Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
7:10 | Upon completing Officer Training School, Chuck Blumenthal is assigned to the 310 Bomb Wing and is stationed in New Guinea. The US build up to retake the Philippines from the Japanese is underway and stories of constant strafing and bombing by Jap planes takes its toll on US Forces.
Keywords : US Army Airforce 310 Bomb Wing LST Sarigao Strait Morotai
With the threat of war looming in the late 1930's Chuck Blumenthal enlists in the Army Air force. Shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and achieving the rank of 1st Sargent, Chuck begins a trip to Australia zig-zagging all the way to avoid Japanese Submarines. Chuck was offered and accepted the opportunity to enroll in Officer Candidate School (OCS).
Stationed in the Philippines and preparing for the Okinawa Invasion, Chuck Blumenthal tells the story of his rescuing a downed pilot from burning wreckage and being awarded the Bronze Star. A tropical disease known as Jungle Rot over took Chuck that caused him to be returned state side to convalesce and ultimately discharged.
After WWII ended, Chuck Blumenthal describes the difficulty of PTSD and how nightmares put stress on his marriage. The years following the war, Chuck was a farmer and a realtor, but finally he went back to school which led to him settling in Scottsdale, AZ.
