Interviewed by:

Jospeh Pignetti

Robert Thornton's Story:

Robert Thornton was an average teen in 1920-30's Brooklyn. After going to work early in his life after having trouble in school, he was called by his country to serve in WWII. In the war he served in the naval construction unit known as the Sea Bees. He saw the end of the war against the Japanese in the Philippines where he was stationed. He then served as a machinist aboard the USS Colonial in the Korean war, sometimes known as the Forgotten war.

Today Robert lives in Cape Cod Massachusetts. He can be described as a man of God and a helper of the community. Despite being at the age of 89 his weekends are taken up with his jail inmate reform program known as REC, a mostly religion based program to help inmates find their way and become a part of society. In addition he still works four days a week as a machinist making oceanographic instruments and prototypes. For example, in the winter of 2016 China picked up a drone (most likely to gain possession of technology) that came out of his own shop. Robert is a true example of the greatest generation.