World War II Veteran
Donald R Coffman
1921 - 2015

Interviewed by:

Andrew Norgeot and Zack King

"LST remembered was Large Slow Target. " 9:07
~ Donald R Coffman

Donald R Coffman's Story

First, our seasoned Veteran started off going to Navigator School while at Boot Camp at Camp Sampson, Geneva New York. Once he graduated from Boot Camp and Navigator School, he married his beautiful wife Gloria. He then was sent to Newport, Rhode Island where he met his fellow shipmates, but since this was going to take some time he took another Advanced Navigator Class.

After the crew was assembled, they were sent down to Norfolk Virginia. While there, his wife came down and they had a wonderful Thanksgiving together. Don and the crew were then sent to Evansville, Indiana because, their ship was being constructed there. After the ship was completed, they placed it into the Mississippi River where they then set sail down towards New Orleans. They couldn't sail at night for reasons he did not know but when they anchored for the evening, they were so close to shore that Don picked some leaves to send back to his beloved wife Gloria. At New Orleans, they had a Shakedown to test the crews abilities. Once their Shake Down was done they set off for Galveston, Texas, here they took on food and other supplies and prepared to go through the Panama Canal.

They then stopped at Coco Solo, Panama to take on fuel. They then took off through the Panama Canal, which took about two days. Then after a 23-day trip through Pacific Ocean, they arrive in Pearl Harbor. While there, they picked up some high ranking officers that they would then drop off in Tokyo later. After their arrival in Pearl Harbor, they went to the Manila Philippines where they gave food to the LCI's (Landing Craft Infantry) that were there.

From there they sailed over to Tokyo where the high ranking officers set off in search of strange war machines and obtain their building instructions or get the machine itself. Then, they went over to Yokohoma where they were given some money to spend in the town, where Don bought some silks and made an old wax recording of his singing and playing the piano to send back to his wife while in Japan. Don found out that there was a Merchant Ship in port and he went to find out if he could take that back home. He got the ok and was sent off with the ship, which was holding some soldiers as well. After almost completely crossing the Pacific, just off the coast of Los Angeles, the Captain of the ship got other orders. The ship was then redirected to Coco Solo, Panama. Once the Merchant ship had completed their orders, they went to the Northern Atlantic Coast, up the Hudson River and that’s when Don was dropped off.

From there Don called up an army base in the area and asked if they could pick him and some of his buddies up. They were informed there was a bus that could come by and pick them up and they decided that would do. Then they waited for the bus. Don and his buddies told the driver to drop them off at the nearest bar where they had their first real burger and fries since before he enlisted. Once done they got on the bus again, went up to the base and they were given three day of leave. Don went down to New Jersey to see his wife again. He went around to the back of her house, threw small rocks at her window until she opened them up and they talked for a while. Since his wife was living with her parents at the time and her dad was conveniently having the house painted. He climbed up the scaffolding on the house and gave his wife a kiss before he had to go. Once the three days of leave were up, he then went back to the base where he was then discharged.