World War II Veteran: Robert A. Helgerson (Bob)
Duration: 10:58
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Collection: Iowa's WWII Stories
Bob Helgerson of Ottumwa, Iowa talks about his '90 day wonder' training in the Navy, and his experiences aboard the Intrepid. He tells about being torpedoed on Valentine's Day in '44 and a kamikaze that landed on the flight deck in the Philippines November 25, 1944. Helgerson also did aerial photo intelligence work for the United States strategic bombing survey in Japan.
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Post Date: May 24, 2007
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World War II Veteran: Bob Benson
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World War II Veteran: Jack Smith
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World War II Veteran: Vincent Martinez
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World War II Veteran: Maurice Vasquez
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World War II Veteran: Anthony Navarro
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World War II Veteran: Samuel A. Vasquez
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World War II Veteran: Elizes Chaves "Al"
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World War II Veteran: James Peavey
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World War II Veteran: Ivan W. Crees
Ivan Crees was a farm boy from Atalissa, Iowa. He served in Africa and Italy in the military police. 07:06
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World War II Veteran: Lonnie Conger
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World War II Veteran: Robert Sullivan “Bob or Sully”...
Sully tells us that patriotism was very high in the 40’s, and at 17, you don’t feel the war can be won without you. So ... 12:50
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World War II Veteran: Jerry Corrigan
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World War II Veteran: Don Cottrell
When Don Cottrell turned 17 he told his dad that he wanted to join the Navy, and to do it that very day. 05:44
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World War II Veteran: Francis Toale
Francis Toale joined the Navy on September 6, 1942 and served in the 4th division aboard the U.S.S. Idaho until November ... 06:06
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World War II Veteran: Vernon "Bud" Hall
Bud Hall was in the amphibious forces in the Navy from “44 to ’46. 09:44
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World War II Veteran: Willis Haddix
Willis Haddix served as ground support attached to the second Air Corps in 1944 and 1945. He was attached to the quartermaster ... 05:10
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World War II Veteran: Marvin Boyenga
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World War II Veteran: Dick Blunt
Dick Blunt served aboard the U.S.S. Sumner. He was part of the shakedown cruise to Bermuda. 08:06
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World War II Veteran: Ben Colson
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World War II Veteran: George Temeyer
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World War II Veteran: Bill Watters
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World War II Veteran: Darwin “Dar” F. Reber
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World War II Veteran: Ed Callanan
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World War II Veteran: Art Gratias
June 6, 1944 has two memories for Art Gratias of Mason City. He had been married June 6, 1943. On his first wedding anniversary ...
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World War II Veteran: Willard Leon McCormick, Jr. ...
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World War II Veteran: James Van Ginkel (Jim)
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World War II Veteran: Martin R. Grandquist (Marty)
Marty Grandquist knew that he was going to be in the military as a child. He is a three wars veteran, serving in the Marine ... 08:52
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World War II Veteran: Curt Bauer
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World War II Veteran: Edward O’Connor
Ed O’Connor found it difficult to study engineering at Iowa State in 1942 with the draft just around the corner. So he ... 11:51
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World War II Veteran: Leo Soderholm
Leo Soderholm was assigned to the 411th AAA gun battalion as their radar officer. 10:14
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World War II Veteran: Michael Cervantes
Michael Cervantes was in General George Patton’s 3rd army. His service in Europe 1943-1945 includes the Battle of the Bulge....
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World War II Veteran: Burdette Parrott (Shorty)
Sgt. Shorty Parrott was a platoon leader in Company K, 168th Infantry, 34th Division - the “Red Bull Division”. He tells ...
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World War II Veteran: Wilbur Tiffany
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World War II Veteran: Kenneth Lubben (Ken)
Kenneth Lubben served in the Army as a PFC in the 546th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion, called the coast artillery corps ...
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World War II Veteran: Phyllis Freymann Koopman
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World War II Veteran: Clifford Perry
Cliff Perry served in the Army with the 36th mechanized cavalry. Cliff was the company clerk for two years. When they ran ...
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World War II Veteran: Merton L. Jessen “Stub”
Stub Jessen served with the 28th Division, 707 tank battalion 110th infantry 1942 – 1945. He tells us about being captured ...
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World War II Veteran: John Schnepf
John Schnepf served with the 11th Air Force as crew chief. John worked with the 54th Fighter Squadron in the Aleutian Islands....
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Iowans in World War II - Part 2 (Full Program) (#116)
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Iowans in World War II - Part 1 (Full Program) (#115)
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World War II Veteran: Maurice Hoxie
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World War II Veteran: Norm Kling
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World War II Veteran: Mary Adams
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World War II Veteran: Vince "Pete" Conners...
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World War II Veteran: Dr. Kenneth James Gee
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World War II Veteran: William "Bill" Tyner...
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World War II Veteran: Harold Lamont Schoolen
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World War II Veteran: Donald R. Vaughn (Don)
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World War II Veteran: Richard O. Keep (Dick)
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Now Playing
World War II Veteran: Robert A. Helgerson (Bob)
Bob Helgerson of Ottumwa, Iowa talks about his '90 day wonder' training in the Navy, and his experiences aboard the Intrepid.... 10:58
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World War II Veteran: Aurelio Barron
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World War II Veteran: Henry Leonard
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World War II Veteran: Glenn McDole
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World War II Veteran: Elvin Moritz
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World War II and the Home Front: Ed Tubbs
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World War II Veteran: Dean Lettington
As part of the 559th Field Artillery Battalion, Lettington had spent the last few months fighting across France.
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World War II and the Home Front: Working at Maytag ...
Maytag was one of the Iowa firms that stopped producing consumer goods and started making war supplies.
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World War II and the Home Front: Jeanne Ersland and ...
As more men were sent away to fight, women were hired to take over their positions on the assembly lines. Before World War ...
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World War II Veteran: John Phillips
In January of 1945, 22 year-old John Phillips of Waterloo was part of a group of replacement troops sent to the 106th Infantry ...
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World War II Veteran: Malcolm Amos
Army Corpsman Malcolm Amos of Afton was among those captured in the Philippines on April 9, 1942. He became one of the more ...
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World War II Veteran: Paul Aschbrenner
Aschbrenner was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Oklahoma was docked in Pearl Harbor, ...
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As the battle raged on in Tunisia, 15-year old Rex Holmes of Red Oak waited in the Western Union Telegraph office in the ...
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World War II Veteran: Russell Smith
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World War II Veteran: Ruth Miller
After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Ruth Miller was assigned to the 110th Evacuation Hospital and sent to Europe ...
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World War II Veteran: Thelma Kardon
For some, joining the service was a chance to relocate. Thelma Kardon, formerly Sherman, was a 21 year-old native of Chelsea, ...
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World War II Veteran: Verle Buck
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World War II and the Home Front: Vivian Schleihs Builds ...
During some of the breaks between flying missions there was time for relaxation and, of course, letter writing, the most ...
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World War II Veteran: Al Rolfes
After landing on Saipan in June of 1944, First Lieutenant Al Rolfes had dug in above Tannipeg harbor.
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