112^th Radio Intelligence Co.:1943-1945

HAM Callsign:W6HDP

I served in the 112^th Signal Radio Intelligence Co. from March 1943 til the end of WW2. I was in charge of a D/F section with six men (SCR 206 D/F) I was drafted on Oct. 14, 1941, went through radio school at Ft. Monmouth and was ,assigned to Camp Crowder, Mo. , Jan. 1, 1942 as an instructor. I then transferred to the 112^thand served in the Solomon Islands on Guadacanal and Bougainville. After moving to Manus island in the Admiralty Islands ,I participated in the liberation of the Philipine Islands landing in the Lingayen Gulf on Luzon, We set up operations in the old San Miguel Sugar Mill in Tarlac Province after General McArthur moved out.

The 112^th was deactivated in July 1945 shortly before the war ended. I sailed back for separation as a draftee on Nov. 25^th 1945 from Manila and landed in Seattle on Dec. 15, 1945. Met my wife there and we were married in March 1946 . In the beginning I was drafted on Oct. 1941 and did basic training at Camp Blanding, Fl. where i was separated on Dec. 30, 1945. Recalled to the Naval Security Group on Jan. 4, 1951, I served as a cryptologist and retired on May 26, 1966 as a Chief Cryptologic Technician. Served a total of 22 years including reserve time.

The 112^th was decorated with the Presidential Unit Citation for the initial landing on Luzon. On March 15, 1944, a Jap shell hit in the middle of the company and killed three men. Our mission was to copy the Japanese Army stations (Kata Kana) and take D/F bearings on same. Our training for Kata Kana occured at Camp Crowder and Petaluma, Ca. (Two Rock Ranch). later moving to fishing shacks near the Golden Gate Bridge while in transit at the Presidio, San Francisco, Ca. Sailed to Guadacanal on Jan. 11, 1944 from Pittsburgh, Ca. on the USS West Point (originally the SS America) with 15,000 troops.

Hope this helps for history of the ASA which was formed from the Signal Radio Intelligance Companies in late 1945.