Our Warmest Wishes For The Holidays - Korean War Veterans ...

William E. Cranston,
a KWVA VUMS
William E. Cranston, Sr. on the MLR in North Korea, 1951
Just before Veterans Day 2007 one of the major television networks
did a feature on young people who joined the military in
World War II when they were as young as age 12. There were so
many of them then—and during other eras—that they have their
own association, VUMS (Veterans of Underage Military
Service). At least one member, William E. Cranston, Sr., is also
a member of the KWVA.
Mr. Cranston joined the USMC at age 16, shortly after the
Korean War began. He served…well, let him tell his own story.
Iwas raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota where I was born on
23 July 1934. During my teenage years I had no direction
and I was always getting intro trouble. I came home quite late
one night and found my mother waiting up for me. She told me
about the war that had just started in Korea. Since I was a patriotic,
gung ho, American boy, I told her I was going to join the
Marines.
She asked. “You are only 16 years old. How are you going to
do that?”
I replied, “I’ll find a way.”
I asked my older brother to change the date on my birth certificate
to 1933 from 1934. He did, and I had a Photostatic copy
made of the certificate. I went to the Marine recruiting office and
handed my phony certificate to a sergeant. He looked at it,
smiled, and said, “You’re OK, young man.”
I was sworn into the Marines on 2 August 1950. This was a
big, big change in my life. The next day I was on a train headed
for San Diego, California and boot camp. From boot camp I
went to Camp Pendleton for infantry training, after which I
joined the 14th Replacement Draft and went to Korea.
Upon my arrival in Korea, I was assigned to Charlie
Company, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division. This was my home for thirteen months. During this
time I was involved in quite a few skirmishes with the North
Korean army and the Chinese army as well. The battle that sticks
in my mind is Bunker Hill in August 1952. We had many casualties,
but this young rebel didn’t get hit at all, just plenty, plenty
scared. Have you ever been so scared that you urinated in
your pants? This happened to me more than once.
One day when we came off the line, just as we reached the
rest area, an Army officer drove up in a jeep. The officer asked,
“Any of you jarheads (Marines) want to take the GED tests and
get your high school diploma?”
I said, “I’ll take it.”
I passed the test and sent the results to my mother, who took
them to my old high school where they issued me a diploma. It
seems rather strange that I finished high school in North Korea.
I was rotated back to the states in October 1952, and I have
thanked the Lord many times for bringing me back safely from
Korea. I returned to Camp Pendleton and was assigned to a
weapons company in the 3rd Marine Division. Less than a year
later I volunteered for duty with an amphibious reconnaissance
company, the first one formed after World War II.
We went to Hawaii for thirteen great months. We worked
from the USS Perch, a troop-carrying submarine. We also
learned how to jump out of helicopters and get picked up out of
the ocean. I returned to the mainland in the spring of 1954 and
was discharged on 2 August 1954.
I am thankful for the privilege of having served this great
country of ours. I will always be grateful to the United States
Marine Corps, the best outfit in the world, for taking me in as an
underage, rebellious teenager, teaching me so much, and making
a man out of me.
How many kids my age get to do what I had done by the time
I was sixteen? As a teenager I participated in three major battles
in North and South Korea. I earned the Combat Action Ribbon,
Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Citation, Good Conduct
Medal, American Defense Ribbon, Korean Service Ribbon with
3 Battle Stars, Korean Unit Citation, United Nations Ribbon,
and the Korean Service Medal. I was no war hero. I just did my
part without whining about it. I learned discipline and respect
for my fellowman and country. I’m glad and proud I went in at
an early age, and may God always bless this great country of
ours!
Bill Cranston returned to Minneapolis and worked for a defense
plant that manufactured guided missiles for the Navy. In 1964 he
started driving an 18-wheel truck for a Minneapolis grocery
chain. After an injury in 1990, he retired on a disability pension.
In 1991, Bill and Donna, his wife of 42years, moved to Peoria,
Arizona where they now live. They have three children, eight
grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Reach him at 9151 W. Greenway Rd. #16-234, Peoria, AZ
85381-3717.
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The Graybeards November-December 2007