"So they left me on the ladder, and I crawled up three decks, pullin' myself up. When I got on the top deck, the ship was...burning from one end to the other." (Audio interview, 29:42)

William Edmund Lentsch

William Lentsch in uniform [1944] War: World War, 1939-1945 Branch: Marine Corps Unit: 1st Marine Division; USS Vincennes (CA 44) Service Location: Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) Parris Island, South Carolina; South Pacific Rank: Private First Class

After joining the Marine Corps to escape a troubled home life, William Lentsch was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, serving aboard the USS Vincennes. As a “hot-shell man,” Lentsch caught the casings that came out of 5-inch guns, and threw them overboard. But during the Battle of Savo Island, his duty station was hit by enemy torpedoes, and the Vincennes began to sink. Despite a badly broken leg, he managed to climb a ladder to the top deck and abandon ship. He was picked up by a life raft, and eventually made it to a hospital ship, before returning to the United States, where he spent months recuperating. After returning to civilian life, Lentsch went to work in a factory and shared his story to promote the sale of war bonds.