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James Whitson - World War II

James Robert Whitson served in the United States Navy during World War II, working as a torpedoman on the USS Herndon, a destroyer. The ship supported the invasion of Sicily, and on Christmas Day 1943 the ship barely rode out a dangerous storm in the North Atlantic. The Herndon supported the D-Day landing in June, 1944, and the invasion of southern France a couple of months later. The Herndon eventually ended up at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Theater.

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Abstract

Interview (Audio)

Video

Photos

Caption
Robert Whitson poses in uniform on October 1, 1940.

Where:
Unknown

When:
October 1, 1940

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Robert Whitson poses in uniform with a rifle on October 1, 1940.

Where:
Unknown

When:
October 1, 1940

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Clifford Meade, Sarah Whitson, Robert Whitson, and Genevieve Whitson pose at Rogers Corner in New York, New York.

Where:
New York City, New York

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Mario Cocco, “Whit” Whitson, Bob Winkleman, Joe Billig, NJ Rutherford, and Paul Sussman pose at the Ships Dance at the Hotel Edison in New York, New York.

Where:
New York City, New York

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Group photograph on the Forward Mount 5” Guri.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Men on a boat, 1943.

Where:
Unknown

When:
1943

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Men transferring a patient, 1943.

Where:
Unknown

When:
1943

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Men transferring a patient from one boat to another, 1943.

Where:
Unknown

When:
1943

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Men in a radio control room, 1943.

Where:
Unknown

When:
1943

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Man on the bridge of the ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
A group of ships landing in Sicily.

Where:
Sicily

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Men on a ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Men on a ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Gus Schultz on a ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Two men mopping the deck of a ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
American flag on a ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Ship in the ocean.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Four men on a ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Ship.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Scout cruiser, Omaha class.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Commander C.M. Smith Co. 73 in 1943.

Where:
Unknown

When:
1943

Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.

Caption
Old airplane hangars converted to barracks at Great Lakes, Illinois in 1940.

Where:
Great Lakes, Illinois

When:
1940

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Advanced Torpedo Certificate

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Biographical sheet for James Whitson.

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Transcript of Service

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Certificate from Harry Truman

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Oath of Allegiance

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
“An “order” from Davey Jones for James Whitson to appear in Poseidon’s court for “[crying] because a shellback beat him in checkers,” and for “attempting to initiate a shellback.”

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Article titled “Secret Mission of the USS Milwaukee,” from the Milwaukee Bulletin November 1990 issue. Page 1

Where:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

When:
November 1990

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Article titled “Secret Mission of the USS Milwaukee,” from the Milwaukee Bulletin November 1990 issue. Page 2

Where:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

When:
November 1990

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Article titled “Secret Mission of the USS Milwaukee,” from the Milwaukee Bulletin November 1990 issue. Page 3

Where:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

When:
November 1990

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Article titled “Secret Mission of the USS Milwaukee,” from the Milwaukee Bulletin November 1990 issue. Page 4

Where:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

When:
November 1990

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Statement of Service

Where:
Unknown

When:
Unknown

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Illinois Service Recognition Certificate

Where:
Springfield, Illinois

When:
1947

Ownership:
Narrator's photo

Caption
Torpedo School Certificate

Where:
Newport, Rhode Island

When:
December 1941

Ownership:
Narrator's photo



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