Oral History Interview with Ed Kirshenmann, July 4, 2001

Oral History Interview with Ed Kirshenmann, July 4, 2001

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Track One 1:16:03

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ed Kirshenmann. Kirshenmann joined the Navy in 1939 and upon completion of basic training was assigned to USS Saratoga (CV-3), which his brother was already aboard. Kirshenmann worked in fire room, the evaporator room, the engine room, and the pump room (M Division). He lost three firemen when the Saratoga was torpedoed off Wake Island. When the Saratoga was torpedoed again, off Guadalcanal, Kirshenmann saved his brother’s life by ordering him out of the fire room just seconds before impact. In February 1943 Kirshenmann was transferred to USS … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 16 min., 3 sec.)

Interviewers

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

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Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ed Kirshenmann. Kirshenmann joined the Navy in 1939 and upon completion of basic training was assigned to USS Saratoga (CV-3), which his brother was already aboard. Kirshenmann worked in fire room, the evaporator room, the engine room, and the pump room (M Division). He lost three firemen when the Saratoga was torpedoed off Wake Island. When the Saratoga was torpedoed again, off Guadalcanal, Kirshenmann saved his brother’s life by ordering him out of the fire room just seconds before impact. In February 1943 Kirshenmann was transferred to USS Bushnell (AS-15) as a machinist’s mate, first class. He was promoted to chief in 1943 but lost his rank after getting into a fight. He was transferred to USS Howard W. Gilmore (AS-16) and stayed in Subic Bay until the end of the war. His time there was peaceful, and he umpired officers’ baseball games, but he heard rumors that sometimes a Japanese soldier would come out of their sequestered posts and kill an American. Upon returning to the States, Kirshenmann was assigned to the Gilmore until he was discharged in 1948. He retired in 1979 as a stationary engineer, tending boilers and pumps for a California Department of Health building.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 16 min., 3 sec.)

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Sound

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this recording in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH00739
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1608002

Relationships

Oral History Interview with Ed Kirshenmann, July 4, 2001, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1604190

Collections

This recording is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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