Mack Plunkett - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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 Navy SM1 World War 2 Mack Plunkett was born on Feb 3, 1921, and served in the US Navy from 1942 to 1945. Mack served as a Signalman and rose to the rank of Petty Officer First Class (SM1).  Like every recruit entering the Navy, Mack attended his induction interviews and physicals and then reported to Boot Camp.  Boot camp in 1942 was cut to eight weeks after the US entered the war.  Mack then attended Signalman A School for Sailors, specializing in visual communication. Here, he learned the semaphore flag alphabet to spell communications and Morse code for signal lamp message sending.  This is all line of site communications used between ships near each other. Mack served aboard the USS Boston (CA-69), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser in the Pacific Fleet, from its commissioning in Boston, MA, in 1942 until its decommissioning in 1945. The USS Boston took part in raids on the Marshall Islands to support the invasions of Kwajalein, Majuro, & Eniwetok from Jan to Feb 1944.  USS Boston also supported the assaults on the Palaus, Western Carolines, Western New Guinea, and the operations of Task Force 38 at Okinawa.  Mack served during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the raid on the Chinese mainland. Mack talked about having General Quarters at his stations on the signal bridge almost every day that he and the ship were on station.  He remembers many kamikaze attacks happening during many of the shore bombardment missions.  The kamikazes would fly along the water, trying to fly into the side of his ship along the waterline.  Once, the ship shot down one that crashed just in front of the ship's focsle rocking the front of the ship.  Boston returned to the Marianas to support the invasion of Guam on 12 July. She also supported the raids on the Philippine Islands, starting on 9 September until 24 September.  She served with TF 38 during the Okinawa raid on 10 October and the northern Luzon and Formosa raid in October. The carrier task force launched a raid on Nansei Shoto on 22 January, and Honshū and Nansei Shoto raids on 15–16 February and 1 March, in which she bombarded Japan. Following the surrender of Japan, Boston remained in the Far East on occupation duty until 28 February 1946. She then returned to the United States and was placed out of commission when most sailors abroad, including Mack, were dismissed from active duty and returned to their home of record.
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Mack Plunkett - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
US Navy SM1 World War 2 Mack Plunkett was born on Feb 3, 1921, and served in the US Navy from 1942 to 1945. Mack served as a Signalman and rose to the rank of Petty Officer First Class (SM1).  Like every recruit entering the Navy, Mack attended his induction interviews and physicals and then reported to Boot Camp.  Boot camp in 1942 was cut to eight weeks after the US entered the war.  Mack then attended Signalman A School for Sailors, specializing in visual communication. Here, he learned the semaphore flag alphabet to spell communications and Morse code for signal lamp message sending.  This is all line of site communications used between ships near each other. Mack served aboard the USS Boston (CA-69), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser in the Pacific Fleet, from its commissioning in Boston, MA, in 1942 until its decommissioning in 1945. The USS Boston took part in raids on the Marshall Islands to support the invasions of Kwajalein, Majuro, & Eniwetok from Jan to Feb 1944.  USS Boston also supported the assaults on the Palaus, Western Carolines, Western New Guinea, and the operations of Task Force 38 at Okinawa.  Mack served during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the raid on the Chinese mainland. Mack talked about having General Quarters at his stations on the signal bridge almost every day that he and the ship were on station.  He remembers many kamikaze attacks happening during many of the shore bombardment missions.  The kamikazes would fly along the water, trying to fly into the side of his ship along the waterline.  Once, the ship shot down one that crashed just in front of the ship's focsle rocking the front of the ship.  Boston returned to the Marianas to support the invasion of Guam on 12 July. She also supported the raids on the Philippine Islands, starting on 9 September until 24 September.  She served with TF 38 during the Okinawa raid on 10 October and the northern Luzon and Formosa raid in October. The carrier task force launched a raid on Nansei Shoto on 22 January, and Honshū and Nansei Shoto raids on 15–16 February and 1 March, in which she bombarded Japan. Following the surrender of Japan, Boston remained in the Far East on occupation duty until 28 February 1946. She then returned to the United States and was placed out of commission when most sailors abroad, including Mack, were dismissed from active duty and returned to their home of record.