Peter Darrah Jr

Peter Darrah, Jr., U.S. Army, 1945-46

Peter Darrah, Jr., of Wellsburg, WV, was inducted into the U.S. Army on February 14, 1945, his birthday. Following Basic Training at Fort Bragg, NC, where, like many mountaineer hunters, he qualified as an expert on the M1 rifle and the Thompson submachine gun, he trained as a Construction Machine Operator at Fort Knox, KY, not exactly a problem, as that is what he did as a civilian.

            He left the U.S. on August 14, 1945, aboard an LST for the Pacific Theater, as part of Company B, 110th Combat Engineering Battalion, and the heavily loaded ship arrived off Okinawa on September 8, 1945.  World War II had ended on September 2nd.

            Pete and the 110th transferred to Seoul, Korea, for occupation duty, and he worked to build Kimpo Airport in that capital city. He arrived back in the United States on July 25, 1946, and separated from the Army on August 3, 1946, at Fort Bragg, NC.

            Pete was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Occupation Medal. He served one year, five months, and twenty days, and ended his service with the rank of Technician Fifth Grade.