Interview with William Burrows, WWII veteran. CCSU Veterans History Project

Interview conducted by Michael Van Buren. William T. Burrows enlisted in the U.S. Navy and went to basic training in Sampson, NY. He was sent to Newport, RI for gunnery school, and then Boston before being assigned to the crew of the U.S.S. Drexler. The Drexler sailed around the Panama Canal and gathered provisions in Hawaii, and then sailed to the Pacific Theatre of the War. Their first stop was Guadalcanal, then Tarawa, and finally Okinawa. Their duty was to prepare the islands for battle. Burrows describes seeing ships as far as the eye could see during these battles. In Okinawa, the Drexler was part of a "picket line", which was a line of ships that the Japanese planes had to pass before being able to bomb the island. It was during the "picket line" that the Drexler was hit by two kamikaze pilots and sunk. Burrows describes the bombing and the subsequent rescue after the sinking. He was then sent back to the U.S. for a mandatory leave before being reassigned to a seagoing tug out of Bath, Me. He was discharged and went to work for Potter and Johnson in R.I. and later the Post Office. At the time of the interview he had not yet retired, and still worked as a driver.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• CCSU
• VHP
• WWII
• WW2
• veteran
• interview
• oral history
• Interactive transcript
• U.S.S. Drexler DD 741
• Seaman 1st class
• Kamikaze

[MrKorky27]

i just can't believe i've watchd this.

it is a extreamly long story that i mostly klick away. but i didnt because i liked the story :D

[lieutenantlego]

wow a ww2 veteran I highly respect them and sorry for my rediculus account name

[MickZewOMG]

I want to shake this guys tentacle & tell him how great we appreciate him.

[beauch]

I'd like to shake this man's hand.

[IknowMYwwii]

i love the interviews

[ViceCity01]

This is very interesting. Thank you.