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HM: All right. So then, after this part, after the war, where did your family go and what was it like when you returned into civilian life?

KO: I had the greatest time in the service, actually. I had no rank. I was a private first class. That's as high as I ever got. I bummed around the company, Able Company, 100th Battalion, and I just ate up all the laurels that they could offer and all the fun that they had together. At the latter part of the military service, I was with Headquarters, temporarily, temporary duty with Headquarters Company, 100th Battalion. Because they found out that I knew how to type. I could type all right, but not, not like a steno, or anything. But for the army records that was good enough. So for the last year or so of service in Italy I was doing what a company clerk might have done. Except at the regimental level they were more specialized. They had all your service records. They were able to make out payrolls so that the people got paid monthly. And they recorded any awards or things that had to do with, with individuals. Finagle for passes for Switzerland or wherever. Which reminds me, I was fortunate to finagle myself a week's stay at Cortina, Italy. The famous, now famous or ski resort. They held the Olympics there one year I understand. But this was long before that. But it was still a plush area. The -- I'm trying to think of the division -- Tenth Division took over 'cause they were skiers. And they left all their ski gear there and we could, the rest of us could go up there and get a halfway decent fit. Their ski boots, GI ski boots that GI's skis... oh, we were, we were living it up in some of those posh hotels.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.