Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
3:50 | John Lummus found himself representing the Hospital Corps on a small weather ship without any real medical training. He managed to do his job well and recalls a case in which a power drill from the tool shop served a valuable medical function.
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Draftee John Lummus asked for the Air Corps but that service was full so he chose the Navy. He figured at least he would have a bed. Then he fell ill during basic training, which accidentally set his future course in the Hospital Corps.
Out of basic, the first assignment for John Lummus was to open a pre-radio school for Naval trainees in an old high school in Chicago. A request from his pastor back home in Georgia led to a memorable visit.
John Lummus shipped out on a large vessel to the Pacific theater, but it had a malfunction and the crew was reassigned while at Pearl Harbor. To get out of the hot sun, he answered a call for a typist at the Naval hospital. Then, finally, he got his berth on a ship...of sorts.
To describe his experiences aboard a converted weather ship based out of Pearl Harbor, John Lummus must first ask the question, "Have you ever seen the TV show McHale's Navy?
Somewhere, John Lummus had acquired a beat up, old Kodak camera. He got a developing kit and he spent his spare time aboard a weather ship taking pictures of everything. His skipper let him take the pictures with him, but he had to make a promise.
