I am looking for information on anybody who worked on the Alcan Highway and in New Guinea in WWII. My dad, Paul Armstrong from Shelton, WA was an enlisted engineer on the Alcan Highway and an officer in New Guinea.
I have seen a photo of him in and enlisted uniform standing with my Grandmother, Ida B Armstrong. I believe a SSgt or so he says. He was sent to OTS and commissioned as a 2Lt in Corp of Engineers.
He tells us of being shipped off to New Guinea and the Phillipines. I can remember looking at the B&W photos of him in the Pacific. He is 94 now and doesn't talk much about it. He never really did.
I remember his Army Captains uniform hanging in the closet for years. The 6th Army patch, the Engineer collar brass (Castle), the captains bars. He also had a foot locker full of momentoes. I took his old field jacket, put some old Captains bars on it and wore it around. Dad said I was inpersonating an officer.
He also told us of one night while guarding the camp perimeter they hear a lot of movment in the jungle. As it got closer the machiner gunner let loose. The movement stopped. My dad crawled out to see and found a water buffalo riddled with bullets.
He just recently told my brother that he (dad) had been awarded the bronze star. For what I really don't know.
I also have a French Unique 7.62 (32 ACP) pistol he took a Jap officer. How the gun got from France into the Japs hands I will ever know.
Being a retired USAF MSgt myself I am interested in anythingI can find about the Army Engineers on the Alcan or in New Guinea. Especially anybody who knwe my dad Capt Paul E Amrstrong.
