Joe Gonzalez - Home Page Slide Show - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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The Veterans Portrait Series.

Mickey is a retired Navy Photographers Mate, Chief Petty Officer, and was the Leading Chief of the Navy's elite Combat Camera Group Pacific. Mickey's current focus is the Veterans Portrait Series, which documents veterans' stories of service. He is focused on our Worlds' Greatest Generation. The veterans of World War II. 

Mickey interviews each Veteran, collecting and writing their service stories, archiving these notable historic figures and their stories for generations to come. Mickey has collected and displayed images and stories from over 100 warriors that at one point, signed the dotted line when our country needed their sacrifice of service most.  Mickey continues to collect Veterans from all services for the Veterans Portrait Series. In 2019 this body of work was displayed at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre Museum from Nov 11, 2019 — to March 1, 2020.

Mickey and the project were in the national spotlight, featured on the Sunday Today Show with Harry Smith Today Show Link to YouTube.  See the Google 360 Virtual walk through from the Palm Beach Museum Exhibit. Enjoy, and thank you for your help with this project. In 2022 Mickey photographed over 25 more WW2 Veterans and will be hosting a print show in San Diego in November with an open house on Veterans Day. Today we continue to capture the Ledgends of service of great American heros. 

Featured Veteran

Edward_Kicklighter

Celebrating the life of - 

Edward Kicklighter
United States NAVY
Commander
Korean War - Vietnam War

Born on January 20th, 1925, Edward Kicklighter became an ordained minister at the young age of 18. He joined the U.S. Navy in August 1953 to become a Navy Chaplain. Edward received a commission as an Ensign at the end of the Korean War after attending Chaplain school in Newport, Rhode Island. There, all faith chaplains learned to support the needs of various service members’ faith groups. After graduation, he was assigned to the Navy's Chaplain offices in San Francisco. Ens Kicklighter deployed as a Ship's Chaplain aboard a troop transport ship, moving Marines and Sailors across the Pacific.

Edward later served during the Vietnam War with the Headquarters, 1st Division U.S. Marine Corps, as an assistant Chaplain in Chu Lai and Da Nang. There, he provided church and other services but spent most of his time counseling and listening to his troops. Edward fondly remembers baptizing two Marines on a beach of the South China Sea.

Edward later worked in the Philippines when his ship, the USS Tripoli (LPH-10), helped provide electricity to the Negrito people. In 1963, Edward, then stationed on Midway Island, held a unique memorial service after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy for all of the base personnel. He served from 1953 to 1982, supporting countless Sailors and Marines worldwide throughout his 30 years of service. Edward retired as a Commander from the Navy in June 1982.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I donate?

I have created a way to accept donations to grow the project, use the WWII Veterans Portrait Series
Please email

Where are you located?

I live in the San Diego area but have traveled to many locations to interview and photograph Veterans.


How Long is an Appointment?

Appointments usually last 1 hour.
But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some photographs for the project.

Do you accept reservations?

Yes is the simple answer to the question.  Each appointment is set up as an individual session. Group sessions have been set up when I visited a senior living facility and the California Veterans Homes.

Copyright © 2025 Mickey Strand – Veterans Series
United States Army Private First Class World War II Joe Ray Gonzalez, Private First Class, was born on April 22, 1926. He was 96 years old when we first met. He said his lucky number is 96. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as an infantryman with the well-known 96th Infantry Division, also known as The Deadeyes. Joe enlisted on September 18, 1944, and attended boot camp and initial training at Camp Roberts before joining the 96th. The Deadeyes served in campaigns along the Pacific front, including the Battle of Leyte on an island in the Philippines, the Ryukyu Islands, and later the landings and battles on the Island of Okinawa, where Joe joined the Deadeyes, who earned the Presidential Unit Citation for their efforts during that battle. Joe joined the 96th Infantry on April 12, 1945, the 12th day of the 82-day Battle of Okinawa, as one of more than 12,000 replacement troops supporting the battle. He remembered that his first miserable night on the island was spent in a foxhole. Only the companionship of his fellow Mexican service members helped him get through that tough first night. Joe earned his Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) on May 22, 1945, and was relieved of combat duties after the island was secured. Joe and the 96th Infantry Division faced intense fighting, especially at Kakazu Ridge, Nishibaru Ridge, and the Yaeju-Dake Escarpment. Under the XXIV Corps, the division was crucial in breaking the Shuri Line, and the island was declared secure on June 22, 1945. Joe did not have enough points to return home yet and was transferred to the Philippines with the 98th Infantry Division, where he served for the remainder of his enlistment. He returned to the United States in December 1946 for demobilization. Joe was one of fourteen children in his family; three of his brothers served in World War II. His brothers Jess and Art served in the U.S. Navy, and his brother John served as an MP in the Army’s Air Corps. Joe was honorably discharged and received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, the Philippine Independence Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal.
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Joe Gonzalez - Home Page Slide Show - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
United States Army Private First Class World War II Joe Ray Gonzalez, Private First Class, was born on April 22, 1926. He was 96 years old when we first met. He said his lucky number is 96. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as an infantryman with the well-known 96th Infantry Division, also known as The Deadeyes. Joe enlisted on September 18, 1944, and attended boot camp and initial training at Camp Roberts before joining the 96th. The Deadeyes served in campaigns along the Pacific front, including the Battle of Leyte on an island in the Philippines, the Ryukyu Islands, and later the landings and battles on the Island of Okinawa, where Joe joined the Deadeyes, who earned the Presidential Unit Citation for their efforts during that battle. Joe joined the 96th Infantry on April 12, 1945, the 12th day of the 82-day Battle of Okinawa, as one of more than 12,000 replacement troops supporting the battle. He remembered that his first miserable night on the island was spent in a foxhole. Only the companionship of his fellow Mexican service members helped him get through that tough first night. Joe earned his Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) on May 22, 1945, and was relieved of combat duties after the island was secured. Joe and the 96th Infantry Division faced intense fighting, especially at Kakazu Ridge, Nishibaru Ridge, and the Yaeju-Dake Escarpment. Under the XXIV Corps, the division was crucial in breaking the Shuri Line, and the island was declared secure on June 22, 1945. Joe did not have enough points to return home yet and was transferred to the Philippines with the 98th Infantry Division, where he served for the remainder of his enlistment. He returned to the United States in December 1946 for demobilization. Joe was one of fourteen children in his family; three of his brothers served in World War II. His brothers Jess and Art served in the U.S. Navy, and his brother John served as an MP in the Army’s Air Corps. Joe was honorably discharged and received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, the Philippine Independence Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal.