James "Jim" Erwin, a Madison, Wisconsin resident, discusses his service as a Marine during World War II and with the American Occupation Forces in North China. He served in the C Company, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. Erwin mentions he was born in Detroit, Michigan and that his father was a chief yeomen first class in the Navy during World War I. Erwin recalls hearing about Pearl Harbor on the radio while listening to a football game. He mentions Americans were uninformed about the strength of the Japanese fleet and expected the war to be over quickly. The day after Pearl Harbor, his oldest brother, Edward "Bud" Erwin, went to enlist in the Navy but chose the Marine Corps instead because the recruitment line was shorter. His second brother, Jack, also enlisted in the Marines and flew anti-submarine patrol planes in Cuba and the Solomon Islands. Erwin describes his mother's negative reaction when he wanted to enlist; she said she'd "already given two sons." Erwin eventually convinced his mother that if he didn't voluntarily enlist in the Marine Corps, he would be drafted into the Army. Upon enlisting, Erwin tells a story of faking his way through a colorblindness test during his physical. Failing to see the numbers on the charts, he listened to the responses of the recruits in line ahead of him and repeated their answers. He passed and was admitted to the Marine Corps; however, his colorblindness became an issue when he reenlisted in 1949. Erwin describes in detail his basic training at Parris Island and Elliot's Beach (South Carolina). He touches on regional differences and his first taste of grits. He recalls taking salt tablets to prevent heat exhaustion during training. Erwin discusses at length his training on the firing range, requirements for sharpshooters, and their pay-grades. He illustrates the physical transformation he underwent by telling how Jack didn't recognize him at the train station when both brothers returned home on leave. Erwin remembers working in the mess hall the day the war ended. He says there was "no reaction" from the Marines upon hearing the news except to say "Yeah? Who won?" After World War II, he became a Reservist and served at Camp Le Jeune (North Carolina) as a company runner and at Great Lakes Naval Station (Illinois) as a guard for court-martialed sailors (mostly deserters) at the Naval Disciplinary Barracks. Erwin frequently discusses tensions and teasing among the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. He portrays sailors as complaining more than Marines. Erwin makes fun of an Air Force pilot for bragging about his Air Medals to Jack, who had flown more air strikes with the Marines. In 1946, Erwin was assigned to North China. He describes his journey across the U.S. by train and across the Pacific by ship. At the port in Shanghai, Erwin says that sailors turned fire hoses on the crowds of Chinese people who were trying to sell things to the American troops. He also mentions seeing Indian Sikhs in the British-controlled section of Shanghai. Erwin's battalion was stationed in Taeku (Daegu) and Tientsin (Tianjin), China. Erwin states that upon arrival, the Marines were briefed on the civil war in China between the Nationalists and the Communists. Their mission in North China was to guard the Peking-Mukden Railroad from the Communists and gangs of bandits. Erwin explains that American troops were neutral and under strict rules of engagement; they were not to return fire except to protect themselves. He describes local Salt Police asking the Marines to help defend a salt warehouse against bandits, but they were unable to assist due to the rules of engagement. Erwin goes on to say that the Communists' 8th Route Army, known as the Ba Loo, controlled "the night and the countryside." Erwin describes how he became radio operator and "shot gun rider" in the Jeep, working closely with officers. He discusses hardships of camp life such as washing from helmets because there was no running water. He relates an incident when a Chinese steamboat, that was mining salt, sunk in the Pei River, drowning 200 Chinese people. Erwin says bodies washed up by their base for weeks, and the Marines would push them downstream. He also reports that several Marines died of Japanese B-type encephalitis. Erwin describes positive incidents as well, including having his first filet mignon in Maxim's of Paris Restaurant in Tientsin and rebuilding a firing range in Chingwantao (Qinhuangdao) in a beautiful, wooded area. While in Chingwantao, Erwin describes interactions with British sailors. Erwin recounts that his detail was marooned at the firing range when the Communists took out the railroad tracks. The men played cards and swam at Cadaho Beach. When they returned to base, a bitter officer tried to charge them with furlough time for their "vacation." Erwin describes various skirmishes and power plays between the Marines and the Communists; one time, Marines and the Ba Loo traded insults in Chinese. Erwin mentions several occasions when the Marines fired warning shots or tested machine guns as a show of power. In one instance, a farmer's donkey was killed by a stray bullet, so the Marines pooled their loose change to compensate him. Erwin describes another incident when the Marines gave a lame horse to the Chinese villagers who cooked it and had a feast with fireworks. Erwin describes a Ba Loo raid in Hsin Ho in October, 1946 in which the Chinese used home-made grenades. Erwin goes into great detail about his involvement in the Hsin Ho Incident on April 4-5, 1947. The Marines were supposed to guard an ammunition supply point outside Hsin Ho when the Communist Ba Loo attacked, exploding the ammunition sheds. Erwin tells of being inside an M7 track vehicle and falling out of it head-first when his foot got tangled in the radio antennae. Erwin cut his hands on the gravel, and his company teased him, saying "we don't give Purple Hearts to clumsy Marines." He describes the fighting in detail and encountering U.S. casualties in Hsin Ho as well as a teenaged Ba Loo who'd been killed. Erwin claims that the Hsin Ho Incident was barely covered in American newspapers because Henry Ford died the same week. After North China, Erwin was assigned to Guam, and then he was sent back to Great Lakes (Illinois) where he was discharged. He reenlisted in 1949; however, due to his colorblindness, he was initially assigned to non-active duty. Erwin relates that in 1950 he worked at the Chicago (Illinois) office during the mobilization of troops for the Korean War. In Chicago, he met his future wife, Mary O'Brien, a Marine Corps Women's Reservist (WR), who was serving as a telephone operator. She had served as a mail clerk at Parris Island during World War II. Erwin tells the story of marrying O'Brien in 1950, shortly after the Korean War began. They tried to keep their wedding a secret because they had no furlough due to the mobilization effort. However, when Erwin's commanding officer found out, he finagled a 72-hour leave for their honeymoon. Throughout the interview, Erwin reveals many instances of Marines bucking authority: refusing to get inoculations; not sleeping with mosquito nets in China; sneaking off troop trains to drink beer; and stealing parkas, boots, loose change, and chairs from the Navy. He ironically portrays himself as being promoted twice because he was seen as lacking ambition. He became a corporal when Lieutenant John Bergen, deciding Erwin had "no sense of responsibility," signed him up to take the noncommissioned officers exam. Erwin left the Marines as a staff sergeant. Erwin touches upon his career after the military working on chemical pre-treatments prior to paint operations. During the Vietnam War, he pre-treated various weapons and vehicles for the Army including: shells, Jeeps, trucks, and recoilless rifle cases. Erwin expresses relief that none of his five children went into the military or were old enough to be sent to Vietnam. Finally, Erwin tells many stories of surprising coincidences, such as: getting a new bunkmate who'd shared a bunk with his brother Bud for three years in Europe; his brother Jack replacing their cousin in the Solomon Islands during World War II; and, years later in Chicago, meeting the staff officer from Tientsin who Erwin had radioed for help during the Hsin Ho attack.
