PFC Cooper’s DSC | Maui Hawaii The 3rd Infantry Division, including the 136th Regiment, arrived in Hawaii on 12 Jul 1943. The division received training in jungle warfare and amphibious landings before departing for New Guinea in late February 1944. The 136th Regiment, PFC Cooper’s unit, was stationed on the island of Maui. The 136th alternated between island defense and training. After Pearl Harbor, all Hawaiian Islands’s were put under martial law as Hawaii became the central base of all Pacific operations. Warlike conditions meant enforced blackouts and strict civilian supervision. Each island had barbed wire as well as numerous other beach obstacles. Naval vessels and aircraft patrolled a wide area around the entire island chain. Still, even the war could not take away the beauty from Haleakala, the world’s largest extinct volcano. And, the troops including PFC Cooper sometimes enjoyed their time on Maui. For the whole story with all images, see PFC Cooper’s DSC | a 7 Image Story.
