There were hundreds of troops on the docks. We were moving very slowly and it took a long time to get into the ship. It was already getting dark and we were still waiting on line. From where we were we could see the men going up the ramp to get into the ship.

We were all very hungry since it was a long time since we had our last meal. Then the Red Cross came with hot coffee and donuts. Everybody was having something to eat and that kept us until finally when we got into the ship. The ship was the S.S. Samaria, which was accompanied by nine destroyers. It took us thirteen days, which is more time than usual, but the ship was not going straight, but zigzaging. That way it would make it more difficult for any enemy submarines to hit our fleet. Well, we were on our way to Europe!!

As soon as all the troops were in the boat we started getting instructions on what to do. We followed them to three floors below until we got inside of a large room. The floor was made of metal, like tin. That ship was designed to carry troops on that floor only. We set our duffle bags down and set our beds on the floor. Since it was metal, it was very cold and every time the ship shifted from side to side, we all slid to the end of the room with our sleeping bags. And that’s how we slept for thirteen days but believe it or not, we liked it. During the day some of us got together and spoke about ourselves, our families and the states that we came from and what we were doing before we got drafted. This is how we entertained ourselves since it was going to be a very long trip.

We sometimes went up on the deck and watched the fish jump out of the water. Some of the boys brought playing cards and all kinds of games; anything to pass the time, since we didn’t have anything else to do.

We were all very anxious to land in a different country, so we could rest and be ready for whatever was going to be, and yet we kept thinking of being back home. For one thing, I had to leave my wife, but I knew she would be okay, because my mother and father told me not to worry about her because she was going to be living with them and I knew for sure that she would be in good hands. In the year 1933, (I already mentioned) I had military training in Plattsburg, NY. It was for only two weeks, but I leamed a lot for such a short time.

In 1942 we were issued our rifles. We were given "Springfield-ml semiautomatic rifles." Later we were taught how to handle it. We had to assemble and unassemble it, but one thing was certain, they didn't give us too much time. We were instructed on how to handle the bayonet; to take the bayonet out as fast as we could in case we had to use it. I was lucky that I never had to use it.

We had to attend many parades while we were back home. When we had bayonet practices, I remember we had a young Japanese teacher in our class.

On November 20th, 1944 we arrived in England at Tidworth but it seems they had a lot of rain. There was mud all over; so much that we couldn’t rest our duffle bags down on the ground. The bags were very heavy since we had so many things in them, and we had to carry the rifle on our shoulders, which was also very heavy. We never had a place to put our load down until we got to the building where we were supposed to go. I don’t think l’ve ever seen so much mud in my entire life.

From there we went to Southampton where the ferry was waiting for us to cross the English channel. It took us to Le-Havre, France, where we met the 8th Armored Division. We joined them from there and we started traveling on the half tracks. We were on our way to the front lines. Each vehicle carried eleven men. The driver with his helper; one man with a fifty caliber machine gun and eight men in the back sitting face to face with rifles.

We continued our route and we reached Reims on January 9, l945. We passed it and continued going to Metz where we met some resistance from the enemy but we took care of that. We went up to Bastogne where we stayed there for a few days. We passed through Sibbe and on to Venlo Holland where we stayed to rest for some time.