"That's when our captain said we were as much a part of that crew as anyone else." (Audio Interview, 21:07)

Frank Hosendove

Frank Hosendove, 2002 War: World War, 1939-1945 Branch: Navy Service Location: Great Lakes, Illinois; Hampton Institute, Virginia; Honolulu; Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands) Rank: Carpenter's Mate Second Class Place of Birth: Hopkinsville, KY

Over 30 years old, with a wife and child, working in a defense plant, Frank Hosendove was surprised when he received his draft notice in early 1944. His experiences in the Navy were mostly positive, thanks to a captain who didn't believe in segregation, encouraging black sailors to come to him if they encountered any prejudice. His ship, the cargo vessel USS Bridge, sailed the Pacific without incident during the war but was badly damaged when it hit a mine 10 weeks after V-J Day.