Cornelius, Philip (Interview transcript and video), 2017

Smither, James (Interviewer)

Philip Cornelius was born on June 1, 1925, in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. In June 1943, after graduating high school, he enlisted in the Navy. Due to having glasses, he was placed in the Construction Battalions, better known as the Seabees. He received his training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, then went to Attu in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska. While at Attu he helped build airfields and bases, and Japanese aircraft routinely attempted, and failed, to break through the defenses on Attu. From Attu, he went to California and oversaw German prisoners-of-war from the Afrika Korps, and also did construction work in Egypt. Sometime between his places of service he was in New York City and witnessed the accidental crashing of a B-25 bomber into the Empire State Building on July 28, 1945. He served on the Philippines and Okinawa doing construction work, and the same in Japan as part of the Army of Occupation. He was discharged in early 1946.

2017-03

In Copyright

Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401.

Veterans History Project (U.S.)

CorneliusP2110V

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