Emmett Jensen Smith

 

Birth date

October 9, 1927

 

 

 

Age they entered the service

17 years old 

 

 

 

Hometown

Denver, Colorado 

 

 

 

Branch of the service

Navy 

 

 

 

Rank

Damage Control Unit in the 2nd class. 

 

 

 

Name of their unit

CB Unit or the Construction Ballet   

 

 

 

When they served

 1945 in World War 2 and 1950 in the Korean War.

 

 

 

Where did you serve?

 During World War 2 I served in Pearl Harbor and left two days before the Japs boomed us.  I then finished it off with 2 years in Guam.  In the Korean War we trained at Pearl Harbor and then we stayed in a ship 220 miles east of Japan.  When we stayed on land, we stayed in Yokosuka. 

 

 

Did you enlist or were you drafted?

I enlisted when I was only 17 years old. 

 

 

How did you feel about going to war?

I was obligated.  All my friends were going and they were 18, so with my mom’s help, I got to join them.

 

 

 

 

Did you have any family members that went to war? If so, did they survive?

No

 

 

Were you ever wounded? How and where?

I hurt my leg a little, but nothing serious. 

 

 

 

 

Did you receive any medals? Which ones?

I received the Asiantic Pacific Medal, some Bronze Stars, and others I can’t remember.

 

 

 

 

Do you have a war story you would like to tell?

In Guam on March 31, 1946, a typhoon hit us.  They anticipated it to be in the force of a 60-foot wave.  The wind was a blowing 75 mph.  It rained for 32 days and nights.  We all thought that the huge wave was going to drag us all out to the water and we were all scared.  Luckily, the typhoon only came in a 20-foot wave and everybody was okay.

 When the war got over in 1946, there were still Japanese deserters hiding in the Guam jungles.  So when it got over, they didn’t know about it, so we had to drop some things out of our planes so they would come out.  When they did, we had to take the Japs as prisoners.  I was a boss of one of the little groups, so I was in charge of 21 of the prisoners.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was your reaction when you found out the war was over?

We were all tickled to death.  We wanted to leave right away, but we had to stay in our units until we got the call to go back to the states.  We needed 90 “points” to come home and I was there for 2 years, so I left.   

 

 

 

 

 

What was the most frightening event of the war for you?

Along with what happened in Guam with the typhoon, some of the Japs would creep down to our camps in the middle of the night.  They killed 5 men in my group by slitting their throats.  That was pretty scary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was the most cherished memory of the war for you?

When we came back from the Korean conflict, the Shriners Club met us in California.  We took a collection out of our crew and donated $40,000 to them.  That really felt good giving them something back.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have regrets about your service in World War II?

NO!  I’d go back again if they needed me and I’m 77 tears old. 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you feel about America today?

Our country is the pits right now.  Were in turmoil right now.  It’s discouraging to a man who went through 2 wars.  The Lord has to find a way to save us because teenage kids are our future and we cant give them this stuff to deal with.

 

 

 

 

 

How do you feel about the war with Iraq?

Don’t like it.  Don’t think it was necessary.  Our President is using up so much money over there that there is none left for us. 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I met so many great people in the service.  People that would be loyal to you forever.  If you had a uniform on, you were accepted.  I was really fortunate to be in the service.