<\/p>\n
Drafted into the U.S. military at age 18, Bill Saulters said one of the most horrific scenes he ever witnessed was in Hiroshima, Japan. He served there after the atomic bomb was dropped 70 years ago on Aug. 6, 1945.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were too many dead bodies,\u201d said Saulters, sighing. \u201cThere were bricks scattered all over . it was unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the time, Saulters said, he was unaware of potential nuclear fallout, adding that troops drank water from a ditch outside an enemy barracks in Hiroshima. He said he\u2019s never suffered injuries from radioactive contamination.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll I knew, the war was over,\u201d said Saulters. \u201cIt was the biggest relief I\u2019ve ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n
An Army rifleman with the 41st Infantry Division, Saulters served two years on the front lines battling Japanese forces during World War II.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were no heroes,\u201d said Saulters. \u201cWe all fought together.\u201d<\/p>\n
During a recent interview at the request of friend Jim Bridgewater, Saulters recalled the terror he faced during his first firefight. It came in the dead of night.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard them say, \u2018Bonzai!'\u201d Saulters recalled. \u201cAnd they were serious too.\u201d<\/p>\n
His toughest battles occurred during a 30-day campaign on Biak island, northwest of Papua New Guinea. The Battle of Biak was part of Gen. Douglas MacArthur\u2019s Southwest Pacific command\u2019s offensive to invade the Philippines. One night on patrol, Saulters was injured by enemy fire.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was one tough operation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Burned by shrapnel, Saulters was awarded the Purple Heart. He also received a Gold Star, but his most treasured honor was the Combat Infantry Badge.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s next to the Medal of Honor, or it should be,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause you\u2019re in (combat) all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom Biak, they hit all the islands all the way down to the Philippines,\u201d Bridgewater interrupted for clarification.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hit Mindanao,\u201d Saulters added. \u201cThat\u2019s the second-largest island in the Phillipines.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d get a little break, then hit another island,\u201d Saulters continued. \u201cWe opened up the Asiatic Pacific.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roots in Southwest Colorado<\/p>\n
Born in Akron, Ohio, Saulters\u2019 and his family moved to Southwest Colorado when he was 5. Living in Mancos, he first met his wife of 71 years, Gladys, while in grade school.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe sat in a desk across from me, and would give me a hard time,\u201d Saulters said.<\/p>\n
Asked if he could recall his wedding date, he sighed and jokingly stated, \u201cI\u2019ve tried to forget it. That was a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple, now residing in Cortez, raised four children. They adore time with 11 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll get to see some of them on my birthday,\u201d said Saulters, who turns 92 on Friday, Aug. 7.<\/p>\n
Upon returning home from the war, Saulters said he suffered nightmares for about two years. He slept with his rifle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d look out the window for hours, before I could get any sleep,\u201d said Saulters. \u201cIt was hard, because the Japanese attacked us so many times at night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saulters said he finally found solace after spending a summer at Vallecito Reservoir outside of Durango.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat cured me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As for war heroes, Saulters did backtrack as the interview closed, praising the unbreakable linguistic efforts of the Navajo code talkers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey saved our lives,\u201d he said. \u201cI take my hat off to them everyday.\u201d<\/p>\n