Raymond Robbins - 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 has 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.

Featured Veteran

Eleanor_Maiolo

Eleanor G. Maiolo (Oliver)
United States Air Force
Airman Second Class (A2c)
Peacetime Service

  Eleanor Oliver was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, on December 21, 1934. She grew up in Wolcott and graduated from Wilby High School in 1943. Eleanor was attending college to join the medical health care field, studying to specializing in labor and delivery. She was inspired to join when a recruiter for the Air Force came for a visit, talking about the opportunities in the Air Force to complete school and work in health care. Eleanor reported to Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, on September 27, 1956 for Basic Military Training. She fondly remembered meeting all these new people in the service. She completed basic training and attended Medical Service Specialist School at Lackland AFB Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) for eight weeks.

 Eleanor elected to become an Enlisted personnel in the hospital maternity wards, primarily as a specifically medical technicians (MTs) in the Labor and Delivery Flight. These MTs support nursing staff, neonatologists, and medical-surgical nurse specialists. They are involved in patient care, to include assisting with labor and delivery, postpartum care, and newborn care.Eleanor’s first assignment was at the hospital at Eglin Air Force Base, Okaloosa County, Florida, in the Maternity and Nursing Ward for two years. Eleanore enjoyed working with all the new babies for the service members and dependents, and this became her life’s work.

 Airman Second Class Eleanor Oliver was honorably discharged on February 26, 1958 and returned home to Wolcott, CT.After returning to Wolcott, CA, she continued in health care, working with home care services, primarily with infants and new mothers. She moved back to Connecticut and married her husband, Frank, who was a television repairman, in December of 1962, and they had five children.

 After her kids were old enough, she took additional nursing coursework at Naugatuck Valley Technical School. She worked at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) for many years on the medical-surgical unit. Eleanor retired from nursing in 1995 but continued to volunteer and worked with elders for many years.

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 © 2024 Mickey Strand – Veterans Series
US Army PFC World War 2 Raymond F. Robbins was born on 2 Jan 1925, grew up in Brockton, Mass., and served in the US Army at 17. He received his parents’ permission to join after 11th grade on 7 April 1943. Raymond had a draft notice and decided to enter service early before finishing High School. He attended boot camp and received his rifle sharpshooter. Raymond loved the saxophone, and the Army assigned him as a Bandman, Saxophone, Company A, 318th Infantry, 80th Infantry Division. Raymond served in the 318th’s Band unit and played for the troops through the campaigns in Central Europe, the Rhineland, and the Ardennes. Raymond and the 318th served in combat operations from France in 1944 through Germany till the surrender in 1945. Raymond was awarded the Purple Heart in the European Theater of Operations but can not remember the exact date or location when it happened. Like most service members, Raymond was demobilized and separated from the Army at the war's end. His separation happened on 20 Nov 1945 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Along with his Purple Heart, Raymond was awarded a Good Conduct medal, the Victory medal, the European Africa Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon, and the Honorable Service Lapel Pin. After the Army, Raymond continued to play the clarinet and Saxophone with many of his favorite big bands and small ensembles across the United States. He traveled for many years and even worked as a studio musician, recording with many greats. Raymond still practices his clarinet daily and carries it everywhere. He shared music during our photo session and posed with his well-loved clarinet. The staff commented that they enjoy hearing him practice every day.
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Raymond Robbins - Home Page Slide Show - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
US Army PFC World War 2 Raymond F. Robbins was born on 2 Jan 1925, grew up in Brockton, Mass., and served in the US Army at 17. He received his parents’ permission to join after 11th grade on 7 April 1943. Raymond had a draft notice and decided to enter service early before finishing High School. He attended boot camp and received his rifle sharpshooter. Raymond loved the saxophone, and the Army assigned him as a Bandman, Saxophone, Company A, 318th Infantry, 80th Infantry Division. Raymond served in the 318th’s Band unit and played for the troops through the campaigns in Central Europe, the Rhineland, and the Ardennes. Raymond and the 318th served in combat operations from France in 1944 through Germany till the surrender in 1945. Raymond was awarded the Purple Heart in the European Theater of Operations but can not remember the exact date or location when it happened. Like most service members, Raymond was demobilized and separated from the Army at the war's end. His separation happened on 20 Nov 1945 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Along with his Purple Heart, Raymond was awarded a Good Conduct medal, the Victory medal, the European Africa Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon, and the Honorable Service Lapel Pin. After the Army, Raymond continued to play the clarinet and Saxophone with many of his favorite big bands and small ensembles across the United States. He traveled for many years and even worked as a studio musician, recording with many greats. Raymond still practices his clarinet daily and carries it everywhere. He shared music during our photo session and posed with his well-loved clarinet. The staff commented that they enjoy hearing him practice every day.