Oral history interview with Charles (Jerry) Hansen [videorecording], 2002.

ArchivalResource

Hansen, Charles, 1927-. Oral history interview with Charles (Jerry) Hansen [videorecording], 2002.

Oral history interview with Charles (Jerry) Hansen [videorecording], 2002.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/776176444

Charles "Jerry" Hansen, a Racine, Wisconsin native, discusses his experiences in the Pacific Theater of World War II aboard the USS Bunker Hill. Hansen talks about enlisting in the Navy Reserve as a senior in high school, boot camp at Great Lakes (Illinois), and assignment to the USS Bunker Hill. Upon arrival at his ship, he recalls having to spend several weeks sleeping in the chow hall. Assigned to the arresting gear crew, Hansen comments on bunking below the flight deck and his duty working with the cables that landing airplanes hooked onto. He describes the aircraft carrier, the cramped quarters, and the procedures for landing aircraft, both at day and night. He talks about planes hitting barriers if they missed all the cables, greasing and replacing cables, use of a catapult during takeoffs, and the accidental death of a friend on the ship. Hansen speaks of his first combat experience: sending planes to raid Tokyo in January of 1945. During one attack, he tells of getting stuck in the mess hall after going to watertight integrity and swearing he'd never get stuck below decks again. Hansen addresses throwing undetonated airplane ordnance overboard and the importance of getting the flight deck clear. As part of Task Force 58, he details the carrier's participation in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as raids to Kyushu Island. Hansen talks about Tokyo Rose, playing cards, simple daily routines, sanitary facilities, and the fact that men frequently walked around naked. He recalls destroyer crews exchanging rescued air pilots for ice cream. Hansen relates watching a movie one night while the task force was at anchor and hearing the USS Hancock get hit by a kamikaze. He discusses the prisoner Japanese kamikaze pilots, who were brought aboard for questioning, and talks about burying Battle of Okinawa casualties at sea. He reports seeing his friend fall thirty feet between decks without getting injured. At the invasion of Okinawa, Hansen details surviving a kamikaze attack: being away from his station when they were hit, helping throw ammunition overboard, eventually escaping the fire, and being reunited with a friend who had jumped overboard. He talks about clearing out dead bodies and debris, going to Bremerton (Washington) via Pearl Harbor for repairs, celebrating V-J Day during his thirty-day furlough at home, and transporting troops home from the Philippines and Guam. Hansen mentions having nightmares for many years, attending college with the GI Bill, going to ship reunions, and running into old friends from the service.

Video recording : 3 video cassettes (ca. 87 min.) ; sd., col. ; 1/2 in.Transcript : 24 p.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center