So what fighting was going on in Panama at the time then? What specifically was he doing in Panama? Perhaps he was a corpsman assigned to a Marine embassy unit or a unit guarding the canal. I'm not aware of any major fighting occurring in that area during the time you say your dad was there.
Also, I'm not putting anyone down and I was just curious as to what the point of all this was? Also times two... I'm not your bro.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEZDZl57N-8"]WW2: The San Jose Project (1945) - YouTube[/ame]B. The San Jose Project
Brigadier General Egbert F. Bullene, who had been tapped to run the San Jose Project, paid a personal visit to the island in November 1943, and reaffirmed it as a site. But in a twist on environmental values, the Army’s General Staff delayed approval of San Jose Island as a site for chemical experiments until they were assured that they would not harm rare flora or fauna. The National Museum testified that no rare wildlife existed on San Jose, after which the General Staff gave its go-ahead.8
The military acted quickly. On December 20, 1943, the U.S. Consul proposed to conduct “certain chemical warfare tests under existing jungle conditions” for 60-day renewable periods on San Jose Island. The agreement had to be made with both the government of Panama and the island’s private owners, a Panama City firm called Huertematte & Co. A rental fee of $15,000 a year was agreed. The United States also sought Panama’s consent to build trails and wharves, and to incorporate the agreement into the 1942 base agreement signed the year before.
The project formally began on January 6, 1944, two days after Panama gave permission to the United States to conduct “chemical warfare tests” on the island.9 Within days hundreds of Army engineers arrived on the island to clear roads and an airstrip and build the many buildings for operations and housing the project would use. More than 400 enlisted men were stationed on the island by mid-1945, as well as nearly 200 officers and civilians (from the United States, Panama and other countries).
Thanks MontyB! Never thought of looking on YouTube..makes sense. I'm looking at time frames and age. He was born in 1927. First paper said 1945, last said 1953.
Last Memorial Day, I said thank you for serving. He had once told me ( when I was a small child) that he he was a medic in Korea. You read correctly. He said said no dear, I served in World War ll. Made sense, I knew it anyway, he sang songs in my childhood from that era., as I've said before spoke German. Besides, he was 86 then. When he came back from wherever he was he poured himself into his career & family. More questions please ask. I will try answer them to best of my abilities.
Thank again,
Dadsgirl
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