Notes for Allan Homer Ojerholm provided by David Stone Ojerholm
Allan served in the US Navy during the Korean War. The following was written by Allan in 2001:
"I graduated from High School in June of 1946 and enlisted in the US Navy in October 1946. After "boot camp", I was given a communications course which trained me to be a radio-operator. The Morse Code was drilled into my head so much that to this day, I can interpret messages slow enough for me to read. Officially, it is no longer used by the armed forces
.
After radio school, I was assigned to a Destroyer Escort (about the size of a long canoe). A few months later I was put on a regular Destroyer, and spent the next few years in the southern and northern Pacific. We went to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, China, and spent most of our time patrolling between Korea and Japan.
The last couple of years I spent on land duty at the Naval Air Station just outside Tokyo. That was great duty... In all, I spent just 1 day over 6 years as a "swabbie". Our principle duty was occupational forces designed to enforce the cessation of fighting.
I had originally signed up for a shorter "cruise", but Harry Truman froze enlistments during the Korean War, so I ended up with about 20 extra months added to my voluntary enlistment.
I can't complain. I enjoyed most of the time, and am now grateful that I got to see those areas of the world that would probably have never been on my "vacation hot list" today."