Synopsis of oral history interview with Robert K. Yoreo

              Video Log
Robert K. Yoreo
World War II
U.S. Navy
Born: August 7, 1926
Interview Date: October 7, 2009
Interviewed By: Gregg Cerosky
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:48 Served in the Pacific, Radioman 2nd Class.
00:01:15 Robert Yoreo enlisted in the Navy before finishing High School. He was seventeen at that time.
00:02:00 Served on the USS Starr, which carried troops, cargo and landing craft, “whatever was needed to sustain an invasion.
00:02:40 His ship was attacked by a Japanese suicide boat, but the damage was minimized since they had landing craft tied to the ship and the landing craft was what was destroyed.
00:03:40 Went through training in Upstate New York [Geneva] for twenty one days and then had a twenty one day leave because all of the training facilities were full.
00:04:30 He chose the Navy because he wouldn’t have to sleep in the mud and dirt.
00:04:50 Attended radio school in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania at a converted resort in the mountains.
00:05:35 Was seasick from the time he left Newport, Virginia to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
00:06:08 “Shellbacks and Pollywogs” story.
00:08:55 Life aboard ship.
00:11:20 Burial of a Marine sergeant at sea.
00:12:05 End of Part I of the interview.
00:00:00 Part II starts.
00:00:10 Robert Yoreo explains what they did for fun on board ship (played basketball in the holding area).
00:01:35 Reaction to the news that Japan had surrendered.
00:03:30 What it was like listening to “Tokyo Rose”.
00:04:45 What it was like riding out a typhoon.
00:05:35 The “adventures” started after the Japanese surrendered and the crew didn’t have to worry about running quiet and dark any longer.
00:06:14 “The Australian guard on the way to Korea story” (the change in temperature significant).
00:08:20 The “52/20 Club” story.
00:09:00 Work after the war.
00:10:46 End of Part II.
00:00:00 Part III begins.
00:00:40 His experiences at Vladivostok after the war ended.
00:03:00 The blood donation story.
00:04:20 The opportunity to visit his brother [U.S. Marine] when his ship docked at Guam.
00:05:55 He explains the difference between WWII and the wars that followed.
00:08:08 Interview wrap up.
00:08:14 End of Part III.