Tom McArthur WW2 Navy VeteranMeet Tom McArthur of Cary, NC. Tom was a 17 year old young man when he signed up to join the Navy in 1944. He was given the assignment to join the USS Kimberly, a destroyer based in the Pacific. Tom's first and only battle was off Okinawa when a Japanese kamikaze slammed into the side of his ship, killing and wounding many of his shipmates. Watch his harrowing story and learn why he is indeed part of The Greatest Generation.
Betsy Hutchison WW2 Army NurseThis is the story of Captain Betsy Hutchison who served in the Army Nurse Corps in World War 2. Betsy was stationed in both field hospitals as well as general hospitals in England, France and Germany. While stationed in England she me her husband Gray, and the 2 were married. As she says, "It was wartime, you could be here today and gone tomorrow." Betsy is a super patriot and is truly a reason why we celebrate The Greatest Generation.
Stories From the Greatest Generation OverviewThese are clips from the interviews I've done with the WW2 vets to give an idea of the kinds of stories they have to tell. Please help me find more of these heroes!
Charlie Seay, Cary, NCMeet Charlie Seay from Cary, NC. Charlie was a B-25 Mitchell bomber pilot in the South Pacific during WW2. He was a member of the famed 13th Air Force that was instrumental in halting the Japanese advance to New Guinea and Australia. Charlie was a big fan of the B-25 even though the noise of the engines caused him to lose his hearing. We are truly grateful to men like Charlie who truly are The Greatest Generation.
Stories from the Greatest Generation: William F. "Bud" LiebenowWatch and listen to the captivating story of William F. "Bud" Liebenow, PT Boat Commander of PT 157 in the Pacific and PT 199 in the Atlantic. Imagine being 23 years old in charge of an 80 foot heavily armed boat that will do over 60mph, chasing Japanese destroyers in the dark of night. Imagine also that you were responsible for rescuing possibly the most famous PT boat in history: PT109 and her commander John F. Kennedy. These are just some of the stories you will hear Bud tell in this video, and you will come to understand why men like him are indeed, The Greatest Generation. Mr. Liebenow has since passed and we were very fortunate to have met such an amazing man. Rest in Peace.
Jack Mindock MasterJack Mindock served aboard the Destroyer USS John Rogers in the Pacific campaign. He served off of Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and patrolled off the coast of Japan. He also served on a secret mission up into the Suruga Wan bay to scout locations and factories to be bombed in case orders came to invade the mainland. Life on a destroyer is pretty rough and his ship was able to survive many kamikaze attempts on their fleet. Listen to his story and found out why men like Jack are truly "The Greatest Generation."
Frank Heberer WW2 VetColonel Frank Heberer served in the European theater right after DDay and ended up fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. In what was described as the coldest winter in memory, Frank and his men spent several nights in foxholes nearly freezing to death. On Christmas Day 1944 Frank was standing near a tank when an artillery shell exploded nearby sending shrapnel into his back. Frank suffered from what he called the "million dollar wound" where he was injured and was sent home, but he was able to recover. Frank was also a part of the occupation force in Germany after the surrender.
George Cattelona WW2 Veteran of Iwo JimaMeet George Cattelona from Raleigh, NC. George is a Marine who fought for 27 days on the island of Iwo Jima. Many military experts believed that the island could be taken in several days, but the battle lasted for more than 30 days. 22,000 Japanese soldiers were hunkered down in a matrix of caves waiting on the Marines. This was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War. Listen to George's story and come to understand why men like him are truly "The Greatest Generation."
Graham Howard, Fuguay Varina, North CarolinaGraham Howard is a veteran of the Sicilian and Italian campaigns in World War 2. He was a rifleman in the 5th Army commanded by General George Patton. Graham sat down with us one day to recall several stories of his battle experiences, and to talk about the intense bond you feel with your fellow soldiers. Even 70 years later, emotions are still very strong,
If you know someone who is a WW2 vet living in North Carolina, please reach out to me at the email address at the end of the video. Thank you.
