Wilbur Kelley and Scott Finlay

Scott Finlay (S) asks Wilbur Robert [Bob] Kelley (B) about the bloodiest invasion of the Pacific War, which B was involved in. B talks about the invasion, saying Japanese suicide bombers were aiming at the big ships, and he was in a smaller one. His ship shot down the wing of a Japanese plane and, knowing it was going down anyway, it turned around and hit them.

His damaged ship went to be repaired in San Francisco. When they arrived at San Francisco, B leaned back to see the bridge and accidentally hit the emergency button. All the alarms went off but he didn't get into trouble. He then talks about his job with sonar + electrical equipment.

WWII ends, S asks how long B was still in military. B started working at shipyard as electrician, while technically still being in the army. With the army, he started repairing islands that had been damaged. Three months after the war finished, he was home.

S asks B if it was difficult re-integrating. B called mother after the war saying he wanted to join the Navy. Mom said she heard about the GI Bill to go to college. B went to Union College under GI program.

B got called back a few years later from Army on first night of honeymoon, even though his four years as a reserve had expired. He goes to the Army Office in Brooklyn to say they have made a mistake and learns that Truman had passed a bill to extend reserve time for Korean War.

Life after Korean War- B becomes physics teacher. Manager offers him 2700 dollars a year in 1952 and he is so excited. Describes life as a physics educator. Ultimately started teaching at SUNY.