Donald A. Rice was born 23 September 1920, in Sioux City, to Amos and Anna (Rasmussen) Rice. I attended Floyd Elementary, North Junior and graduated Central High School in June 1939.
I was inducted into the Army at Camp Dodge, Iowa on 29th March 1944. I received my basic training at North Camp Hood, Texas. I was assigned to the 750th Field Artillery Battalion. I trained to be a driver of a Prime Mover-M4 tractor. This tractor pulled an eight inch Howitzer. It fired 200 lb. Shells a distance of 10 miles.
I took a troop train from North Camp Hood to Seattle, Washington. On the 27th of December 1944 we sailed to Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. We trained for five months for South Pacific combat including jungle training.
We left Oahu, Hawaii in May of 1945. We were loaded on a LST with all of our equipment. We landed in Guam and were only there for a short time and went to Saipan. After two weeks we were sent to Okinawa, Japan. We were engaged in the last battle in the South Pacific.
The war ended 2 September 1945. I didn’t have enough points to go home so I was assigned to the 145th Field Artillery. We were sent to Seoul, Korea, with the Army of Occupation. Arriving there we were made M.P.s I was there for six months.
At the end of March 1946, I returned to the states landing in Seattle, Washington. We took a train from Seattle to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where I was discharged on 13th of April 1946.
During my time in the Army I earned a battle star for combat in Okinawa, carbine marksman, APT ribbon, good conduct medal, and a victory ribbon.
Before entering the Army, I worked at Albertsons (later known as Sioux Tools). After discharge from service, I returned to my old job. I spent 46 years as a tool and dye maker and retired the 31st March of 1986.
On the 15th of April 1950, I married Bonnie M. Port in Sioux City. We have two children, D. Douglas of Sioux City and Carol Ann Schmidt Omaha, Nebraska.
I am a lifetime member of American Legion, Monahan Post #64 of Sioux City, Iowa.
Submitted by Donald A. Rice.
