Kenneth left a timeline and travel log of his war experiences. Combining this information with a history of the 32nd Armored Regiment and other records, I have complied this account.

Kenneth's enlistment began on 12 Feb 1942. He may have joined the 32nd Armor Regiment for his training at Camp Pickett, Virginia, where his regiment began field training and learned to operate their tanks . This was one of several training locations. The unit sailed for England on the Capetown Castle on 5 Sep 1943 and arrived on the 16th. They were stationed at Codford, Wiltshire and trained on the Salisbury Plain for nine months until the Normandy invasion. While the invasion began on 6 June 1944, the first troops of this regiment reached Villiers Fossard, Normandy on 29 June 1944. Kenneth arrived in France on 19 July. The regiment was involved in heavy battles and moved to Mortain, France on August 2.

Two weeks after Kenneth enlisted, his father, August Banaka passed away in Colorado. His brother Sam was killed in action in France on 12 July 1944, just 5 days before Kenneth himself left England for France.

Kenneth was injured on August 3rd about 6 P.M. He left France on the 5th and was in a hospital in England. After recovering for almost 2 weeks, he left the hospital on the 28th and left England (again) on 10 Dep, arriving back in France on 12th Sep.

Kenneth L Banaka