Martin T. Sundstrom
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Martin T. Sundstrom was inducted into the Army on November 7, 1941, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Home at entry: Duluth, Minnesota.
He served as a Private First Class and rifleman with Company L of the 186th Infantry Regiment of the 41st Infantry Division in Papua, New Guinea; and Southern Philippines.
Mr. Sundstrom shared the following: " ...arrived Port Moresby, Papua, late 1942. Flew over Owen Stanley Mountains to Dobodura airfield near Buna where we were in combat. Then volunteered for small ship duty hauling aviation gas up river to the airfield. Sniper fire along the river. Also picked up downed pilots from the ocean and up the coast."
"Then was asked by Australian officials to work with their unit (Papuan infantry battalion) as a ship operator. Here we did recon work up the coast, all night work, into enemy territory at times. Then, after Salamwa and Lae were taken, went back to Australia with a severe case of malaria. Was in a rest camp at Rockhampton for about six weeks, then an eight-day furlough in Sidney. Then right back to New Guinea and landed at Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea.
"After we took the air strips we headed back to the coast where we loaded onto landing craft and made another landing on Biak Island. After we took this island, I headed for home for Thanksgiving and Christmas 1944.
"Then back overseas to my old unit which was now in Southern Philippines. This is where I was when the war ended: Zamboanga. Within weeks we were on ships heading for Seattle."
Mr. Sundstrom was awarded the following: Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze battle stars, World War II Victory Medal, six overseas service bars, and Philippine Liberation Medal with one bronze star.
He was honorably discharged on October 4, 1945, at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, 315.
