Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Irwin Robinson Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Coast Guard
- Unit of Service: USCGC Bibb (WPG 31)
- Location of Service: New York; Sandy Hook, Connecticut; New London, Connecticut; Bizerte, Tunisia; Palermo, Italy; Atlantic Ocean; Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands); Pacific Theater; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/60621
Irwin "Rocky" Robinson was a shipping clerk when he enlisted in the Coast Guard, sweet-talked into that branch by a clever recruiter who saw him standing in a long line to join the Navy. Robinson became a Pharmacist's Mate aboard the lead ship in a convoy, with the only doctor for miles and miles around. Their patients ranged from a buddy with an inflamed appendix to a German prisoner whom Robinson, a New York Jew, was able to communicate with in Yiddish. He saw action in North Africa, where he attended services in a historic temple during the High Holy Days; Sicily; and in the Pacific, where they dodged kamikaze planes. In his spare time, Robinson did a little boxing, which is how he earned his nickname.
Interview / Recording
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PlayPharmacist's Mate on ship; went to Columbia College of Pharmacy, worked in hospital in New London, CT; enlisted; shipping clerk at time; went to enlist in Navy; long line; Coast Guard recruiter talked him into going with a smaller service--better chance to advance -and a shorter line; training at Manhattan Beach; Coast Guard had boxing program; Jack Dempsey was involved; lead ship on two convoys, one to Bizerte, North Africa, the other to Palermo, Sicily; converted to communications ship, took on admiral; sailed to Pacific in preparation for invasion of Japan; kamikaze attacks off Okinawa; doctor from their ship transported to burning ship; just as he boarded the distressed vessel he slipped and suffered fatal injuries. 00:02:11.1 - 00:06:56.5
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PlayIn Africa for the High Holy Days; went with three other sailors to temple in Bizerte; the atmosphere was reminiscent of Biblical times. 00:07:07.2 - 00:07:55.9
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PlayUsed a code in letters he wrote to communicate with his mother and with a buddy serving in the Army; he was able to tell them where he was going, had a rendezvous with his Army pal in Hawaii because of this communication method. 00:08:55.2 - 00:09:53.2
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PlayAnchored at sea when he heard of the Hiroshima bombing; typhoon hit in the month after the Armistice; they rode it out; devastation in the harbor of Yokohama wrecked much of Japanese fleet; he compares it to "divine wind" from Japanese history which is the literal meaning of the word "kamikaze." 00:14:10.1 - 00:16:14.9
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PlayWent into the service as a kid; when it was over, he was mature; advice to young seamen; admiring of captain who got them through the typhoon; his battle station was right next to anti-aircraft guns; that led to hearing loss. 00:22:19.1 - 00:25:11.0
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PlayAssisting in emergency appendectomy aboard ship; doctor had never performed an operation; Robinson and other men assisting also inexperienced; used packets of sulfa drug which had just arrived; patient recovered; he was Robinson's manager and trainer for his boxing matches; called Robinson 20 years later to invite him to reunion; told Robinson's wife that Rocky had saved his life; only ship in their convoy with a doctor, so patients were transferred to them, including a German prisoner with a Hitler mustache; Robinson spoke a little Yiddish and could communicate with him. 00:27:25.4 - 00:32:17.6
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PlayWar is a shared experience in different degrees; one of his buddies spent the war in Hawaii; another was in Guadalcanal for 3 weeks and came back an emotional wreck; one guy from his neighborhood died in Belgium, a violinist whose brother also played violin, at Radio City Music Hall; the experience of serving in uniform may have been more maturing afterwards than during. 00:34:44.7 - 00:35:55.5
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About this Item
Title
- Irwin Robinson Collection
Names
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center & Nursing Home, Sepulveda, California
- James, Becky
- Davis, Vance
- Robinson, Irwin
Home State
- California
Headings
- - Robinson, Irwin
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Coast Guard.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- Other
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Coast Guard
- Unit of Service: USCGC Bibb (WPG 31)
- Location of Service: New York; Sandy Hook, Connecticut; New London, Connecticut; Bizerte, Tunisia; Palermo, Italy; Atlantic Ocean; Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands); Pacific Theater; European Theater
- Highest Rank: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class
- Dates of Service: 1942-1946
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-02-23; 2005-03-17)
- Computer File: CD [1 item] -- Electronic file of photograph (collected 2005-05-26)
- Photograph: Digital print [18 items] -- Photograph (collected 1942-1945)
- Manuscript: Clippings [3 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1945)
- Manuscript: Creative works [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 1944-04)
- Manuscript: Memoirs [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
- Manuscript: Military papers (orders, personnel/201 files, etc) [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 1945-12-30)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/60621
Cite as
- Irwin Robinson Collection (AFC/2001/001/60621), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Atlantic Ocean
- Bizerte, Tunisia
- European Theater
- New London, Connecticut
- New York
- Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands)
- Pacific Theater
- Palermo, Italy
- Sandy Hook, Connecticut