Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
2:30 | William recounts when Japanese soldiers attacked the frontlines at Bougainville Island and the many bodies that were left in their wake.
Keywords : Japanese Bougainville combat artillery
William recalls his first night on Bougainville and his experience on the front lines. Artillery fire did not cease all night and he was unable to leave the foxholes until June. He also recalls being out on patrols and how planes would drop bombs that would occasionally get close enough to scrape right over his head.
William recalls the time in which he was on a combat patrol and Japanese soldiers opened fire, killing one American soldier and wounding another. They were pinned down for hours until he discovered a way out.
William remembers an incident when 12 American soldiers, himself included, ambushed Japanese soldiers while on Bougainville Island.
William recalls the hardships associated with his basic training, and compares and contrasts the treatment he received in the U.S. with the training regimen on Fiji island.
