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Joe Kurasz Interviewer: Kate Vaupel Name: Joe Kurasz Birthday / place: 2/4/26 Linden Age when entered the service: 17 What part of the service: Merchant Marines Company/Rank: A: 2nd cook/electrician Q: Were you in the infantry/tanks/navy ships/airplanes?: A: merchant marine ships Q: When did you meet your wife/girlfriend?: A: during the war, home on leave Q: How?: A: my grandmother’s mother owned a pizzeria and they needed a plumber (my grandfather) Q: Why did you enter the service?: A: so he wasn’t drafted into the Army Q: Feelings of pride/patriotism?: A: yes Q: How did your family feel about you leaving?: A: his mother was against him leaving, she didn’t want to lose her son Q: How much did you know about the war before you entered?: A: not much, he didn’t know about concentration camps at all Q: Where did you receive your training?: A: Maritine School, Hoffman Island, New York Q: How long was your training?: A: 3 months Q: What theatre did you serve in?: A: Europe and Pacific Q: Years?: A: 1944 – Europe 1944-1945 – Pacific Q: Most vivid memories?: A: Joe’s ship was about 100 yards behind the USS Texas at the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. They were sent away because they carried fuel, and there was no where to unload the fuel. Joe’s ship carried bunker fuel for ships and high octane for planes. Q: Battles?: A: during battles, Joe provided support by supplying fuel Q: Men you served with?: A: changed ships often, Alex was his best friend and was on all the tours with Joe. Q: Places you saw/visited?: A: England, France, Panama, Arabia, Iraq, Philipines, Borneo, Singapore, Tonga Tabu, Salon, Japan, Mexico, Hawii, Tampico, and Aruba. His favorite was Philipines. Q: How much communication with back home did you have?: A: very little because the letters took a long time to catch up with the ship. Q: What did other family members do towards the war effort?: A: Joe’s brother Matthew was in the army, his brother William was in the navy, and his brother Ted was in the army. His father was a plumber and gave his brass and copper scraps for the war effort. Q: Memorabilia?: A: had Japanese sniper rifles, saber swords, and Japanese flags, but when they came back to America, the customs people were greedy and wanted the souvenirs, so they dumped them over the ship so the customs officers couldn’t have them. Q: What was it like to come home?: A: felt good Joe liked sailing because it was adventurous. The merchant marines go on “tours” and for Joe they ranged from 1 month to 16 months. His first ship he had to wear a wet suit to bed in case of an attack.