. . Like many Korean War veterans, Mt. Lebanon’s Chuck Torisky is quiet about his service. It was a long time ago when he was drafted into the Army for two years as a radio operator. He was 21. When you’re young, Chuck reflects, guys think they’re bullet proof. Invincible. Before
. . Eugene Torisky of Stow, Ohio served in the navy as a radioman during the 1950s, sailing on two different destroyers, the USS Turner (DDR-834) and the USS Fessenden (DER-142). Gene grew up in Pittsburgh, attended Catholic seminary school, but then decided against a life in service to the church.
. . Looking back at his service during WW II, William Tingle considers himself the luckiest man in the Army. Poor eyesight kept him out of the Navy in 1943, but the Army found use for Bill Tingle supporting the 8th Air Force in England. A week after the Normandy invasion,
. . Ken Thomas is from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and he’s a very good friend of Barry Campbell, both drafted during Vietnam. In fact, both of their wives were pregnant with their first children at the time. There is a bond there that goes deep. Ken tries not to dwell on
. . Wynn Sullivan entered the US Army Air Corps in September 1943 and served in Italy as a navigator aboard a C-47.
. . Nick Steri entered the US Navy in February 1944 as a yeoman aboard LSM 32 and was a gunner on a 20mm cannon on the starboard side of the ship. On Sunday, April 1, 1945, he was behind his gun during the invasion of Okinawa where he engaged and
