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Gerald Jepsen

WWII Veteran Gerald Andersen Jepsen, 2007

Gerald Andersen Jepsen, 2007

  • Branch of Service: U.S. Navy Reserve
  • Highest Rank: Ship Fitter 3rd Class
  • Military Service: Drafted, January 1945 - July 1946

Listen to the following sections by scrolling forward to the timecode.

0:00 - Drafted; assigned to USS Winged Arrow (AP170); hauled prisoners - never mistreated them
7:40 - Met soldiers from S.D. overseas - small world
9:32 - Metalsmith in service; typhoon; experience pulling up anchor; river travel
18:55 - Hong Kong experience 22:18 - Memories of Pearl Harbor 25:00 - Joined Navy - welding education; ship repair; metal work - made belt buckles/jewelry for soldiers; sick from galvanized metal
35:23 - Ship in danger during convoys
40:26 - Life after service; reunions; playing trumpet

Gerald Andersen Jepsen Obituary 

This story was recorded at an SDPB event in Vermillion, SD. 

Images Provided by Gerald Andersen Jepsen 
Gerald and Mariann Jepsen hold a wall banner of the USS Winged Arrow

Gerald and Mariann Jepsen hold a wall banner of the USS Winged Arrow.

framed picture of Gerald Andersen Jepsen in uniform

Gerald Andersen Jepsen, WWII

Black and white picture of the ship USS Winged Arrow, AP170 in the water

USS Winged Arrow, AP170

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