Someone recently commented on a 2021 post encouraging us to update the profiles of our U.S. Veteran relatives. I thought it was a recent comment and so I updated my maternal uncle William "Bill" Carlisle Dekle: He was a member of an Underwater Demolition Team during World War II, training for the planned invasion of Japan. As his team crossed the Pacific toward their target beaches, the captain announced over the ship's speakers that Japan had surrendered. Their demolition mission was scrubbed. Instead, his team was redeployed to China with orders to neutralize pockets of Japanese soldiers who were unaware the war had ended weeks earlier. For his final military assignment, he oversaw the brig in Key West, Florida. One evening, at a bar, when curfew came into effect, the bartender lent him a civilian jacket to wear over his uniform. However, a patrolling Military Police officer saw through his disguise, arrested him, and placed him in the brig. The following morning, the soldiers under his command had a good laugh.
Please let me know if you have access to any military resources (like Fold3, National Archives, etc.)? I'm interested in any information you are willing to add for when he enlisted, unit(s) he served in, rank(s), discharge date, or any other service record information.
Thank you and most sincerely, Peter
