- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of Edward H. Laughlin
- Creator:
- King, Cary
Laughlin, Edward H., 1925-2017 - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center
- Date of Original:
- 2015-09-28
- Subject:
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
Merchant marine--United States
Typhoons
Saginaw Bay (Escort carrier : CVE-82)
Duxbury Bay (Seaplane tender : AVP-38)
Currituck (Seaplane tender : AV-7)
Maury (Survey ship : AGS-16)
Sheldrake (Survey ship : AGS-19)
Henry B. Wilson (Destroyer : DDG-7) - People:
- Dempsey, Jack, 1895-1983
Luciano, Lucky, 1897-1962 - Location:
- United States, Northern Mariana Islands, Northern Mariana Islands County, Tinian, 15.01190145, 145.629165905829
- Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
- Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, Edward Laughlin recalls his experiences serving in the Merchant Marine during World War II and in the Navy during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He remembers Merchant Marine boot camp in New York where boxer Jack Dempsey served as their boxing coach. During his first voyage, his ship was torpedoed. On a later assignment, he served as the “hot shell man,” catching spent shells with asbestos gloves. He decided to leave the Merchant Marine for the Navy and after Navy basic training at Great Lakes he attended Quartermaster school and was assigned to the USS Saginaw Bay. He describes that carrier and recalls being at Tinian Island when the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. He remembers several subsequent voyages on the Saginaw Bay, which had been retrofitted as a troop carrier, including one trip in which they encountered a typhoon. He recalls watching the ship list to nearly 45 degrees and describes the damage to the ship that was caused by the storm. He remembers later assignments, including diplomatic missions to Middle Eastern countries during the Korean War and time he spent in Odessa, Russia, recording the messages of Soviet aircraft and ships there. He was later assigned to a destroyer that rescued downed aircrew during the Vietnam War. He displays medals he received during all three wars and describes his post-military career and family.
kamikaze; LSM-446; Electronics School; Carrier Controlled Approach; Yankee Station; KGB
Edward Laughlin served in the Merchant Marine in World War II and in the United States Navy during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/805
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 1:19:11
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
