Veteran's Day November 11, 2009

Tsingtao China: Daniel Eugene Layton & Frank Thornton post bar brawl

First picture: was taken outside the Lighthouse Bar. There was a white Russian lady with a cloth sack for a dress. We were getting out of bounds and were in the wrong place and got out of line. The lady picked us up by the nape of the neck and threw us out of the bar into the mud.

South China Sea: Daniel

Second picture: Shanghai China. We were going in for discharge on the USS Anderson. You can see a sanpan in the background. We were on board with some National Chinese troops who were headed to Formosa (Taiwan).

Phillipines: Shipmates

Third picture: in the harbor of Saipan, Marianas Island group, with James Wood from Bountiful. Met him in Saipan.

U.S.A.T. General Wm. Weigel; U.S.S. Roosevelt not shown

Fourth picture: USS General Weigel headed for China. On the way we stopped in the Philipines, Okanowa, and Yokahama. I got off the ship and went to Yokuska, Japan. One night when traveling through tunnels on a Navy bus, we saw Japanese planes half assembled inside the tunnels. I was in Yokuska for about a month, then caught a plane to Aleta Airfield (spelling may be wrong), and flew back to Guam. On our way back on a four-engine plane we went over Mount Fujiama three times as the pilot kept saying, "Let's take another pass" several times. When I landed in Gaum they put me in a quanset hut at about midnight. The next day I ran into Lloyd Colmere, he was a mess cook. After he got off duty we went to the beach and gathered cat eyes. They are a beautiful shell and rare. Every day when he got off duty we would visit the beach. One day when I was near the beach I ran into two water buffalos and they scared me. I didn't dare go by them and ended up going back.

When I was there before, two years previously, I guarded Japenese prisoners of war up by Ganna field. One night I was there, two-three weeks waiting for transit to Tsigntao, China to catch my ship. I boarded about midnight and they told me I had to get my blues on. We were hot. When I boarded the plane and we got up 10,000+ feet it was cold and I was glad I had my blues on. When the sun was coming up we had engine troubles and had to land in Shanghai. It was off the beach. I waited a day there while they fixed the plane. I boarded another plane and we flew to Tsingtao. There were about 50 flying tigers (P-40s) on each side of the strip. The U.S. had turned them over to the National Chinese.


On leave in Hawaii: Daniel, Dick Dawson

Three sailors: Sailor, Dick, Daniel

Haircut in Hawaii: Daniel

Salt Lake City Airport: Daniel, John H. Adams, Pinky Bone

Early morning

Boot camp: Guard duty

Barracks: Daniel with shovel

Heartfelt thanks to all who serve!

Lon Searle, accountant and b-i-l, acted as scribe,Veteran's Day 2009, recording the stories exactly as they were told to him by Dan. He and Dan sat in the Searle great room and as Lon scrolled down on each picture, Dan filled in the details. Four are related above, under the corresponding photos. Dan began his informal interview by stating: I'm still farming, raising cattle, and wheat.