Eron Zackoski

Other (Aviation Machinist, First Class)

On August 14, 1945, I was aboard my ship, and we were on our way to Pearl Harbor. At the time, I was a First Class Aviation Machinist. When I heard the news that the war was over, I felt sadness. After that day, I went back home to my wife, and we had a baby 1 month after peace was declared.

The reason I wanted to become an Aviation Machinist is because I have had a love for airplanes ever since I was a little kid, and I wanted to help our country defeat our enemies. I stayed as an Aviation Machinist for the next 44 years, and after I retired, I had 4 kids and we lived near a lake in Minnesota.

I now reside in the Regency, located in San Jose. If I could describe August 14, 1945 in one word, I would say it was sadness.

Submitted by:
Catherine D. Vo
San Jose, CA - United States

Relationship to Storyteller:
Youth voluntee

Irwin Zahn

Doris Zsutty

(Maiden Name: Michler)

Other U.S. Government Service

At the age of 18 I worked for the goverment at Baxter Hospital in Spokane to earn enough money to go to Comptometer school. The convoys would come in with the wounded. These men were able to walk around. I worked in the mess hall serving the food. They would come in their robes and pajamas. There would be several men to one room with a room mother. We even had a prisoner of war, he had a big P W on the back of his robe. I went to Comptometer school, married a Navy Man and came to San Diego on June 30th 1945 at one o'clock in the morning on a bus that let us off at the Plaza. All that I could see was a sea of white hats. I went to work for Mc Kesson and Robbins on J street in their office. On August 14, 1945 our boss said the war is over everyone go. I took the bus to the Plaza met my husband there who was at the time stationed at North Island. What a celebration. People were hanging out of the windows. That is where we were on August 14 1945. Where Baxter Hospital was during the war is now the Veterans Hospital. Doris Zsutty

Esther Zuckerman

Rae Zurovcik