Lewis Remington Hudson US Army Ft. Weaver |
Lewis R. Hudson, Retired Master Sgt. US Army Born 12 JUN 1918 in Pavilion, New York (half way between Buffalo & Rochester, NY) Joined US Army 5 JAN 1940 Sent to Fort Slocum, NY, then to Fort Hamilton. Shipped out of Brooklyn Army Base on U.S.A.T. Republic, 20 FEB 1940, through Panama Canal. I met President Roosevelt on Gatun Lake. Arrived at Fort Shafter, T.H. (Territory of Hawaii) on 20 MAR 1940. Assigned to "K" Battery, 64th C.A. A.A. (Anti-aircraft). Attended Fort Armstrong, T.H., Motor School. The Hawaiian Islands were alerted 4 DEC 1941. We worked all day at Fort Weaver, T.H., our battle station, and all night filling sandbags. We hauled 3" ammo for our A.A. guns and 30 & 50 caliber ammo for our machine guns. We were all ready for them....the Japs. Our position was located about 300 yards to the left of the Pearl Harbor entrance. On 5 DEC 1941 the alert was called off. We took down our sandbags and hauled the 3" ammo and the 30 caliber and 50-caliber ammo back to the Ammo Dump. We also moved the 3" guns, etc., back to Fort Shafter. On 6 DEC 1941 the Islands were again alerted. We were in the Mess Hall at about 12:15 P.M. We went to the truck park and got the trunks and then to the gun park and hooked up to the 3" A.A. guns. At about 1 PM the alert was called off. On 7 DEC 1941, we were in the Mess Hall eating breakfast when the Japs attacked Pearl Harbor, at 0755. We did not know what was going on until about half an hour later. Our Commanding Officer came to the Company and told us the Japs had attacked. We had no ammo for our rifles. We got the trucks and hooked up to the 3" guns A.A. and went back to Fort Weaver, where we were on 5 DEC 1941. That night was a wild one. We moved our position several times after the War started. Then on 20 AUG 1944 we shipped out for Guam, in the Marianas Islands. We stayed there until NOV 1944. I was shipped back to Honolulu, T.H. and then back to the States on the Matsonia, a luxury liner converted to a troop ship. Went home for 30 days and then to Lake Placid, NY for 2 weeks (rest camp). I was put in the US Army Air Force. Traveled to several bases and finally to Boca Raton, Florida in the M.P. I was discharged 5 SEPT 1945 as a Corporal. I received the Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal with Bronze Star, American Defense Medal, Expert Gunners Medal and Victory Medal. I moved to California JUL 1946. Went to work for Pacific Gas and Electric Company on 22 AUG 1946. Married 10 JAN 1948 and my wife, Elaine, and I raised three daughters, Christine, Shirlee and Denise (we lost Shirlee to leukemia when she was four). I worked as a field Engineer with PG&E and retired 1 JUL 1980. I joined the California National Guard (Army) JAN 1953 and retired as a Master Sergeant, E-8, 1 JUN 1978. My wife and I live in Oakhurst, CA and have two granddaughters, Jordyn and Ryien. Since retirement from PG&E I've traveled to Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Alaska, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Spain and Sicily with the Air Force. |
Information provided by Lewis Remington Hudson. |
