"I hollered, 'Hey, soldier, can you tell me where the 27th Infantry Regiment is?' I was riding in a jeep. And he jumped up out of the hole, and here was an old friend of mine from Hastings, Minnesota." (Audio Interview, 40:19)

James Day Merle Holmes

Detail from photo of James Holmes, Kumwha Valley, Korea, [circa 1951-1952] War: World War, 1939-1945; Korean War, 1950-1953 Branch: Army; Army Unit: 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division Service Location: Japan; Korea Rank: First Sergeant Place of Birth: MN

After serving a two-year hitch in the Army from 1946 to 1948 (part of it in occupied Japan), James Holmes joined the National Guard and in 1950 was called up to serve in the Korean War. He was accepted into a leadership course and decided to marry his sweetheart, figuring he was going to remain stateside. In the spring of 1951, he was reassigned to the Far East Command and became part of the war effort as a platoon sergeant. His stories of life in the field include several touching accounts of good men wounded or killed in action. He also managed to meet up with several pals from Hastings, Minnesota, a little reminder of home halfway around the world.