Dave Anderson
Dave Anderson's tour of duty began in March of 1943, when he enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to basic training at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Dave then went on to Fort Sill in Oklahoma for Field Artillery and Radio operations training. After that, he was sent back to Fort Bragg awaiting further orders. As the war dragged on in the Pacific the once powerful Japanese forces were coming undone, and the US successfully invaded the Philippines at Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. In May 1945, Dave was off to the Philippines with the 780th Field Artillery Battalion in Luzon to set up an artillery base and camp.
August 1945 found Japan defeated ( they knew Dave would be there soon...) with the dropping of the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dave' s base was now caring for liberated American prisoners of war, as many of the men were too malnourished and sick to make the trip back to the states. The base was also used as a POW camp for Japanese forces. Dave became a guard at that point and as things were winding down he also assisted in breaking up the camp. His tour was completed In May 1946.
August 1945 found Japan defeated ( they knew Dave would be there soon...) with the dropping of the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dave' s base was now caring for liberated American prisoners of war, as many of the men were too malnourished and sick to make the trip back to the states. The base was also used as a POW camp for Japanese forces. Dave became a guard at that point and as things were winding down he also assisted in breaking up the camp. His tour was completed In May 1946.