PROFILE OF A MUSEUM VOLUNTEER – GEORGE WINSLOW

George Winslow joined the Navy in Fresno, California in January 1940 and was in the 7^th Boot Camp Company of that year.  After completing Boot Camp he was stationed at the Destroyer Base in San Diego where World War 1 Destroyers were being put back in commission.

In May 1940, George transferred to the USS Chelmont and was on his way to China.  They stopped at every Navy Base on the way out; Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, Guam, Manila, Shanghai, Ching Wang Tao, Chefoo and back to Isingtao, where he went aboard the USS Marblehead.  After being aboard there for a short time, George started striking for Gunners Mate.  His boss was Peter Martineck, First Class Turret Captain and a member of the Legion of Valor.

Six months before Pearl Harbor was hit, they went to the Southern Philippines out of range of Formosa, and hid out.  About once a month they were allowed to go into Hilo, Cebu, Elorio, and have liberty.  In November of 1941 they were back in Manila Bay.  While there, the Captain received sealed orders to go to sea.  When they passed Corregidor the word was passed to bring up ready ammunition.  They were going to war.

When Pearl Harbor was attacked, they were at Tarakan, off the coast of Boreno.  On February 4^th, 1942, their ship was hit and reported sunk. They arrived in Simonstown, South Africa where the ship received temporary repairs.  They buried their dead in Tjilatjap, and three months later arrived in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  Six months was spent there getting repairs before being deployed to South America, and up to North Africa for the invasion.

In the fall of 1942, George went to Gunners School in Washington, DC and from there to Acorn 16 in Port Huenemie.  He was then deployed to the Pacific for another 14 months.  George returned to Port Huenemie and was discharged from there in February of 1946.  After his discharge he started working in the petroleum business, and started his own company, Winslow Petroleum in 1951.  He operated this business until he sold it to become a farmer.  He met his wife to be, Hazel Harah, in Fowler, California, and they married in Yuma, Arizona December 24, 1944.

George first became aware of the Legion of Valor Museum when he visited it with his old boss, Peter Martinek, NC, who is a member of the Legion of Valor.  Through him he met Chuck Monges and shortly afterwards became a volunteer at the museum.  He enjoys meeting and discussing old times with other veterans, but most of all he enjoys the school children that come to learn about the history of our military.  It never fails to surprise him how little they know about that part of our history.