Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Hank Freedman

WWII | Headquarters Company, 422nd Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division

The POW's saw the town below the camp getting shelled, so they started thinking about liberation. The Germans started to move them out on the road, but a planned subterfuge thwarted them and the GI's were still there when an American tank crashed through the gate. Hank Freedman describes that joyous day, marred only by overindulgence in C-rations. (6:57)
Hank Freedman chose a hospital stay over an immediate return after he was liberated from a German prison camp. He was malnourished and weak and it took him a month to regain his strength. When he stepped off the plane and called home, there was much happiness and a little fainting. (6:01)
When he got into combat, Hank Freedman thought about being killed or wounded, never about being taken prisoner. When that happened to him, he had to adjust. It was a long, tough struggle with weather, hunger and boredom, but he made it through. His struggle wasn't over, though. He had to contend with the US government to get his health care. (4:40)
Did he take it personally since he was Jewish? No, says Hank Freedman, he was just there to serve his country. The former POW reflects on his upbringing and the legacy of World War II veterans. (3:07)
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)