Jerry Tritto was shy of his 18th birthday when he went to Fort Dix to enlist. His parents had to sign paperwork, giving their consent for him to do so.

Upon enlisting, he was transferred to Georgia for basic training, after which he traveled to California, where he boarded a ship bound for Japan.

While enroute, the fighting in Japan ceased, so good ship was diverted to Mindanao, Philippines, where he spent a few weeks. Following this short stop, where he had a physical, and also where he met the monkey, he boarded a ship bound for Japan, and spend a few weeks there.

He said he never had to fire a shot while enlisted in the army. He did not have PTSD, and both of his brothers made it back from the war in one piece as well. This is as huge blessing to our family. Things could have ended much differently.