World War II veteran Arthur Rinetti talks about his experiences on a battleship during the Battle of Surigao Strait.
Video by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Neal Uranga
Transcript
[Orchestral music]
(President Franklin D. Roosevelt) The American people and their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
(Arthur Renitti) When we graduated everybody was willing to go. I mean it was automatic. I went down to the post office. And there were so many youngsters signing up, that they had to call you and they’d tell you “we got an opening here and an opening there.” Army, Navy, Marines Coast Guard, whatever, that’s the way it was. It was just automatically, the country went to war and everybody you know, turned to. The thing that stood out in my mind most of all was that battle of Surigao Strait. Battleship against battleship. And I was in turret 2, and I could see every projectile going through. And the first salvo was no change, no change on the Japanese battleship, we got credit for sinking that battleship. That sticks out in my mind pretty good. We had I think 21 kamikaze planes we shot down. That battleship. I think we have credit for a couple of destroyers at the battle. You know? We’re elated just, you know? You were winning; and coming home, I was more of an adult than a 17-18 year old kid, you know? It was hard. I had to go back in the family house, you know? You got your mom there, your dad. They still think you’re little, you know? It’s a little tough to adjust to.