Curtis Ankerich US Army Schofield Barracks |
My father, Curtis Ankerich, was born in 1920 and is a Pearl Harbor Survivor. He grew up on a farm in Northeast Georgia and only went to about the 8th grade. He was the middle child of three boys. He first went to a CC camp in South Carolina and then on to Washington State for a period of time. After that he joined the US Army and was sent to Hawaii with the 11th Field Artillery. He was stationed at Schofield Barracks on December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. My husband recently videoed my father talking about his days in service and he shared about his memories leading up to the bombing. He had been in Hawaii for about 2 years before the bombing. He said that several weeks leading up to this that they played war games and did lots of practicing but never had an idea that war would really come. He said on the weekends at Schofield Barracks it was often quiet and some of the men had gone to other places for the weekend. On that particular Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, my father had just gotten up and had gone upstairs to the mess hall. Just before breakfast they heard planes overhead and all of a sudden as they went out to see what was going on, planes came over the mountains through cola-cola pass and bullets started flying over their heads. He said he and a friend were standing up against the building and bullets started ricocheting beside him and his buddy. He said the planes looked like American planes except the American planes had a picture of an American flag and there was a picture of "a rising sun" on these planes. His buddy bent down and picked up an empty bullet shell and said "boys, these are real damn bullets". Until that moment everyone thought they were playing war games again. He said in a short time they made them pack up and head out of Schofield and move on to an area of where they had originally been practicing. My father was in Hawaii only for a few weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and then went to the Figgie Islands and the Marshall Islands becoming returning to the States. He then went to Fort Benning, Georgia where he joined an Infantry Division and left from Charleston, SC by boat to Germany and France where he followed behind General Patton's army. My dad talked about obtaining enough credit points to be able to be discharged after that and returned home to my mother and brother which he had only seen once since being born. He was discharged after spending 4 years, 8 months and 25 days in the U.S. Army. He started to work in the mid-1940's at LeTourneo Westinghouse in Toccoa, GA and worked there until retirement in 1981. Both my father and mother are still living and live in Hartwell, Georgia where they have lived since 1959. They have four children, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren with one on the way. Both of my parents are in relatively good health considering their ages, my father 81 and my mother 77. Both are experiencing daily health problems but still able to get about and enjoy their quarterly visit to Myrtle Beach, SC with their children/grandchildren While interviewing my father my husband asked him how he felt about the Japanese people after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. My father replied "for a few years I didn't like them but then I came to realize they did what we had been practicing and they only did what they were told to do to protect themselves." For many years my father never talked about his years of military service or else I just was not aware of it and not appreciative of it. My parents and my oldest brother and his wife returned to Pearl Harbor for the 50th anniversary during December 1991. Then again in 1996 they returned for the 55th anniversary and my husband and I were able to travel with them. That was a lifetime experience one I will always cherish. We visited Schofield Barracks and saw "cola-cola" pass where the war plans passed over my father's head. We stopped at the Barracks and talked to one young serviceman and I shall never forget the politeness and admiration he gave to my father after being told he was a Pearl Harbor Survivor. Thank you young man wherever you are for your respect. We walked on the beaches my dad walked on, drove the roads he drove and visited the base he lived and almost lost his life as a young serviceman. And just seeing this man (my father) return to this dramatic time of his life brought tears of anguish and thankfulness at the same time. Anguish for the pain and loss he must have suffered but thankfulness that God protected him and brought him back to be reunited with his family. Had he not come back, I would not be here today writing this story. Last summer my husband and I took my parents to see the movie Pearl Harbor. Dad enjoyed the movie and said that some of the scenes seemed correct but he made one comment during the movie I will never forget "that "rising sun" on those planes isn't quiet the way I remember it". My father was honored in our town last Christmas by being named as "grand marshal" of our Christmas parade. That was such an honor and a privilege for him. We had plans to return to Pearl Harbor in December 2001 for the 60th anniversary but after the events of September 11th we decided to cancel our plans. Hopefully one day we can return but my father says he doubts he will ever be able to return and that is okay - his job was complete on that dreaded day of December 7, 1941. As you know Pearl Harbor Survivors are dying daily and becoming very distinct and we should take every opportunity to show honor and gratitude to each of them. I am so grateful to my father and the ones that survived and all the others that gave of their lives that day December 7, 1941, more than 60 years ago. Because of each of them, we have the freedoms that we enjoy today here in America. May God be with each of them. |
Information provided by Curtis Ankerich's daughter, Susan Welborn. |
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