John I. Ritz
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Air Force
James Ritz enlisted into the Army Air Corps on October 1, 1945, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Home at entry: Hibbing, Minnesota.
He served as a Private First Class and telephone switchboard operator in the continental U.S.
He was discharged on April 8, 1946, at Camp Beale, California, to enlist in the Regular Army for one year.
He served as a Private First Class and supply clerk with Squadron T-3 of the 462nd Army Air Forces Base Unit in the Philippines.
Mr. Ritz shared the following: "We were sent to Fort McKinley, an Army-Navy-Air Force signal base in the Philippines. We had Japanese prisoners who had fought in China in the '30's up to the end of the war. Fort McKinley had two water towers, one at each end and the Japanese would bomb between the towers. Fort also had tunnels (Japanese) built all over.
"Our work crews were Jap prisoners, we were lineman. We didn't need guns to guard them because if they jumped off a truck, they would be killed by the Filipinos. Philippines collaborators with Japanese were considered outcasts.
"'We drove weapons carriers, jeeps, 6x6 trucks...A forest fire was like a combat zone - exploding ammo and mines.Monsoon rains and typhoons would create powerful storms. We were attacked a few times by Islam forces and there would be casualties. We would be on alert all night with 30 caliber carbines and machine guns. We had Moros who fought with the Japanese.
"They shipped us back to the U.S. and the night before shipping out, everybody celebrated. The next day, we were dragging drunken sailors our of the water and weeping women with babies were watching us leave. Manila Bay was littered with sunken ships and others had to be maneuvered around them."
He was awarded the following: World War II Victory Medal
Mr Ritz was honorably discharged on April 8, 1947, at Camp Beale, California.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 267.
