Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Hank Sawicki

WWII | U.S.S. Kalinin

Hank Sawicki remembers growing up as the son of Polish immigrants in America. After joining the service in high school, he remembers starting training and deploying onto the U.S.S. Kalinin in the Pacific Ocean. (6:10)
Hank Sawicki remembers some of the elements of his time on the U.S.S. Kalinin that stick out to him over time. Having to deal with enemy forces was part of being out on the Pacific but luckily they managed to handle these threats successfully. (5:27)
Hank Sawicki remembers one of the most memorable experiences of his time in service; when the U.S.S. Kalinin started to take on heavy shelling. Fortunately for him, he was able to avoid a lot of the shrapnel that was flying all around him on deck. (6:24)
After getting out of the war, Hank Sawicki learned that they had an even closer call than they thought, when the enemy commanding general could have taken them out but decided to turn back. (3:49)
Hank Sawicki remembers some of the troubles they had on deck, a lot of which included how fortunate he and his crewmates were to make it out of their time on the Kalinin alive. (3:44)
After returning home from WW2, Hank Sawicki found a job and transitioned into civilian life. Serving his country and making his way into a civilian design job was an easy switch for him. (6:58)
Hanks Jones

WWII | HQ Company 399, 100th Infantry Division

Tasked with laying communication lines, Hanks Jones talks about the dangers his unit faced on the front lines in Europe during World War II. (3:40)
Hanks Jones, a communications technician, talks about how his unit would sleep in abandoned houses to protect themselves from artillery fire and shrapnel in France during World War II. (2:06)
Hanks Jones shares his story of how he ended up surrounded by 200 German soldiers in Alsace-Lorraine who, luckily for him, had no interest in fighting. (3:07)
Despite his training, Hanks Jones recalls an alarming sight that quickly made him lose his "John Wayne syndrome" on his first day in Europe during World War II. (1:32)