George Alfredo Ragusin, Sr.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1996-02-28/news/9602271111_1_le...

Orlando Sentinel - February 28, 1996

GEORGE ALFREDO RAGUSIN, 76 . . . retired Army lieutenant colonel

MR. RAGUSIN, 32519 Oak Park Drive, Leesburg, died Monday, Feb. 26. He was a retired Army lieutenant colonel. Born in Harbin, China, he moved to Central Florida from Fort Lauderdale in 1979. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He was a Prisoner of War during WWII and was a survivor of Bataan. Survivors: wife, Audrey; son, George Jr., Melbourne; two grandsons; one great-granddaughter. Beyers Funeral Home, Leesburg.

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His youth in China provided him with the ability to speak Chinese, which led to his becoming the defacto translator for his group in Bataan where he could speak with one Japanese officer that spoke Chinese, and one Japanese civilian worker at the camp who spoke some Spanish.

http://www.ento.okstate.edu/museum/guest-of-the-emperor.pdf page 44

Before we completed basic training, Lieutenant Habe, the Camp Commandant, and Mr. Fuji Moto departed, leaving us without an interpreter, and with Sergeart Major Tanaka as Camp Commandant. One Japanese noncommissioned officer could speak only a few words of English, but not enough to meet the need. Fortunately George Ragusin, who had been born and raised in the Orient, could speak Chinese and Spanish. The Japanese Commandant could speak Chinese, and a Japanese civilian, Mr. Omoe, the work force supervisor, could speak Spanish. This threesome somehow managed to handle most situations. Sometimes it was funny to watch the three trying to reach agreement on what was wanted. Each could talk to the other two in the threesome, but there was no common language, so no one was satisfied that he was being completely understood by the other two. When we finally did get an interpreter assigned, he was such an obnoxious individual that I think we would have fared better under the earlier arrangement. At least, in self-defense, we would have learned the Japanese language quicker.

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In early 1980's was a local fire commissioner in Lake County, FL - http://www.lakecountyclerk.org/forms/board_minutes/1984/12/1984-12-...

APPOINTMENTS-RESIGNATIONS/FIRE DISTRICTS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS

On a motion by Commr. Carson, seconded by Commr. Windram and carried unanimously, the Board accepted the resignation of George A. Ragusin, Fire Commissioner for the Northwest Fire District and directed a letter be sent to Mr. Ragusin.