Max Gurney - 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 T4 World War 2 Born on June 10, 1921, Max graduated from The Washington Irving Campus High School in Manhattan, New York. After graduating, Max and several of his schoolmates enlisted in the US Army, driven by a shared desire to contribute to the war effort. In March 1942, Max embarked on his military journey, starting with boot camp at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey, where he received foundational training. Following boot camp, he continued his education by attending artillery training, further preparing himself for his role in the armed forces. Max embarked on his Army journey within a field artillery unit, commencing with training at Fort Bragg, located on the coast of California. His military education continued at the US Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill Army Base in Oklahoma. An interesting turn of events led Max to Pittsburgh, where he was assigned to load a Canadian Navy LST. Once aboard, they became part of a convoy destined for Algiers as members of Patton’s 7th Army. During his training, Max revealed proficiency in Italian and French, prompting his transfer to the intelligence unit as a linguist. The 849th Signal Intelligence Service introduced a novel strategy, positioning intelligence operations closer to the frontlines alongside the primary unit’s advance. Max’s primary duties involved monitoring and translating radio communications and deciphering captured documents. His nimble 17-member unit operated a highly mobile 2 ½ intercept van, equipped with radio receivers covering High Frequency (BG 342 and BC 344) and s-36 (VHF) frequencies. Max noted that the workload surged whenever the frontlines shifted due to the heightened enemy communication activity. The battle of Kasserine Pass in February of 1943 was Max’s and the United States, the first engagement between U.S. and Axis forces in Africa. This campaign was long and hard, with final advances into Libya in November and finishing its capture in late December. In July of 1943, Max and the 849th participated in the invasion of Sicily with the Western Task Force (Task Force 343) in Operation Husky. After 45 days, the Island was secured, and the 7th prepared for the landings in Italy. They landed outside of Anzio for the battle of Anzio. One of the most memorable events in Max’s military service was the Battle of Mont Cassino. This prolonged battle, lasting over five months, was perhaps the most intense period of his wartime experience. During the Italian campaign, Max found himself in Verona when the Italians surrendered, an unusual moment when he had the opportunity to rest in Mussolini’s bed. Following the Italian surrender, the 849th Signal Intelligence Service unit had a brief respite, spending approximately a month around Malan. However, their tranquility was short-lived as they received news of their impending deployment to the Japanese front to support mainland attacks. They loaded onto ships and began preparations to head to the Pacific theater. While training in the New York area, the news of the atomic bomb and Japan’s surrender reached them. Max’s military journey concluded as he was discharged with the Technician Fourth Grade (T/4) rank within two months of Japan’s surrender, marking the end of his service. Max devoted over 48 years of his career to Pan American World Airways. Throughout his extensive tenure, he served in various capacities, with a notable role as a District Sales Manager specializing in international travel and overseas logistics operations.
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Max Gurney - Home Page Slide Show - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
US Army T4 World War 2 Born on June 10, 1921, Max graduated from The Washington Irving Campus High School in Manhattan, New York. After graduating, Max and several of his schoolmates enlisted in the US Army, driven by a shared desire to contribute to the war effort. In March 1942, Max embarked on his military journey, starting with boot camp at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey, where he received foundational training. Following boot camp, he continued his education by attending artillery training, further preparing himself for his role in the armed forces. Max embarked on his Army journey within a field artillery unit, commencing with training at Fort Bragg, located on the coast of California. His military education continued at the US Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill Army Base in Oklahoma. An interesting turn of events led Max to Pittsburgh, where he was assigned to load a Canadian Navy LST. Once aboard, they became part of a convoy destined for Algiers as members of Patton’s 7th Army. During his training, Max revealed proficiency in Italian and French, prompting his transfer to the intelligence unit as a linguist. The 849th Signal Intelligence Service introduced a novel strategy, positioning intelligence operations closer to the frontlines alongside the primary unit’s advance. Max’s primary duties involved monitoring and translating radio communications and deciphering captured documents. His nimble 17-member unit operated a highly mobile 2 ½ intercept van, equipped with radio receivers covering High Frequency (BG 342 and BC 344) and s-36 (VHF) frequencies. Max noted that the workload surged whenever the frontlines shifted due to the heightened enemy communication activity. The battle of Kasserine Pass in February of 1943 was Max’s and the United States, the first engagement between U.S. and Axis forces in Africa. This campaign was long and hard, with final advances into Libya in November and finishing its capture in late December. In July of 1943, Max and the 849th participated in the invasion of Sicily with the Western Task Force (Task Force 343) in Operation Husky. After 45 days, the Island was secured, and the 7th prepared for the landings in Italy. They landed outside of Anzio for the battle of Anzio. One of the most memorable events in Max’s military service was the Battle of Mont Cassino. This prolonged battle, lasting over five months, was perhaps the most intense period of his wartime experience. During the Italian campaign, Max found himself in Verona when the Italians surrendered, an unusual moment when he had the opportunity to rest in Mussolini’s bed. Following the Italian surrender, the 849th Signal Intelligence Service unit had a brief respite, spending approximately a month around Malan. However, their tranquility was short-lived as they received news of their impending deployment to the Japanese front to support mainland attacks. They loaded onto ships and began preparations to head to the Pacific theater. While training in the New York area, the news of the atomic bomb and Japan’s surrender reached them. Max’s military journey concluded as he was discharged with the Technician Fourth Grade (T/4) rank within two months of Japan’s surrender, marking the end of his service. Max devoted over 48 years of his career to Pan American World Airways. Throughout his extensive tenure, he served in various capacities, with a notable role as a District Sales Manager specializing in international travel and overseas logistics operations.