Oscar Miehls served as a medic during World War II. He sat down with Rick to share his life experiences. From the great depression,and through the war Oscar tells a great story. He served in the Pacific and the European theater.

Joe Jiminez was born in Texas. He sat down with Rick to talk about his experiences growing up as a Mexican American, and his time in service during World War II.  His humor is captured in the first few minutes of the video when he asks Rick if  ” he was German”. Quickly he reminds us it didn’t matter it was long ago. But as we can see the memory never fades away.

Don Mitchell had a special graduation date… June 6th 1944.

He would soon find him self fighting in Europe as a replacement tossed in the mix of war.

This is his story.

Leslie Peck was trying to figure out what to do with his life. Then the Bombing at Pearl   Harbor    gave him an opportunity to do and see things otherwise unimaginable.

Les served from 1942 til 1945. He was a member of the USS Wasp CV-7 in the Atlantic and Pacific. The Wasp was torpedoed and sunk.. a tragic event that still is very clear in his memory. He then served on the “Lucky Lady” USS Santa Fe CL-60.
He shares his first hand accounts of many historical events that will forever be written in history. He is a real honorable man and we appreciate his time talking to us.

USS Wasp (CV-7), entering Hampton Roads
Career (US)
Ordered:	19 September 1935
Laid down:	1 April 1936
Launched:	4 April 1939
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Charles Edison
Commissioned:	25 April 1940 (first Commanding Officer: Captain John W. Reeves, Jr.)
Struck:	15 September 1942
Honors and awards:	American Defense Service Medal (“A” device) / American Campaign Medal/European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (1 star) / Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1 star) / World War II Victory Medal
Fate:	Disabled by enemy action, scuttled 15 September 1942
General characteristics
Displacement:	As built: 14,700 tons standard 19,116 tons full load
Length:	688 ft (209.7 m) (waterline) 741 ft 3 in (225.9 m) (overall)
Beam:	80 ft 9 in (24.6 m) (waterline) 109 ft (33.2 m) (overall)
Draft:	20 ft (6.1 m)
Propulsion:	6 × boilers at 565 psi Parsons steam turbines 2 × shafts 70,000 shp
Speed:	29.5 kn (33.9 mph; 54.6 km/h)
Range:	12,000 nmi (22,000 km) at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Complement:	1,800 officers and men (peacetime) 2,167 (wartime)
Sensors and processing systems:	CXAM-1 RADAR[1]
Armament:	As built: 8 × single 5 in (127 mm)/38 cal guns 4 × quad 1.1 in (27 mm)/75 cal guns 24 × .50 in machine guns
Armor:	As built: 60 lb STS conning tower 3.5 in side and 50 lb deck over steering gear
Aircraft carried:	As built: Up to 76 3 × elevators (1 at deck edge) 2 × flight deck hydraulic catapults 2 × hangar deck hydraulic catapults

Career
Namesake:	Santa Fe, New Mexico
Builder:	New York Shipbuilding Co. of Camden, New Jersey
Laid down:	7 June 1941
Launched:	10 June 1942
Commissioned:	24 November 1942
Decommissioned:	19 October 1946
Struck:	1 March 1959
Honours and awards:	13 Battle stars
Fate:	Scrapped in 1959
General characteristics
Class and type:	Cleveland-class light cruiser
Displacement:	10,000 tons
Length:	610 ft 1 in (186.0 m)
Beam:	66 ft 4 in (20.2 m)
Draft:	25 ft 1 in (7.6 m)
Speed:	31.6 kn (36.4 mph; 58.5 km/h)
Complement:	1,384 officers and enlisted
Armament:	12 × 6 in (152 mm)/47 cal guns 12 × 5 in (127 mm)/37 cal guns 16 × 40 mm guns 14 × 20 mm guns

Heman Holden was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. After graduating from Whitmer High School he joined the National Guard. He became part of the famed 37th Division.

Soon war erupted… but Heman and the 37th we already called up for active duty.

