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A GI from Hawaii

Discussion in 'What Granddad did in the War' started by Old Virginian, Aug 28, 2017.

  1. Old Virginian

    Old Virginian New Member

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    My late grandfather didn't serve in World War II due to his draft exempt status as a welder at Pearl Harbor, so I am making this post about my grand-uncle (my grandfather's younger brother), Charles C.N. Lau, who died in 1997. What I know about him is from my father's recollections and contemporary newspapers/documents. Unfortunately his service record was one of those burned in the NPRC fire in 1971.
    Charles was born in Honolulu in 1920, the son of Chinese immigrants. His father was a fish merchant. In 1940, he had 2 years of high school (likely at McKinley High School) and worked as a dairy farm hand. Charles enlisted in the Hawaii National Guard on October 15, 1940, and served with Company C of the 298th Infantry. He was selected by his company commander to attend an NCO school in early 1941. After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese soldiers of the 298th were removed (they later served with the 100th Battalion and 442nd RCT) and the regiment was thus left understrength, and broken up to reinforce other units. Charles ended up with the 80th "Blue Ridge" Division, but before he left Hawaii he found time to marry in January 1943. He was with the 80th's 317th Regiment when he was wounded for the first time at the beginning of September 1944, during the advance from the Meuse to the Moselle. By this time he had reached the rank of Staff Sergeant. Charles returned to his unit, but was wounded more seriously during the Battle of the Bulge. The news of his wounding took until April 1945 to reach his family in Hawaii. Postwar, Charles returned to Hawaii and had several more children, joining the American Legion.
     
    Half Track and lwd like this.
  2. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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