Ardean Truman Aakhus
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Mr. Aakhus served in World War II in the Pacific Theater.
He served in the U.S. Army. He was inducted on September 15, 1944, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. He traveled to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and trained with the field artillery and with mule-pack trains. He was sent to Ford Ord, California, and then to San Francisco. Mr. Aakhus boarded the USS Eberle and traveled to New Guinea, then to Leyte, the Philippines.
He was assigned to the 146th Field Artillery. His unit was sent to a replacement camp for the 146th Field Artillery Battalion, 41st Division. Mr. Aakhus drove military vehicles delivering supplies.
After the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, Mr. Aakhus’ unit was sent to Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kobe to be part of the Army of Occupation for the better part of a year. While in Hiroshima, he visited the site of the bombing. He noted that it looked like the whole city had been bulldozed down. Among other assignments, Mr. Aakhus drove an ambulance with patients from Osaka to Kobe. He was discharged at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, on August 4, 1946.
Mr. Aakhus’ rank was TEC-5.
Mr. Aakhus received the World War II Victory Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Medal with one Bronze Battle Star, the Philippine Liberation Medal with one Bronze Battle Star, two Overseas Service Bars, the Army of Occupation Medal – Japan, and the Good Conduct Medal.
He was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 1926, the son of Olaf and Ruth Aakhus.
Source: Information provided by veteran and family member; veteran’s account (below)
“I was inducted at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, into the U.S. Army on 15 September 1944. From there I went by train to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where I trained with the Field Artillery. I also worked with the mule-pack trains. My next stop was Fort Ord, California, where I had a chance to meet up for ten days with my parents and my brother, Bryce, before I shipped out. I shipped out from San Francisco, California, aboard the USS Eberle to New Guinea and then on to Leyte, the Philippines. We went to a replacement camp for the 41st Division, 146th Field Artillery Battalion and on to Luzon and Manila and then on a landing craft to Mindanao. I drove military vehicles to deliver supplies and was in the field artillery. We then shipped out to Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kobe to join the Army of Occupation following the bombings there. I drove an ambulance from Osaka to Kobe. I shipped out from Okinawa to Seattle following my tour of duty. I was discharged on 4 August 1946 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.
“During my service with the U.S. Army I received the Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Medal with one Bronze Battle Star, the Philippine Liberation Medal with one Bronze Battle Star, two Overseas Service Bars, the Army of Occupation Medal – Japan, and the Good Conduct Medal. My highest grade held was TEC-5. I qualified as MM with Rifle M-1.
“A typhoon hit the U.S. 6th Fleet when I was in Okinawa. Several ships were lost or damaged. I visited the site of the bombings at Hiroshima and it looked like the whole city had been bulldozed down.
“Through letters from our mothers, I was able to meet up with my cousin Ralph ‘Bud’ Aakhus while we were in Japan. He was in the Navy on a ship offshore. We have been friends all of our lives and it was good to see him. We went on the Honor Flight together in October 2011.
“Friends I made in the U.S. Army were Ralph Dowling, Pennsylvania, Bob Barksdale, Oklahoma, Gabriel Serriente, New York, and John Black, Minnesota.
“It was an honor to serve the United States in the Army and a humbling experience to participate in the Honor Flight.”
