Dewain “Bill” W. Ridenour

MEDALS-RIBBONS: Good Conduct, American Campaign, World War II Victory

Bill Ridenour is fond of saying, "I have lived and survived the Great Depression Years of the 1920s and 1930s, the war years and all the years from then until now. I've had good times and I've had hard times. I've laughed a lot and cried a lot. And I'm here to tell you, I love our Lord God, I love people, and I love our great country, the United States of America."

Anyone who knows Bill knows his life reflects the truth in his words. He really does love God and people. Because of that he lives a very exciting life.

It all began on a farm in Muscatine, Iowa. He first smiled at his parents, Grace and Walter, on August 20, 1923. His parents had lost 3 sons, 2 in infancy: Elmer and Doral, and 1 Lloyd, who lived to 4 years. So, Bill, and his older brother Don were very precious to their parents and much needed on the farm.

Bill loved life on the farm. Their Jersey and Holstein cows followed him all over because he carried corn in his pockets and trickled handfuls behind him as he walked. They were his friends.

From an early age he worked hard. He was in charge of taking care of the horses. Cap and Queen had to be hooked up to the buggy twice a week, once on Saturday to go into town for groceries, and once on Sunday to take the family to church.

Bill took care of all the horses for the 18 families who attended church. Sheds had been built to shelter the horses from the cold wind, snow and ice which is Iowa. Bill watered, fed with oats and corn, and curried every one of the horses. The farmers would give him a dime for his work. All his earnings went to his parents because those were the Depression Years.

When he was 9 years old his family moved to an uninsulated house in town. He remembers gathering around the potbellied stove for warmth, then hopping into bed under a mountain of covers.

Bill was determined to meet everyone in town. He knocked on every door, introduced himself, and offered to do any work they needed done and to help in any way.

At a young age he began delivering milk to stores, hospitals, and restaurants. He continued for years, along with his other jobs.

One day he stopped for Medal Gold Ice Cream. He became very attracted to the 5 cent double dipped cones, because they were being dished up by a beautiful secretary named Elizabeth, who was working two jobs.

This hard-working couple eloped in a brand new 1935 Dodge Bill bought with $5 down, $5 a week, and a handshake. They drove to a nearby city where many who had been drafted were being married. 350 people were married the weekend Bill and Elizabeth said their vows!

Because they were 17 when they married, people in their hometown made bets that it wouldn't last. They were married for 75 years! In the words of a famous song of that era,

 "They all said we never could be happy,
 They laughed at us, and how!
 But ho ho ho ... Who's got the last laugh now!"

On Sunday, December 7, 1941, Bill remembers the President's words, "A day that will live in infamy" as bombs were dropped on Pearl Harbor, while diplomats spoke of a peace treaty in the White House. Bill was drafted and took his place with the other recruits. He remembers the country not being ready for war. "Our soldiers trained using broom handles as rifles. WWI equipment came out of storage."

Bill remembers ladies leaving their kitchens to work in defense plants building aircraft used to fight the war. They became known as "Rosie the Riveters". Little did he know that years later after his dear wife Elizabeth died, he would marry Betty, one of those original "Rosie the Riveters". At 17 she had picked up her paisley bag and boarded the bus to San Diego to do her own kind of fighting the war, as a Riveter.

Bill defended the San Diego coastline from possible enemy invasion, spending time training and on the bunkers, always on the alert for an attack. He noticed people were pouring into the city for the triple shift work at the defense plants. People slept everywhere, in cars, hallways, all night movies, anywhere they could get off the streets. 1500 new people came to San Diego every week!

Bill noticed families all over the country had stars in their windows to support their children in the military...silver for active duty, gold if killed, bronze if missing in action. He saw the country pulling together in many ways to support the war effort.

Bill was ordered to join 5,000 other enlistees boarding a Group Transport Ship bound for the jungles of the South Pacific. In Bill's words, "Young American kids, mostly like myself, never been away from home, going off to fight a war."

Before embarking, Bill had been through rigorous training, part of it traveling clear across the country and back in trains with all the curtains pulled to avoid detection by any spies and possible harm to train and men. 

With 5,000 other young men, many who had never been away from home before, Bill boarded a Troop Transport Ship leaving San Francisco, bound for the Pacific Theatre.

He was now part of the 182 Americal Division, known as the "Jungle Fighters".

The Philippines had been occupied by the Japanese for 3 long years. Their forces were entrenched. Bill's orders were to help liberate the islands of Leyte and Cebu. He had built friendships on ship, grown to admire these young warriors.

The end of October 1944, Bill dropped down into the cold ocean from the Army LCI, in full combat loadout, gripping his rifle with both hands, surrounded by friends.

The sounds and smell of war filled his senses as he ploughed thru the ocean until his boot touched sand. Men fell around him due to the enemy barrage. His friend to the right fell. The officer in command grabbed the fallen friend's automatic rifle and thrust it into Bill's hands.

