Daniel B. Dickens, December 9, 1926, South Bend, Indiana. Only child, His father was struck by a truck and killed when he was five months old. His mother never remarried.
He had one cousin who he grew up with (William Bowen) who would later be President of Princeton from 1972 until 1988.
He was 2 days short of his fifteenth birthday when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. At that time he was attending high school and worked a variety of jobs to help with the family expenses. During his senior year of high school he filled out a request for officers training. He indicated that 300 male students filled out the request but only three were selected, himself and two others. He was sent to Poly Tech Institute in Terre Haute Indiana to attend officers training. After several months the top 30% of the class was sent to Indiana University to attend college and complete the remaining courses in officer training. He was there for three weeks and he hated it. He refused to attend classes, and was subjected to physical punishment before kicked out of the OCS program and returned to South Bend. This however did not release him from his military duty and he was sent along with 5000 others to a camp in Iowa for training before receiving orders that he and the others were being sent to the Pacific Theater. The Army gave him the ran of Master Sergeant and responsible for all the men on the ship. This was not a rank or responsibility that he particularly appreciated. “When they told me I had been selected to be the master sergeant I said you’re shitting me. Out of 5000 men and they pick me.” They were headed for the Philippines, when half way into the trip Japan surrendered. “We were in the middle of the ocean when we learned the Japan had surrendered. There was no celebrating. Some were actually disappointed that they would not be seeing any combat, or so they thought We ended up spending the next nine months island hopping in the Philippine Jungles, flushing out and fighting Japanese soldiers who did not know that the war had ended.” He was grateful that he would end up losing his rank of master sergeant before leaving the Philippines. “An officer came up to me and started yelling at me before ripping off my stripes. I said thank God.”
“We ended up being sent to Sendai Japan. While I was there I learned that I could earn an extra fifty dollars per month if I joined the paratroopers, so I joined. I was in the 82nd paratroopers before being a part of the 101st Airborne. I sent that extra fifty bucks a month to my mother.” He would spend the next 18 months in Japan. He was sent for communication training, and would be responsible for setting up all telephone and communication systems from the southernmost Japanese island to the northernmost for all of the armed services. His position as a communication technician allowed him see a great deal of Japan including Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I was amazed at the devastation and total destruction of these two cities.” During his time in Japan he found the Japanese people to be very nice, and were thankful that the war was finally over.
When asked about his discharge from the army this is what Mr. Dickens stated, “My military career ended rather unceremoniously. I was still with the paratroopers and was preparing to make a day practice jump in northern Japan. Just as we were getting ready to board the plane an officer came up to me and said that my mother had requested and had been awarded a hardship discharge because she needed help back home. I asked the officer does that mean I don’t have to jump? He told me I didn’t have to. I took off my parachute and threw it across the room. I was happy to be going home. I ended up giving my chute to a friend who sent it home to be made into a wedding dress for his fiance. My official discharge date from the Army was October 25, 1946.
Upon Mr. Dickens return to the states he took advantage of the GI Bill and attended Indiana State University where he studied mathematics and physical education. His goal was to become a teacher, because he could spend his summers on Mackinac Island, Michigan. It was there that he found a part time job washing windows that first summer. He learned about a manager position with a men’s clothing store. The store manager had fallen off a horse and had broken his leg. “I interviewed with the owner telling him I knew everything about the clothing business. I didn’t know a thing. I ended up working there five years, and when the owner retired he sold me the business to me for $35,000.00. I couldn’t even spell $35,000, but I did my best. I eventually sold the business and moved back to South Bend and started another business with a partner, an office supply business. We opened up seven stores across northern Indiana. It was very successful. My partner retired and I was approached by a man who wanted to by my business. I don’t remember his name, but he would end up owning the NBA basketball team the Washington Wizards. I was in my seventies, was ready to retire so I sold my business.” He and his wife have been enjoying retirement ever since.
He had one cousin who he grew up with (William Bowen) who would later be President of Princeton from 1972 until 1988.
He was 2 days short of his fifteenth birthday when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. At that time he was attending high school and worked a variety of jobs to help with the family expenses. During his senior year of high school he filled out a request for officers training. He indicated that 300 male students filled out the request but only three were selected, himself and two others. He was sent to Poly Tech Institute in Terre Haute Indiana to attend officers training. After several months the top 30% of the class was sent to Indiana University to attend college and complete the remaining courses in officer training. He was there for three weeks and he hated it. He refused to attend classes, and was subjected to physical punishment before kicked out of the OCS program and returned to South Bend. This however did not release him from his military duty and he was sent along with 5000 others to a camp in Iowa for training before receiving orders that he and the others were being sent to the Pacific Theater. The Army gave him the ran of Master Sergeant and responsible for all the men on the ship. This was not a rank or responsibility that he particularly appreciated. “When they told me I had been selected to be the master sergeant I said you’re shitting me. Out of 5000 men and they pick me.” They were headed for the Philippines, when half way into the trip Japan surrendered. “We were in the middle of the ocean when we learned the Japan had surrendered. There was no celebrating. Some were actually disappointed that they would not be seeing any combat, or so they thought We ended up spending the next nine months island hopping in the Philippine Jungles, flushing out and fighting Japanese soldiers who did not know that the war had ended.” He was grateful that he would end up losing his rank of master sergeant before leaving the Philippines. “An officer came up to me and started yelling at me before ripping off my stripes. I said thank God.”
“We ended up being sent to Sendai Japan. While I was there I learned that I could earn an extra fifty dollars per month if I joined the paratroopers, so I joined. I was in the 82nd paratroopers before being a part of the 101st Airborne. I sent that extra fifty bucks a month to my mother.” He would spend the next 18 months in Japan. He was sent for communication training, and would be responsible for setting up all telephone and communication systems from the southernmost Japanese island to the northernmost for all of the armed services. His position as a communication technician allowed him see a great deal of Japan including Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I was amazed at the devastation and total destruction of these two cities.” During his time in Japan he found the Japanese people to be very nice, and were thankful that the war was finally over.
When asked about his discharge from the army this is what Mr. Dickens stated, “My military career ended rather unceremoniously. I was still with the paratroopers and was preparing to make a day practice jump in northern Japan. Just as we were getting ready to board the plane an officer came up to me and said that my mother had requested and had been awarded a hardship discharge because she needed help back home. I asked the officer does that mean I don’t have to jump? He told me I didn’t have to. I took off my parachute and threw it across the room. I was happy to be going home. I ended up giving my chute to a friend who sent it home to be made into a wedding dress for his fiance. My official discharge date from the Army was October 25, 1946.
Upon Mr. Dickens return to the states he took advantage of the GI Bill and attended Indiana State University where he studied mathematics and physical education. His goal was to become a teacher, because he could spend his summers on Mackinac Island, Michigan. It was there that he found a part time job washing windows that first summer. He learned about a manager position with a men’s clothing store. The store manager had fallen off a horse and had broken his leg. “I interviewed with the owner telling him I knew everything about the clothing business. I didn’t know a thing. I ended up working there five years, and when the owner retired he sold me the business to me for $35,000.00. I couldn’t even spell $35,000, but I did my best. I eventually sold the business and moved back to South Bend and started another business with a partner, an office supply business. We opened up seven stores across northern Indiana. It was very successful. My partner retired and I was approached by a man who wanted to by my business. I don’t remember his name, but he would end up owning the NBA basketball team the Washington Wizards. I was in my seventies, was ready to retire so I sold my business.” He and his wife have been enjoying retirement ever since.