Oral history interview with Sterling W. Schallert, 1999.

ArchivalResource

Schallert, Sterling W., 1919-. Oral history interview with Sterling W. Schallert, 1999.

Oral history interview with Sterling W. Schallert, 1999.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/778086740

Sterling W. Schallert, a Watertown, Wisconsin native, discusses his service in the Navy on Landing Ship Tank (LST) 465 in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Schallert talks about dropping out of law school in 1941 to enlist in the V-7 training course, boot camp at Notre Dame, three months of study at Abbott Hall in Chicago, and getting married the same day he graduated as an ensign. Sent to the Naval Training Station in San Diego (California), he speaks of finding an apartment with his wife, doing swimming training, playing football, and having gunnery training. Assigned to LST-465, Schallert mentions being stalled for three weeks due to union strikes at the shipbuilding yards. He touches on the commissioning of his ship and describes duty as the stores officer. Schallert comments on "borrowing" supplies from other ships, ordering long-delayed battle helmets, and degaussing the ship. He describes the LST, its beach-landing capabilities, use of the anchor, and transporting equipment and troops in the southwest Pacific. He analyzes the practicality and solid construction of LSTs and states his was short of crew. Schallert mentions his living quarters, medical facilities, food aboard ship such as Australian mutton and canned rations, and meeting Harry Stella, an All-American football player in the Army. Schallert describes travelling with a group of nine LSTs from San Francisco to Australia via Samoa, seeing two ships in his convoy sunk by torpedoes, and his first landings at Woodlark and Kiriwina islands (Papua New Guinea). He explains how his ship was damaged by bombs while unloading gasoline and thus missed the Leyte landing. Schallert portrays the Australian soldiers they worked with. He discusses participating in the 1st Marine Division landing at Cape Gloucester and doing several supply runs there. He compares the different ports at which his ship was based. Schallert describes doing landings at Saidor, Seeadler Harbor (Manus, Admiralty Islands), with the 24th Division at Hollandia (Dutch New Guinea), Wakde, Leyte Gulf (Philippines), and Lingayen. He highlights finding Japanese propaganda aimed at making the Australians angry with Americans. He remembers his communications officer getting shot by a sniper and visiting him in the hospital. Schallert mentions playing basketball with other LST crews on their tank deck. He comments on mail delivery, beer and cigarette rations, and positive morale aboard the ship. Schallert speaks of feeding some Marines dinner on Christmas Day and transporting wounded after landings. Shortly before being sent home, he describes seeing a ship next to his destroyed by a torpedo. Schallert talks about his journey home, assignment to Morro Bay Advanced Amphibious Training Base (California), and duty as first lieutenant in charge of supplies. He details fixing ordnance storage violations at the base magazines a few days before an inspection and thus saving his captain's career. Schallert describes being put in charge of a section of San Francisco's Shore Patrol and several incidents he witnessed. After his separation from service, he mentions using the GI Bill to finish law school.

Sound recording : 2 sound cassettes (ca. 90 min.) ; analog, 1 7/8 ips.Videorecording : 1 videocassette (ca. 90 min.) ; sd., col. ; 1/2 in.Transcript : 39 p.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center