Saturday, March 21, 2015
As a World War II U.S. Navy combat veteran of the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of action, I had never heard the acronym PTSD — Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — until recently. I can sympathize with any veteran that has it.
In WWII, we called it battle shock or battle fatigue. For the younger readers, my “I was there memories” may be a history lesson.
I participated in the D-Day invasions of Luzon, Philippine Islands, on Jan. 9, 1945, and Okinawa, Ruykus, on April 1, 1945. After 18 months overseas, I came home Feb. 20, 1946, pretty well shaken up. Firmly embedded in my mind are the following incidents that caused my “WWII PTSD.” I was aboard the U.S.S. LST 582 the entire time. Starting with the two major D-Day invasions, two major typhoons, preparing for the upcoming monumental invasion of Japan’s homeland, I thought I would never return to good old Youngstown.
Atom bomb
President Harry S. Truman’s decision to drop the atom bomb saved my life, which I firmly believe. Two of my shipmates were sent home, because of battle shock; two were sent home because of unbearable sea sickness.
As I recall, many incidents could have triggered a PTSD disorder during my tour of duty. Japanese kamikaze (suicide) planes, no higher than a telephone pole and directly over my 20mm gun tub, but overshooting it. A typhoon off of Okinawa that I thought would capsize or break our ship in half. One of our U.S. troops committing suicide on a D-Day invasion. The sight of his body bag is still a heart breaker almost 70 years later. Fear of contracting the infectious disease malaria was always present.
Another sight that remains embedded in my memory is a shipmate who started with a head of coal-black hair and ended up with a snow white crop, due to stress.
Our society worships sports stars, TV stars, etc. as heroes, but I admire our real stars, our veteran saviors. We must never “let up our guard.”
Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and member of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.