Corporal Rufus "Pooch" Pace
US Army 1945-1945
Japan Occupational Forces
US Army 1945-1945
Japan Occupational Forces
Pooch was 4 years old during the depression and lived in Hendersonville, NC. "Lots of people stopped by our house and asked if there was anything they could eat. Lots of children would be crying because they were hungry. It was a very hard time for everyone". In 1934 they moved to a farm and there was no electricity or plumbing and water came from a hand-dug well. Lighting was via Kerosene and the toilet was referred to as a 2-holer. Bathing was in a tin tub. "It was pretty primitive living, but we managed ok."
He enlisted at the end of WW2 and was trained as a control tower operator and was sent to Tokyo. "Lived like kings. The Japanese loves us. We could buy a carton of cigarettes for 50 cents and sell it for the equivalent of $30." He had the opportunity to observe Japan from various aircraft and could see the destruction and, what was waiting for the US troops if they had invaded. "I thank God that He let us have the atomic bomb. It saved many, many lives."
Rufus was discharged in March of 1947. "I promised my mother I would finish high school when I got out of the service. When I left school, high school I only went to 11th grade. They added another year while I was gone, so I had to finish 11th and 12th grade to graduate. I did it." He spent he career in the HVAC business in Hendersonville, NC.
"Do you know that out of the 16 million men and women that served in WW2, only 800,000 are living? There aren't many of us left. Now I help with military funeral. It's therapeutic; it helps me."
Pooch, thank you for your service and continuing to honor our veterans through your work with the color guard.
He enlisted at the end of WW2 and was trained as a control tower operator and was sent to Tokyo. "Lived like kings. The Japanese loves us. We could buy a carton of cigarettes for 50 cents and sell it for the equivalent of $30." He had the opportunity to observe Japan from various aircraft and could see the destruction and, what was waiting for the US troops if they had invaded. "I thank God that He let us have the atomic bomb. It saved many, many lives."
Rufus was discharged in March of 1947. "I promised my mother I would finish high school when I got out of the service. When I left school, high school I only went to 11th grade. They added another year while I was gone, so I had to finish 11th and 12th grade to graduate. I did it." He spent he career in the HVAC business in Hendersonville, NC.
"Do you know that out of the 16 million men and women that served in WW2, only 800,000 are living? There aren't many of us left. Now I help with military funeral. It's therapeutic; it helps me."
Pooch, thank you for your service and continuing to honor our veterans through your work with the color guard.