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USS Lake Champlain

Sailor:

Richard Halstead

1959-1962

P O Box 253

Fort White, Fl 32038

dhines01@tampabay.rr.com

I was a boiler man in boiler room 1.

I was in steam and water testing, i also worked the fire box. I remember Bannister from south carolina, aka handrail, handrail and i crossed from boston to buffalo in a 406 4-speed ford in 1960. would like to hear from anyone that was from h-type broiler room at that time

Sailor=

Service Dates=1944-1945

I decided to interview my grandfather Thomas P. Gleason. The war that he fought in was World War II. He decided to fight in the war because all of his friends enlisted in the war and most people at that time were very patriotic. He chose to be in the Navy because it was a tradition in his family and because his uncle Jimmy Gleason who he looked up to was also in the Navy.

In 1943 my grandfather was 17 years old. When he told his parents that he wanted to go to war, they were very upset. Since he was still a minor,

he needed his parents permission to enlist. His father said that he would give him permission if he had enough credits to receive his diploma. When he came home the next week he was very shocked to see that he had enough credits, his father signed for him.

Since he had never fought in any kind of war he had to go to training. It was called Basic Training Camp. The camp was located in Sampson, New York. They were taught how to march properly, how to dress, what each piece of clothing meant, how to handle ropes, and the parts of the ships.

When he left for war he was upset to leave his family and his „few‰ girlfriends. He thought war was going to be fun and an adventure. But he soon found out that was not true.

My grandfather was on the Air Craft Carrier USS Lake Champlain, CV37. He was called a Gunner&Mac226;s Mate 3rd Class which is equivalent to a Sergeant in the Army. He was in charge of fifteen men who were all older than him. He taught the men how to fire the 40mm gun. Their job was to fire at any German ships or aircraft. Planes took off the ship looking for German ships or aircraft. The German submarines were really the only things that they had to worry about.

He went to such places as the Bay of Naples, in Italy, England and Cuba.

My grandpa received many awards such as the Victory medal, the European Theater of Operations medal, and the Good Conduct medal.

He had many other friends and even family in the war. Most of his friends survived but some did not make it. He even lost a uncle named Thomas Dillon. He was killed in Battan which is in the South Pacific.

The war ended in 1945 when he was 19. He was very happy to be home and see his family. But he was also sad because he missed the friends he made on board the ship for the 2 years he was on there.

Kelly Holmes (at age 15)

Grandaughter

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