WWII 41st ID dog tags with veteran interview

[No Quarter]

I have posted these dog tags before but this time I have a good interview to include with a lot of good information and quotes. I found this interview in my University archives and put all the info and quotes on a single page to clean it up. Thanks for looking!

 

Jacob

 

 

Urho Hankanen interview – 11-25-1994 with Sara Thibeault

 

Born April 23, 1912 - National Mine, Michigan (Tilden Township)

 

Hobbies: cut wood, travel the UP, fishing

 

-Worked for the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company before war service.

 

-Served in the 41st Infantry Division.

 

-Served in New Guinea. Battle of Mindanao, Jolo Island, Bayaca Island, Black Island (Philippines), Hiroshima (Occupation Duty).

 

-Urho earned two bronze campaign stars and arrowhead device for landing on Mindanao. Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct Medal, overseas stripes – 18 months.

 

“I was at home on December 7^th when the japs bombed Pearl Harbor. I didn’t like it cause I just got released from the Army November 30 of the year 1941. And I got called back right away then, 2 months after that I went back in the Army.”

 

“Going into Mindanao, we were the first ones to enter there and we were under heavy fire from the Japs. They bombed first about 500 feet of the shore, first, before we went in, but the Japs went way back and they were firing artillery at us. Lots of men got killed going in there.”

 

“I had the jungle crud. I never had my clothes off for two months and it was hot all the time. All you had to drink was two quarts of water a day, two canteens of water. You’d sweat every day and all them dirty clothes for two months, you never took them off. You’d smell bad everybody smelled bad so then a tank truck came and they hosed us off, just hosed us off. Then we would have to put them dirty clothes back on”

 

“I had lots of friends that got killed and wounded.”

 

“I was close to getting killed many times. I remember one time we walked into a land mine that killed 50 men in just a few seconds. I got hit in the back and my back was all black and blue. The paramedic told me to go on sick call, but it wasn’t that bad, it was just a bunch of bruises on my back. I asked them if they were going to send a message back home that I had been wounded in action and they were going to give me a Purple Heart, so I said I’m not going to go on sick call. So I didn’t take the Purple Heart but in about a week’s time it started getting better.”

 

“I was in the machine gun squad. Heavy machine gun squad. Water-cooled machine guns. I carried an M1 rifle and a couple of grenades and all my ammunition. And a belt for my machine gun and ammo.”

 

“You always figure “I’m gonna get killed.” “I might get killed.” And, you see all those guys around you getting killed and just think “When is your time?” You don’t feel very good.”

 

 

 

[Jay V]

Awesome story and cool Tags,Thanks for sharing