of course late for most had been inducted before this time. I spent time in San Diego, CA boot camp, Camp Miramar (now the training area for Top Guns), went to Corvallis in a DC-3 (Navy C-47) that took 8 hours of flight time with one hour more landing at Sacramento for dinner in July 1945. Took Air Navigation training there until October 1945 when I was shipped back to California where I flunked out of AirNav school in December at El Centro, CA. After that I was an office pinky (that's what they called us) in charge of record books for members of Headquarters Company, Marine Air Group 35. After the war ended September 1945 I was sent to school to learn to interview and assign veteran benefits to those being discharged. The school was back at Camp Miramar. I was sent to Los Angeles where I worked with others in a Marine office in downtown LA getting benefits for veteran Marines. It was surprising to me just how many reenlisted after being discharged. They had 90 days to reenlist and keep their present rank. I was shipped back to San Diego Marine Barracks where I ended my Marine career with the First Separation Company interviewing dischargees especially those who had been prisoners of war in Japan and other places. I was discharged on August 01, 1946 with the rank of Corporal. Not a very exciting tour of duty, but I served none the less.. Ken Wiltz USMCR #824773