Thomas Regan - 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
U.S. NAVY Signalman Second Class World War II Thomas Regan was born on April 14, 1925, in Maryland. He graduated from St. Michael’s High School in the summer of 1943 and reported to Washington, D.C., in May 1943 prior to graduation to interview to enroll in the Navy V-5 program. He then joined as a Navy Aviation Cadet Training Program V-5, and candidates who were selected went on to Naval Flight Preparatory School. Thomas attended preflight at the University of Pennsylvania for one semester. After that semester, Thomas left the program and attended Navy Signalman School in Newport, Rhode Island. He graduated and was selected to report to Fort Pierce, Florida, to join training with the First Beach Battalion. This training qualified beach master teams to coordinate the thousands of soldiers and tons of equipment landing during an amphibious invasion. SM3 Regan, a newly graduated First Beach Battalion member, lived in a tent on the beach with his team, waiting for their overseas orders. During out-processing, it was discovered he had a hernia received during this rigorous training. He reported to Miami Hospital for surgery and post-op. After three weeks, he headed to England. It took him another three weeks to arrive, missing his unit and the D-Day invasion. SM3 Regan was assigned to LST-141, a landing ship tank operating in the Mediterranean. LST-141 participated in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France. They then moved troops and tanks from Italy to Marseille, France, for the big push into Germany. LST-141, during one of its 20+ round trips, was returning to Italy when it was attacked by a small group of German ships and participated in the last naval surface action in the Mediterranean Sea. SM2 Regan was assigned to a YW-117 (Water Ship) heading to China after receiving a return to port message after Japan's surrender. Thomas qualified as “officer of the day” underway to help relieve the small number of officers onboard. They reported to San Francisco to service ships returning from the Pacific campaign during the mass return of ships to the United States. SM2 Regan was honorably discharged on May 26, 1946. He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Thomas used his GI bill to attend the University of Maryland, where he studied pre-law and economics. He worked in the heavy construction industry overseas, building dams. He was married to Marilyn, and they had one son.
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Thomas Regan - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
U.S. NAVY Signalman Second Class World War II Thomas Regan was born on April 14, 1925, in Maryland. He graduated from St. Michael’s High School in the summer of 1943 and reported to Washington, D.C., in May 1943 prior to graduation to interview to enroll in the Navy V-5 program. He then joined as a Navy Aviation Cadet Training Program V-5, and candidates who were selected went on to Naval Flight Preparatory School. Thomas attended preflight at the University of Pennsylvania for one semester. After that semester, Thomas left the program and attended Navy Signalman School in Newport, Rhode Island. He graduated and was selected to report to Fort Pierce, Florida, to join training with the First Beach Battalion. This training qualified beach master teams to coordinate the thousands of soldiers and tons of equipment landing during an amphibious invasion. SM3 Regan, a newly graduated First Beach Battalion member, lived in a tent on the beach with his team, waiting for their overseas orders. During out-processing, it was discovered he had a hernia received during this rigorous training. He reported to Miami Hospital for surgery and post-op. After three weeks, he headed to England. It took him another three weeks to arrive, missing his unit and the D-Day invasion. SM3 Regan was assigned to LST-141, a landing ship tank operating in the Mediterranean. LST-141 participated in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France. They then moved troops and tanks from Italy to Marseille, France, for the big push into Germany. LST-141, during one of its 20+ round trips, was returning to Italy when it was attacked by a small group of German ships and participated in the last naval surface action in the Mediterranean Sea. SM2 Regan was assigned to a YW-117 (Water Ship) heading to China after receiving a return to port message after Japan's surrender. Thomas qualified as “officer of the day” underway to help relieve the small number of officers onboard. They reported to San Francisco to service ships returning from the Pacific campaign during the mass return of ships to the United States. SM2 Regan was honorably discharged on May 26, 1946. He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Thomas used his GI bill to attend the University of Maryland, where he studied pre-law and economics. He worked in the heavy construction industry overseas, building dams. He was married to Marilyn, and they had one son.