My old man was sunk by a Jap submarine off Java. He said they got ashore but he didnt say they were 37 miles out. I think they were picked up by a US Warship. They were landed and taken to a hill school. They managed to get on a boat to Australia and survived the passage.
He had the Italy Star, Burma Star, Pacific clasp, Atlantic Star and France and Germany clasp. I have no idea where he went to get them as his ship record doesnt cover any relevant convoys. He then went to the Pacific after VJ day and visited the bomb sites. He thought it wonderful and had no doubts of the correctness to the decision.