Speaking to the Future:
Gerald Cronan
Mr. Cronan recounts his experiences in the U. S. Coast Guard in World War II. He talks briefly about moving with his family to Washington, DC and what led to his decision to enlist in the Coast Guard. Following basic training, he performed beach patrol duty in Nags Head, North Carolina, before being transferred to Newport News, Virginia. Following his request for sea duty, Cronan describes activities aboard the USS 240, a buoy tender in the Atlantic. He then requested amphibious training and spent the remainder of his time in service aboard an LST 762. He describes duty aboard an LST, and goes on to discuss the voyage through the Panama Canal and on to the Pacific. Cronan was involved in several battles in the Philippines and Okinawa, and describes his experiences in some detail.