Robert J. Andler
I was born April 30,
1926 in Chicago, Illinois. February 1944 I was a senior at Lane
Technical School in Chicago. I left school; had my mother sign my
enlistment papers and rode a train to Farragut, Idaho to begin basic
training. A few days after basic was over, I was on the muster list to
serve on the USS West Virginia. I worked in the post office and was in
the 6th Gunnery Division on the 5 inch guns.
We bombarded shore emplacements at Leyte, sunk a
battleship in the Surigao Straits, was at Luzon, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and
Japan. We took a kamikaze hit on April 1, 1945, Easter Sunday - four
sailors were killed and 23 injured. The plane hit on the port side
above the 5 inch gun mount. That day I will never forget!
I was discharged in May of 1946 and returned to
Chicago. I worked 50 years in the printing industry until I finally
retired at the age of 70.
Moved out of Chicago 44 years ago and have lived in
Wisconsin ever since. I'm married, have eight children and 17
grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Robert J. Andler