World War II Honoree

Joseph 'Joe' Yarnell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943. TRAINED AT FORT GRUBER AT BRAGGS, OKLAHOMA UNTIL SHIPPING OVERSEAS TO ITALY IN MARCH, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN, AND ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATERS, WITH THE ARMY SIGNAL CORPS, DURING AND AFTER THE WAR. PARTICIPATED IN THE ROME-ARNO, NORTH APENNINES, AND PO VALLEY CAMPAIGNS IN ITALY WITH THE 62ND SIGNAL BATTALION. ENGAGED IN LAYING COMMUNICATIONS LINES, PRIMARILY FOR FIELD TELEPHONES, BEFORE THE ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE (V-E DAY) WAS DECLARED. SENT TO HIROSHIMA, JAPAN SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON AUGUST 6, 1945 AND THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS. HIS DUTY WAS TO LAY COMMUNICATIONS LINES IN A CITY THAT WAS LARGELY REDUCED TO RUBBLE. HE WAS SHOCKED AT THE DESTRUCTION HE WITNESSED. NEARLY 70% OF BUILDINGS WERE OBLITERATED, AND SOME 70,000 RESIDENTS WERE KILLED OUTRIGHT. THE CLOSER HE WENT TOWARD GROUND ZERO, THE MORE INTENSE THE DESTRUCTION, AND THE CITY WAS REDUCED TO A WASTELAND WITHIN A 4-MILE RADIUS. ALTHOUGH HE HAD LITTLE CONTACT WITH JAPANESE RESIDENTS, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT SOME WERE STILL BELLIGERENT. AFTER LAYING COMMUNICATIONS LINES, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LINES HAD BEEN CUT OVERNIGHT AND FECAL MATTER HAD BEEN SMEARED OVER THE CUTS. WHILE STATIONED IN HIROSHIMA, HE AND OTHER OCCUPATION FORCES WERE DISCOURAGED FROM MINGLING WITH THE CIVILIAN POPULATION AND INSTRUCTED TO SHOWER DAILY AND TO AVOID EATING LOCAL PRODUCE AS A PRECAUTION AGAINST POSSIBLE RADIATION CONTAMINATION. REMAINED IN HIROSHIMA UNTIL DECEMBER, 1945, AND RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES IN JANUARY, 1946. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘JAPAN’ CLASP. AUTHORIZED THE MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION FOR EXCEPTIONALLY MERITORIOUS PERFORMANCE BY HIS UNIT DURING MILITARY OPERATIONS DURING THE ROME-ARNO CAMPAIGN FROM JUNE 1-JULY 31, 1944. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. THE ONLY APPARENT ILL EFFECT OF HIS EXPOSURE TO THE EFFECTS OF THE ATOMIC BOMB, WAS A LOW BLOOD-CELL COUNT THAT WAS DETECTED SOON AFTER HIS RETURN. THAT CONDITION WAS SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITH VITAMINS.