He Wanted to be a Music Teacher

When he was young, Al Bodenlos of Strongsville Ohio, wanted to be a music teacher or band director. Growing up in the small town south of Cleveland during the Great Depression, he was unable to find the funds to attend college to pursue his dream. Instead he enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the 804^th Aviation Battalion, 7^th Air Corps stationed at Pearl Harbor in the early 1940s. Because of his love of music, he helped start a drum and bugle corps in his unit.

While stationed at Pearl Harbor, on the evening of December 6, 1941, Al attended a concert with his fellow soldiers. He relates that he stuck around after the concert to visit with the musicians. On his way back to the base the next morning, he saw smoke rising from the base. His first thought was that the Navy must be having some realistic maneuvers. When he returned to his post, he learned that the Japanese were attacking. His assignment was to deliver news and orders to the other surrounding bases. The chain of events that began on that morning, would lead him back to this place sixty-nine years later.

After the Japanese attack, Al was assigned to an engineer group that assisted in "island hopping" across the Pacific. His service found its way to Okinawa where he joined several of his fellow GIs at this and other locations in training for the eventual invasion of Japan. While on Okinawa, Al and his brother soldiers heard the news of the U. S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thus ending the war. "That bombing, saved lives. An estimated 3 million would have perished had the U.S. invaded Japan," Bodenlos expressed.

After the war, Al returned to Ohio, but was unable to find employment. He and a friend moved to San Diego where he re-enlisted and served a tour of duty in Korea. After leaving the Army a second time, he began a career in highway construction. After retiring from construction, Al volunteered at a local veteran's hospital and at the Battleship Midway. By being within three miles of the Pearl Harbor Attack, he qualified for membership in the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. "There were sailors who were over 3 miles out at sea who don't qualify for membership."

During the week of Thanksgiving, the Lee's Summit North band, orchestra and choir traveled to Hawaii to participate in many events commemorating the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. While touring the site of the attack, they met a spirited Pearl Harbor Survivor of "90 years, 4 months and 2 days" of age. Al Bodenlos related the above stories and many others to these students. Many of them came back with a greater appreciation of the sacrifice that Al and others of his generation made during World War II.

Al never was able to attain his dream of becoming a music teacher, but for one day, he taught an important lesson to several Lee's Summit North music students. Thank you Master Bugler Allen Bodenlos.