World War II Veterans Howard Chittenden and Helen Ehlers visited Kaneland High School on March 7 to share their experiences with U.S. History Classes.

According to the History Channel, World War II started on September 1, 1939 after the Germans attacked Poland. Two months after the war started, Chittenden joined the Marine Corps.

“America participated for 45 out of the 72 months the war lasted,”Chittenden said.

It wasn’t until after the attack on Pearl Harbor that President Roosevelt declared war against Italy, Germany and Japan. It was then, when U.S. Armed Forces and joined the British.

Chittenden is one of the only people left that was imprisoned by the Japanese. Chittenden was forced to attend two prison camps in China as well as an additional two in Japan.

“I would have to work many jobs. I and all the other men were forced to do guard duty,”  Chittenden said.

The camps were divided into various work categories where prisoners would do an assortment of jobs. The majority of prisoners were put to work in mines, fields, shipyards and factories. At the camps, prisoners were constantly hungry because there was never enough to eat and there was practically no medical assistance available.

Chittenden traveled from Tokyo to Guam to Pearl Harbor in order to get back home to the States. He stayed at a hospital for a while along with other marines and troops for checkups and medical assistance. Chittenden ended up getting permission to leave the hospital and return home three days early back to Springfield, Illinois where his parents lived.

After serving as a marine, Chittenden attended Notre Dame University where he received his degree.

“The transition from being a prisoner of war to a student at Notre Dame was fairly easy because I was in better shape than majority of those who came back from war,” Chittenden said.

Although Chittenden’s marine days are over, he has still carried his experiences through life with him.

“Once a Marine always a Marine,” Chittenden said.

A few years after returning home from the prison camps, Chittenden received a large chest full of souvenirs he had picked up throughout his journey. The chest was full of pottery, candlesticks and other various items he picked up.

Much like Chittenden, Ehlers desired to fight for her country during World War II. Ehlers started serving for her country almost right after high school. At 20 years old, Ehlers started to work on an instrument panel where she would repair the fighter planes.

“I was always considered to be mechanically inclined so it was my job to repair the different planes that came in and get them ready to go back out for the war,” Ehlers said.

Woman could be mechanics, drive a truck, fly a parachute and even teach pilots how to fly a plane. Ehlers, being one that would repair planes and trucks, never felt out of place even though she was a girl.

“All the marines were gentlemen, I can’t remember an incident where anything bad ever happened, they really appreciated what I did.” Ehlers, said.

Ehlers’ husband Ed served across seas. Unfortunately, woman weren’t allowed to go overseas so she learned to be independent and reliable on her own capabilities.

Ehlers loved serving her country and especially enjoyed all the marching. After two years of serving her country, it was devastating when she was forced to go home.

“I never wanted to leave. I was requested to come home because I had two mortgages to pay, a sick brother and a recently deceased father,” Ehlers said.