Bill knew this weapon drew enemy fire. He told me, " I really prayed for the first time in my life. Lord, save me. Running up the beach I said it over and over, Save me.....And here I am today!"

Bill endured intense combat on Leyte Island, clearing out pockets of Japanese soldiers to liberate the Philippines and secure them for the Allies.

Without time to catch their breath, Bill's Americal 182 Division was sent to the stronghold island of Cebu. The enemy forces there were deeply entrenched. The 182 Americal Division was outnumbered in many places, two to one.

The battle on the beach was rough. Some LCI's were unloading men in deeper waters. It was a struggle to get to land and then to fight.

The strong Japanese forces had moved to the mountains and the jungles. Over the next months, Bill was called upon to reach deep inside himself to display the character traits a lifetime of hard work and faithfulness to duty had built into the fiber of his being.... Because it was ruthless warfare, with little rest.

The Japanese knew where to hide and how to position their guns behind rocks in elevated positions.

The caves and tunnels housing the enemy had been taken one at a time. Intelligence had been inaccurate...they were outnumbered at every turn. Yet they fought on.

The 2,000-foot high Babag Ridge was the center of the conflict. Scaling that mountain filled with jungle, carrying combat loadout in the heat, sometimes with no time for water or food the men of the 182 fought relentlessly for months. The 182 lost 878 men during this one conflict. The enemy lost twice as much.

For their efforts in the first month on Cebu, Bill's 182 Infantry Regiment was awarded a Unit Citation by the Americal Division, the only time this award was bestowed by the Division for an entire regiment.

The enemy forces were driven back high into the mountains. The airfield and beaches were now open for the Allies. By the end of the war thousands of Japanese soldiers surrendered out of those jungles due to the Americal follow up.

By July the Americal Division was sent to Liloan, on the other side of the island, for intensive training. 

Bill boarded an LSD to travel to Tokyo Bay. Word came to the men that they were bound for a suicide mission, because the Allied Forces wanted to invade Japan in hopes it would end the war. No one slept all night. Men all over the ship were kneeling in prayer
In Bill's own words, "Men were asking Christ into their lives. That is when I accepted Christ."

The round the clock training continued for over a month as Bill and his friends waited the excruciating days between finding out about these orders and knowing when they would be implemented.

President Truman made the awesome decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.  Several days later another bomb was released over Nagasaki. The Surrender Agreement was signed on September 2, 1945, on the U. S. S. Missouri.

Bill and his friends aboard the ship that was to have been a suicide mission, were honored to have their ship right next to the Missouri!

Instead of going home like his friends, Bill was chosen to be part of the Occupational Forces stationed in Yokohama. For 6 months he helped to build relationships with the Japanese people in many important areas. It took a special kind of courage to be inside the country with whom you had been at war, doing the work of peace.

At last Bill was released to go home to kiss his wife, hug his whole family, and hold his 9-month-old baby boy Richard, for the very first time.

All the way home he sang "Sentimental Journey", a Doris Day song about going home. He sang it on the ship, in the plane, on the train, in the car, all the way home.

After the war, Elizabeth and Bill worked hard all their lives at their jobs and in building a family. They supported their children in their dreams of college.

They became proud parents of Karen, Keith and Richard who all built fine lives and created families of their own bringing Bill and Elizabeth grandchildren and many wonderful memories.

Bill has given years of his life to supporting veterans. He really believes people who served should be recognized.

When he met Dan Foster, a Vietnam Veteran who had founded the Alpine Memorial Wall where veterans can be celebrated, a lifelong friendship was forged.

Bill now serves on the Board and has encouraged many people to have their service be recognized by having a plaque on the wall. He has personally encouraged 123 people to have their names and service on the wall.

After Bill traveled to Washington D.C. with Honor Flight, he became a great supporter. He was recently awarded a special shirt for his 9 years of meeting every flight and celebrating the veterans as they came off the plane. He has a special respect for Julie Brightwell who is the Chairperson of this wonderful ministry.

When Bill walked into the Prime Time Fellowship Group headed by Dr. Doug Bray, he knew he had found a warm home. After a lifetime of church attendance, being a part of a group that is so caring and supportive of veterans is very special to Bill.

For the last 23 years his church has supported his dream of calling people on their birthdays and anniversaries, praying for them as needed, visiting their homes, and sending cards. People in the church have stepped up to be a part of this exciting work. It is called Love's Outreach.

When I brought the idea of putting Bill on the wall at Mt. Soledad, the Senior Pastor of Bill's church, El Camino Grace, Dr. David Bray, immediately called for a check to be cut as a token of his congregation's esteem. He also envisioned a fund for other American heroes in the congregation to be honored. 

Bill inspires everyone he touches. He uses every moment of the life God protected throughout WWII to honor the Lord and love people.

In Bill's words, "Live life to the fullest. Enjoy! Be happy, be positive. Life is precious. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America."