Carl Little - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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World War 2

Click on Veteran's photo to see their service story. These Warriors served during the World War 2.

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 Go Fund Me.

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 an hour. But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some still photographers for in 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 or many of the California Veterans Homes.

Copyright © 2024 Mickey Strand – Veterans Series
US Army Air Corp & US NAVY PFC - BMC World War 2 - Korean War - Vietnam War Carl E. Little was born on Mary 2nd, 1928, and grew up on a farm, leaving at 15 to work at a family bakery in Ohio. One day, a man visiting the store asked if he was interested in working at the Airbase at Wright-Paterson, Ohio. He apprenticed as a Hydraulics specialist at the Air Base, having lied about his age to be able to work at the Hydraulic shop until the Army drafted him thinking he was 18. He was shipped off to boot camp on 1 April 1945 at 16 to Camp Robbins, Little Rock, Arkansas, learning that Germany had surrendered a week before graduation. He was scheduled to ship-out to Tank Driver training when he reported to his Sargent that he had yet to be paid for two to three months. Upon investigation, there were no records for PVT Little, so the Army started a new set. His sergeant uncovered his past specialty and found a billet was open for a Hydraulics specialist. Carl was diverted to Borinquen Army Airfield, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, a place Carl had never heard of. After working in Porto Rico as the shop supervisor for a while, Carl requested a transfer and was reassigned to become a local Military Police. As an MP, he stood guard at the gates and performed Town Patrol, ensuring service members returned to base before curfew. He served in Puerto Rico for three years before transferring to Detroit and then Bolling Field in Washington, DC, to finish his service obligation. He was on active duty when the US Air Force was separated from the Army Air Corps. He was separated as a CPL in Nov of 1948 after four years. Carl had many civilian jobs in the following years and was offered to join the Navy in the summer of 1951 to serve again during the Korean War. He attended boot camp at Great Lakes, Ill, and reported to the USS Windless ARD-4, a Gypsy-class salvage lifting vessel. Carl passed the diver test and attended UDT training, where he was involved in an accident during hell week and was forced to drop from training. He reported to the USS Rushmore LSD-14, serving a year before he received orders to Italy to work on a Criss Craft as the coxswain on the Admiral's barge in Naples, Italy. He was promoted and transferred to the boot motor pool for the last year of his three-year tour. Carl also served onboard the USS Northampton CLC-1, the USS Lenawee (APA-195), Amphibious Construction Battalion ONE, and CNIC Norfolk Va., the USS Bexar (APA-237) as LPO of the boat division. Carl married Shirley, a mother of 4 Girls, making him an instant father on day one. During Vietnam, Carl reported to Assault Craft Unit 1 (ACU1) onboard LCU-1481 for his first of three tours. He ran supplies, tanks, and troops up and down the rivers and coastline. Carl was the Chief Boatswain at the Nuclear Weapons Training Center Pacific in San Diego. Carl also worked with the work-study group in Norfolk and then finally at NTC San Diego as a Traffic Judge. BMC Carl E. Little retired in March of 1978, serving over 30 years on active duty.
Carl Little - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
US Army Air Corp & US NAVY PFC - BMC World War 2 - Korean War - Vietnam War Carl E. Little was born on Mary 2nd, 1928, and grew up on a farm, leaving at 15 to work at a family bakery in Ohio. One day, a man visiting the store asked if he was interested in working at the Airbase at Wright-Paterson, Ohio. He apprenticed as a Hydraulics specialist at the Air Base, having lied about his age to be able to work at the Hydraulic shop until the Army drafted him thinking he was 18. He was shipped off to boot camp on 1 April 1945 at 16 to Camp Robbins, Little Rock, Arkansas, learning that Germany had surrendered a week before graduation. He was scheduled to ship-out to Tank Driver training when he reported to his Sargent that he had yet to be paid for two to three months. Upon investigation, there were no records for PVT Little, so the Army started a new set. His sergeant uncovered his past specialty and found a billet was open for a Hydraulics specialist. Carl was diverted to Borinquen Army Airfield, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, a place Carl had never heard of. After working in Porto Rico as the shop supervisor for a while, Carl requested a transfer and was reassigned to become a local Military Police. As an MP, he stood guard at the gates and performed Town Patrol, ensuring service members returned to base before curfew. He served in Puerto Rico for three years before transferring to Detroit and then Bolling Field in Washington, DC, to finish his service obligation. He was on active duty when the US Air Force was separated from the Army Air Corps. He was separated as a CPL in Nov of 1948 after four years. Carl had many civilian jobs in the following years and was offered to join the Navy in the summer of 1951 to serve again during the Korean War. He attended boot camp at Great Lakes, Ill, and reported to the USS Windless ARD-4, a Gypsy-class salvage lifting vessel. Carl passed the diver test and attended UDT training, where he was involved in an accident during hell week and was forced to drop from training. He reported to the USS Rushmore LSD-14, serving a year before he received orders to Italy to work on a Criss Craft as the coxswain on the Admiral's barge in Naples, Italy. He was promoted and transferred to the boot motor pool for the last year of his three-year tour. Carl also served onboard the USS Northampton CLC-1, the USS Lenawee (APA-195), Amphibious Construction Battalion ONE, and CNIC Norfolk Va., the USS Bexar (APA-237) as LPO of the boat division. Carl married Shirley, a mother of 4 Girls, making him an instant father on day one. During Vietnam, Carl reported to Assault Craft Unit 1 (ACU1) onboard LCU-1481 for his first of three tours. He ran supplies, tanks, and troops up and down the rivers and coastline. Carl was the Chief Boatswain at the Nuclear Weapons Training Center Pacific in San Diego. Carl also worked with the work-study group in Norfolk and then finally at NTC San Diego as a Traffic Judge. BMC Carl E. Little retired in March of 1978, serving over 30 years on active duty.