Embedded Files
Interviewed by:
Anna McMakin and Zachary McGinn
1987
2015
" ... Met many different cultures, seen the Great Pyramids, which was absolutely fascinating,
and also spent many, many months at sea, seeing absolutely nothing. So it's the best of both worlds."
~ Thomas Osowski (6:03)
Name:
Thomas Osowski
Date of Birth:
July 12th, 1969
Branch of Service:
U.S. Navy
Dates of Service:
August 24th, 1987 -
August 24th, 1996
Location of Military Service:
Norfolk Virginia, Jackson Florida,
Mississippi, and Groton Connecticut
Residence at Time of Interview:
Eastham, Massachusetts
Thomas Osowski's Story:
Thomas Osowski is a local veteran from Provincetown, but now resides in Eastham with his wife and two daughters. Growing up, he worked in boat yards and was always around water, with military influence from relatives. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age seventeen, and started the thirteen week journey through boot camp at age eighteen.
After he finished boot camp, he was stationed on the USS Iowa, a battleship, for two years, the USS Gallery, a perry-fast frigate, for over three years, and a submarine base in Groton, Connecticut, for about three years. In the Navy, he was a fire control technician who controlled electronics for warfare which included shooting the big guns and missiles, protecting the ship, and saving lives. Throughout his naval career, he went to the Persian Gulf three times and visited many places in Europe, but also was out at sea for many long periods of time.
Unfortunately, on April 19th, 1989 around eight o’clock in the morning, there was a turret explosion on the USS Iowa that killed forty-seven of his fellow shipmates.
He made the best out of every situation, including the joke between him and his shipmates on the USS Gallery, which was comparing the boat to a floating beer can because it rocked so much, and reminiscing over one day when a tugboat passed the ship and he asked a friend, “Is this thing moving?” His friend told him that he was in for a fun time, and another time where they were on the quarterdeck together they came across two new recruits who were in the same position that Mr.Osowski was once in, which the two got a laugh out of.
After nine years in the military, Mr.Osowski returned to the Cape as a Petty Officer, Second Class. Mr.Osowski has seen the light and dark sides of the military, and the memories from his nine years of experience will stick with him forever.
USS Iowa:
http://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/imgs/uss-iowa-bb61-battleship-united-states-navy.jpg
USS Gallery:
http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/frigates/photos/gallery_ffg26/uss_gallery_07.jpg
Veteran Artifacts:
The jacket below has all of the places he has been to while on the USS Iowa
Mr.Osowski's Jacket (front)
Mr.Osowski's Jacket (back)
Boot Camp Class of 1987
*Note:
Other artifacts shown in video include the ship crest of the USS Gallery, the patch from the second
cruise to the Persian Gulf, and a shoulder patch that said where Mr. Osowski was stationed.
Unfortunately, many of his medals and other artifacts were lost.
The Persian Gulf War:
The Persian Gulf war began as an internal conflict when Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2nd, 1990. The leader of Iraq ordered for the invasion, occupation of Kuwait with the aim of getting the nation's large oil reserves, cancelling the debt that Iraq owed Kuwait, and expanding Iraqi power.
The following day, the United Nations Security Council called for Iraq to pull back from Kuwait, and three days later on August 6th, the council declared a worldwide ban of trade from Iraq. Iraq responded by annexing Kuwait on August 8th. The invasion posed a threat to Saudi Arabia (the worlds largest oil producer and exporter) which made the United States step in with it's NATO allies and a few other countries which created the military build up, otherwise known as Operation Desert Shield.
The large military offense accumulated with troops from the allies began on January 16th-17th, 1991, with a large U.S. air campaign that lasted throughout the duration of the war. These aerial actions was also known as Operation Desert Storm. After Operation Desert Sabre (the allies ground offense), on February 28th, former President George Bush called to cease-fire and the Iraqi resistance collapsed.
Map of the Persian Gulf War
http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/83/64883-004-95FF8217.gif
Report abuse