Walter A. Anzinger
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
Walter Alois Anzinger
Mr. Anzinger enlisted in the Naval Reserve on February 11, 1944.
He served as an Electrician's Mate Second Class aboard the destroyer escort USS Doneff (DE 49) and USS LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) 1007 at Guam, Saipan and Okinawa in the Pacific Theater.
His ship's duties were to provide escort convoy duty between Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands and Okinawa. His ship was also stationed on picket duty along the flight routes of the B-29s to and from Japan to rescue any downed flight crews.
At Okinawa, he was assigned to provide escort for the damaged U.S. battleship Maryland. While there, he underwent air attack by Japanese aircraft.
His most memorable experience was witnessing the surrender of the Japanese garrison on Marcus Island, a small speck of land about 1,200 miles southwest of Japan. He went along with the landing party to receive the surrender because he could speak German. Officers carried side arms, enlisted men carried the old bolt-action Springfield rifles from World War I.
In his words, at the surrender of the air strip: "I remember vividly how my back crawled as we lowered the Rising Sun and hoisted the stars and stripes! The Japs were all around us, also at attention -- many hundreds compared to our small landing party of 13! I hoped they would not consider this a ''loss of face'' after all the reports we'd heard about fanatical Japs. All turned out well. We found out they were short of water and food which we supplied later. We were there about a week and would go ashore unarmed on swimming parties. The Japanese would smile, bow and were happy the war was over."
He was honorably discharged on June 5, 1946, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, page 24.
