BALES -JACK

My father joined the Navy in July 1945 he went to basic training in San Diego CA and went to Cook/Bakers school on treasure Island San Francisco CA.  He then was assigned to the General  HW Butner T -AP- 113 for his trip to Japan, stopping in Pearl Harbor. After arriving in Japan he was assigned as cook on the USS Cohocton AO 101. His battle station was a 40mm anti-aircraft gun. While stationed in Tsingtao China, he was on liberty with seven of his shipmates when he came upon a dead United States Marine laying in a ditch striped naked,they started running towards town and  Chinese men were running after them screaming at them,they emptied their pockets of their money and threw it in the air, they got back to there ship and the captain said that the red Chinese army were  taking over China and they canceled all of there leaves,after they’re close call. While stationed in China his captain new my father  came  from a farm and volunteered my father to board a LST and take a load of mules to Shanghai after they unloaded the mules the smell in that LST was unbearable and you can understand what the smell was all about the trip back to Tsingtao  wasn’t a very enjoyable ship ride.  My father served his country and was very proud to be in the US Navy and was honorably discharged.