Heman served in some of the early battles in the Pacific, New Georgia, and Bougainville. He had never shared his story. His story is a wonderful expression of the many heroes that live among us… and our forgotten. Heman is a perfect example. All he asks is that we remember those that have fought for our freedoms… and those that never returned home.

A man who 64 years later still wakes up at night to see his dead friends standing at the end of his bed. If you see a veteran during your daily routine… please thank them for their service. For many of them carry the burdens of war with them everyday.

You may have heard of the movie staring Tom Hanks….. ” Charlie WIlson’s War”. The movie was based on a true story… of a Texas Congressman involved in the largest covert operation in history.

Well this story is not based on a true story… it is the story as Charlie Wilson lived it. Our Charlie Wilson was a southern boy who grew up during hard times… and was estranged from his parents. He joined the United States Navy before finishing High School, and served aboard the USS Louisville.

Aboard ship he lost many friends due to Kamikaze attacks….. and is alive today because of one fateful decision. He shares a story that is very powerful and moving. Charlie did not serve in the largest covert operation in history….. no but he did serve in the largest war in history.

He is very serious during his interview, but Charlie is a very friendly man who often comes to our events. He has a great sense of humor, and it our honor to share his story with you. He has resided in Michigan since 1946.

USS Louisville off Mare Island, 17 December 1943. Camouflage is probably Measure 32, pattern 6d
Career (United States of America)
Operator:	United States Navy
Laid down:	4 July 1929
Launched:	1 September 1930
Commissioned:	15 January 1931
Decommissioned:	17 June 1946
Struck:	1 March 1959
Nickname:	Lucky Lou
Fate:	Scrapped in 1959
General characteristics
Displacement:	9,050 tons
Length:	600 ft 3 in (183.0 m)
Beam:	66 ft 1 in (20.1 m)
Draft:	16 ft 4 in (5.0 m)
Speed:	32.5 kn (37.4 mph; 60.2 km/h)
Complement:	621
Armament:	9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 cal guns (3×3), 4 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns[1], 6 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes

Robert Johnson has become a famous son of Toledo. He served on the USS Laffey, which took a horrible beating from the Japanese near Okinawa in April 1945. Recently his granddaughter released a film called ” Laffey Men”. You can visit the site here:http://laffeymen.com/

A wonderful man who had a wonderful story to tell… and was very passionate about our country. Unfortunately two weeks after Rick interviewed him, he passed away on May 15th 2009. It was truly an honor to know him. We hope this interview does him him justice, as he looks down from above. We hope his lasting memory will help educate others for many generations……

Here is a link to the book mentioned by Robert Johnson, and also the title. “The ship that would not die” by F. Julian Becton http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/books/ships/becton/index.htm

USS Laffey (DD-724)
Career (US)
Namesake:	Bartlett Laffey
Builder:	Bath Iron Works
Laid down:	28 June 1943
Launched:	21 November 1943
Commissioned:	8 February 1944
Decommissioned:	29 March 1975
Struck:	1 March 1975
Fate:	Preserved as memorial and berthed at Patriot’s Point, Charleston, South Carolina
General characteristics
Class and type:	Allen M. Sumner class destroyer
Displacement:	2,200 tons
Length:	376 ft 6 in (114.8 m)
Beam:	40 ft (12.2 m)
Draft:	15 ft 8 in (4.8 m)
Propulsion:	60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers
Speed:	34 knots (63 km/h)
Range:	6500 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 15 kt
Complement:	336
Armament:	6 × 5 in./38 guns (12.7 cm), 12 × 40mm AA guns, 11 × 20mm AA guns, 10 × 21 in. torpedo tubes, 6 × depth charge projectors, 2 × depth charge tracks

Bob was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. He served in the Pacific as a radar man… and he has some very interesting stories. By far some of the funniest stories we have heard, they are at the end of the video. He told us to put them in the video… so of course we did so.

Morris served with an artillery company as a clerk, fighting the Nazi’s in Europe. He often found himself walking about… walking him through many differant places in Euorpe. This also ran him into some trouble.