Meldon Pitt was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 23, 1924. He graduated from Kelloggsville High School in 1942 and then went into the Army. Mel went through diesel mechanics school and then was sent to England. In England he taught people how…

James Pittman was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1943. He grew up in the Detroit suburb of Hazel Park and graduated from high school there in 1961. He went to work and got married, but lost his marriage deferment when he divorced in 1966 and was…

Gerard Platte was born on December 30, 1921 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With the United States dragged into the Second World War he enlisted in the Marine Corps on January 8, 1942 and was officially sworn in on January 20, 1942 at San Diego. He…

Howard Plattner was born in Sabetha Kansas in 1950 and served in the U.S. army during the Vietnam conflict. He was drafted into the Army in 1969 and sent to Fort Sam Houston to train as a medic. He was sent to Vietnam in 1970 and returned to the U.S.…

Bryan Pogodzinski was born on September 15th 1964. He was active in the military during the Cold War as well as the Iraq War and served as a Master Sargent in the Air Force. During the Cold War he was stationed at Dyess Air Force base where the B1…

Francis Poll grew up in Michigan and was drafted into the Army in August 1941. He trained as an infantryman in Texas, and his unit was sent to Northern Ireland for additional training, and went to North Africa in early 1943. He participated in…

Arthur Polmanteer is a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army's 78th Division from January, 1944 to 1946. In this account, Polmanteer discusses his pre-enlistment, enlistment and basic training. His unit saw action in the Hurtgen Forest, in…

Stanley Poloski was born in 1948 in Richmond, Virginia. He lived in Richmond, Virginia until his family moved to central Florida. He grew up in Florida and attended high school and community college there until he was drafted. In the summer of 1969…

James Pond was born in Santa Ana, California in 1925. He became very bored with school during the war and dropped out when he was 17 to enlist in the Navy. James went through boot camp in Idaho and then went to signal school in Chicago. After…

Wesley Pontier was born on October 4, 1921 in Clifton, New Jersey and served in the United States Navy during World War II. He joined the navy in 1942 and trained in Bainbridge Maryland. He had several jobs while in the Navy

Charles Pope was born on October 15, 1956 in the upper peninsula of Michigan. He enlisted in the Army when he was only 17 years and his parents had to sign a waiver because he was so young. Charles went though basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in…

James Porter served in the US Navy during the final year of WWII, and then spent forty-one years working for Commonwealth Edison, in Illinois. While still in high school, he worked at the University of Chicago, cutting graphite used in the Manhattan…

Mr. Potter is from Grandville, Michigan. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in August, 2001, served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine. His highest rank was sergeant. He received his training in San Diego, where he was a squad leader. In Iraq, Mr.…

Gordon Potter enlisted into the Naval Reserve the summer of 1955. He trained in Great Lakes, Illinois and was assigned to Alameda Naval Air Station afterwards to do clerical work. His main job was managing fuel use for Bravo Allotment until he was…

James Potter was born in 1985 in Muskegon, Michigan. He joined the Army at age 17 before he graduated high school. He officially signed up on October 23rd, 2003 and was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri for basic training in Charlie Company 795.…

Cornelius Potts is a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945. While still in training, he was assigned to the 33rd Infantry Division's band. His unit was based near Seattle for some time, but eventually went to the…

Vern Pouch, born in Fruitport Michigan, enlisted in the Navy in 1944 at the age of seventeen. After training at Great Lakes and in Virginia, he joined the crew of a new LST and sailed with her from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, and then across the…

Gabriel Powell was born in Algoma, Michigan, in 1916. He grew up on a farm and worked as a carpenter until he enlisted into the military in 1941. He trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was assigned to the engineer battalion of the 1st Armored…

Lloyd Powell was born on February 22, 1927 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted in the Navy in summer 1944 and was called to active duty in fall 1944. He received basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois then went to Camp Little Creek,…

Merton Powell was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1924. He grew up in Topeka and enlisted in the Navy in 1943. He received basic training in Chadron, Nebraska then went to Iowa for College Training before going to California for Flight Training. He was…

Grace Harper was born in Iowa in 1923. She married Robert Powers in 1941. She and her husband had two children when he was drafted in 1944. Her husband was sent to Europe and was wounded in action and spent several months in the hospital before…

Katherine Powers was wife to Thomas Powers, a Navy seaman during World War II. The couple had been married for one year before Thomas was drafted to serve in Europe. While serving, Thomas worked on the USS Merrimack picking up wounded and stranded…

Robert Powers was born in Greenville, Michigan on January 25, 1924. After graduating high school, he attended college at Albion University before enlisting in the Air Force. Robert trained for about 13 months before he was sent to a base in Italy. …

Vernon Powers was born in Dyersburg, Tennessee in (circa) 1925, but his family eventually settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was drafted on December 18, 1943 and was processed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois before going to Camp Roberts, California for…