父(ちち) chichiは wa海(かい)軍(ぐん) kaigunに niいた ita。 My father was in the navy. Literal Father [topic-は] navy [in-に] was. A simple past-tense statement using いた (past of いる) for a person being 'in' an organization. 海軍 (sea + military) is a compact kango compound. familymilitary
父(ちち) chichiは wa海(かい)軍(ぐん) kaigunに niいた ita。 My father was in the navy. Literal Father [topic-は] navy [in-に] was. A simple past-tense statement using いた (past of いる) for a person being 'in' an organization. 海軍 (sea + military) is a compact kango compound. familymilitary