Veenstra, Gilford (Interview transcript and video), 2017

Smither, James (Interviewer)

Gilford Veenstra was born in 1926, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he grew up. He enlisted in the United States Navy after his graduation from high school in June of 1944 with several of his classmates. He received basic training at Great Lakes, which is north of Chicago, Illinois. He received diesel training in Richmond, Virginia. In the spring of 1945, he was deployed to a small boat pool in the Philippines. During his first assignment, he spent time as a mechanic and earned his first stripe by fixing his Commander's personal boat. The boat pool in which he was assigned to was destroyed in an accidental explosion, which prompted his second assignment at Sangley Point, on Manila Bay, where he also served as a boat mechanic. To conclude his time in the Navy, Gilford Veenstra served temporary duty in Tacloban, where he was working when Japan surrendered. He was discharged and left the Philippines in the spring of 1946.

2017-06-19

Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan

Veterans History Project (U.S.)

RHC-27_VeenstraG2138V

video/x-m4v

application/pdf

Moving Image

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