"Repost about US Army AA units on Okinawa" Topic
7 Posts
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Recovered 1AO | 10 Dec 2016 5:39 p.m. PST |
My wife's dad won a bronze star commanding an Army unit of the above on Okinawa but we know little else about it. Having awoken an interest in history in my wife she wants to know what books would give her an understanding of what her dad experienced in WW2. In order I am asking for help in finding books detailing be experiences of: US Army half track AA units on Okinawa (unlikely but I can hope) US Army troops on Okinawa Anything that might help my wife get insight into how her dad came him "different" then he left (something my mother-in-law never quite accepted.) She never knew him before (adopted post WW2) but wants to understand what he went through. I have Osprey book "Okinawa 1945" ordered to give to her for Christmas currently. |
Bunkermeister | 10 Dec 2016 6:17 p.m. PST |
PDF link This magazine has some information about Okinawa. A Google search about specific units should reveal more information. Good luck. Mike Bunkermeister Creek Bunker Talk blog |
Ed von HesseFedora | 10 Dec 2016 6:20 p.m. PST |
If you want to go straight to Okinawa, the official Army history is at: link As both html and downloadable pdf. You can buy it hardback or paperback over Amazon or Ebay pretty cheap. For a quick overview, try link |
Rubber Suit Theatre | 10 Dec 2016 7:22 p.m. PST |
Every medal awarded to service members comes with a citation that is also entered into their service record. It gives the circumstances under which the medal was earned (Time, place, assigned unit, valorous deeds, etc.). If you know where his home town was you could search for news releases about it as well (might be a bit after the battle – medals require paper work). One thing that made Okinawa particularly nasty was the very high civilian death toll. In addition to collateral damage (90% of the buildings were destroyed) Japanese civilians killed themselves and their children to avoid the believed barbarism of the Americans. All told, about a quarter million people died in about a month on an island about half the size of Orange County, CA. |
Editor in Chief Bill | 10 Dec 2016 9:17 p.m. PST |
There is an oral history for the Marines (sorry, not Army) on Okinawa: TMP link Lots of terrible things happened there. |
Ed Mohrmann | 11 Dec 2016 7:26 a.m. PST |
Your wife's Dad may have been awarded the Bronze Star Medal in accordance with his service as an AA gunner engaged in infantry combat. Many M15/M16MGMC gunners supported infantry in both the ETO and the PTO (my uncle was a gunner on an M16MGMC in Europe and was awarded both a Bronze Star Medal and a Silver Star Medal, the Bronze because he won a CIB, the Silver for actions at the Ludendorff Bridge) so it is quite possible your wife's father was awarded the Bronze for his service in support of infantry. |
Legion 4 | 12 Dec 2016 4:52 p.m. PST |
Yes, Quad .50s were used for anti-infantry work as well as AA. Even in Vietnam, but not on the old 1/2 Track, of course … Wasn't there a recent movie made about an Army unit on Okinawa ? Don't know how good or accurate it was ? But may have some value for her to understand the horrors of that campaign ? Here it is, "Hacksaw Ridge", link Anybody see it ? |
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