Conrad Negron, a member of the Indian Wells City Council from 1996 to 2006, volunteered for the U.S. Navy in December 1944 at the age of 17.

His mother hesitantly signed off on her son's early entry into the military.

In February 1945, he finished boot camp and entered the amphibious forces. By that summer, Negron hopped on the attack cargo ship — the USS Oglethorpe — for his first overseas deployment.

“We caught that ship sometime after (President Franklin) Roosevelt died,” on April 12 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage, Negron said.

“As we sailed from the naval yard in New York City, I couldn't help but look for the subway elevated train where my mother worked pushing change at South Ferry,” Negron said. “I looked through my binoculars, and there she was. It was a great thrill for me.”

He blew her a kiss — although she couldn't see the gesture.

The ship was on its way to Pearl Harbor, via the Panama Canal. Once in Hawaii, Negron was assigned to a landing ship transport.

“We were headed for the invasion of Japan,” he said.

En route to Okinawa, the ship received word that Japan surrendered.

Negron, who heard the announcement on the ship's radio, said he was relieved.

“I said, ‘Thank God for Harry Truman.' He saved possibly 1 million American and Japanese lives,” Negron said.

The transport ship continued to Okinawa but was caught in a fierce storm.

“The biggest typhoon in the history of the area came,” he said. “The swells were a minimum of 80 to 100 feet.

“The ship would shake, rattle and roll. And with a flat bottom, every time the ship would fall, the vibrating was so intense that we were on the lookout for welding cracks and loose rivets,” he said.

“They lost 20 ships,” he said. “It was frightening. I'm a seafaring man, (but) I prayed.”

Another young sailor near Negron also pleaded for his life.

“He said, ‘Please God, I won't gamble any more. I'll be a good boy,' ” Negron said, recalling the fearful experience.

The ship survived the storm and eventually made its way to the island.

“We landed in Okinawa and slept on the beach that night,” he said.

The men were treated to the obligatory K-rations of Spam, dry biscuits and chocolate. Later, they made their way by truck through knee-deep mud to some barracks on the island.

They were told to be aware of their surroundings because, although the Japanese had surrendered, the enemy still lurked nearby.

“The Japanese did not want to give up,” he said. “They were dedicated to killing us. They were hidden in caves and in the jungle.”

While exploring a cave, Negron and his mates made a horrific discovery.

“There were skulls of Japanese dead,” he said soberly. “We were looking maybe for a souvenir, a piece of a flag.”

The bodies had been burned to death during battle, most likely from flame throwers, he said.

“The smell is the last thing in my mind,” he said.

Negron praised the men who fought in the battles, calling them the “true heroes,” along with those who lost their lives in service to their country.

“As a young sailor, 17, 18 years old, I was so proud. I am so proud of this country, especially the guys 85 to 90 years old. They did all the work.”

His older brother, Charles Negron, also served in the Navy and had a close call during the war. His ship was attacked by a kamikaze pilot during the Okinawa invasion on April 1, 1945.

“He was blown from the ship into the ocean and was later rescued,” he said. “He survived. He is the hero, and he proved it in Okinawa and Leyte.”

Negron downplays his involvement in the war.

“I was just one of the young kids who wanted to help the country,” he said.