Search Other Collections

Take me back to the Oral History landing page.


Robert Serra - World War II

Bob Serra joined the Navy in October of 1940 and began serving on the USS Yorktown, a fleet aircraft carrier, in the summer of 1941. The Yorktown conducted patrols in the north Atlantic during the months prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (sometimes accompanying British convoys), then transferred to the Pacific theater. Serra served as an F4F Wildcat aircraft mechanic on the Yorktown, and saw combat at both the battles of Coral Sea and Midway, where the Yorktown was sunk in June, 1942 after repeated hits by both bombs and torpedoes.

Interview Links

Feature Excerpt

"Abandoning the Yorktown"

Abstract

Interview Session (Audio)

Transcript

Video From the Greatest Generation Theater

Photos

Caption
The USS Yorktown while in anchor in Hampton Roads, Virginia in 1937.

Where:
Hampton Roads, Virginia

When:
1937

Ownership:
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph: This image is considered to be in the public domain.

Caption
A Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter in flight in 1942. Serra helped maintain these fighters during the Battle of Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway.

Where:
Unknown

When:
1942

Ownership:
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph: This image is considered to be in the public domain.

Caption
The crew of the USS Yorktown abandoned ship on June 4, 1942 after she sustained several hits. Serra was in the water for several hours before he swam to a destroyer and climbed up the cargo net.

Where:
USS Yorktown

When:
June 4, 1942

Ownership:
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph: This image is considered to be in the public domain.

Caption
Following the loss of the USS Yorktown in June, 1942, Petty Officer Serra was assigned to Carrier Aircraft Service Unit 4 on the island of Maui, in the Hawaiian Islands. He is in the top row, far right.

Where:
Maui, in the Hawaiian Islands

When:
June, 1942

Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.

Caption
Petty Officer First Class (Aviation Machinist) Robert Serra, circa 1945. Serra was assigned to the USS Yorktown until she was sunk at the Battle of Midway in June, 1942. He finished his wartime service in San Diego, CA in an Assembly and Repair unit.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Circa 1945

Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.



Social Links