The day that changed world forever

As an 88-year-old U.S. Navy combat veteran of World War II, every August since 1945 brings back memories of Aug. 6, 1945. It was the day that changed our world and mine especially forever. The first atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.

Our ship the USS LST 582, a large amphibious landing craft was on maneuvers in Iloilo, Panay in the Philippine Islands, preparing for the invasion of the Japanese homeland. “It was the invasion that never was,” thank God. Our casualty rate and that of the Japanese would have been astronomical.

Our ship had carried about 500 troops of the 37th Infantry Division on the Jan. 9,1945, D-Day invasion of Kuzon, Philippine Islands and 500 troops of the 1st Marine Division into the beachheads of Okinawa on Easter.

I was a 2nd class motor machinist’s mate normally stationed in either our main (propulsion) engine room or auxiliary (generators) engine room. During battle conditions, I was on a three-man 20mm anti-aircraft gun crew, which saw all of the Kamikaze (suicide plane) action.

On August 7, I was off duty, sunning myself on the main deck of the ship, when our armed forces radio station announcer said that one of our B-29 superfortress bombers had dropped an atomic bomb the day before on Hiroshima, Japan that was the equivalent of 2,000 tons of TNT.

I remarked to my shipmate, Al Carkin, that that radio announcer made a mistake or was nuts. He was right on target.

Truman gets credit

If it wasn’t for our great president Harry S. Truman, who I have always believed made the right decision, I may never have reached my 22nd birthday, let alone my 88th.

I am very proud to have five of my newspaper columns defending President Truman’s decision to drop the atom bomb included in the archives of the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Mo., so that they can be viewed by high school and college students into posterity.

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and a member of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame