Frank Pena Sr.

I'm Proud to serve my country

Frank B. Pena Sr. August 6, 1927

San Antonio, Texas

September 12, 2010

Marcus F. Guerra

Palo Alto College

History 1302 - Fall 2010

 

INTRODUCTION
TRANSCRIPTION
ANALYSIS
TIMELINE
BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

INTRODUCTION

Frank Pena Sr. was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas until the age of seventeen when he joined the Unites states Navy in 1945. The U.S Navy gave him the opportunity to travel the world such as Tokyo, Shanghai, Australia and Tijuana which was his favorite. Growing up in San Antonio, he did not like leaving his neighborhood on Guadalupe Street. His friends and roughing up outsiders was his idea of a good time. He graduated from Lanear high school and was bound for trouble which led him to join the service. Growing up during the Great Depression was not easy and considered himself and his family to be real poor. When he was ten years old he would shoe shine for three cents a person. His mother Petra Pena passed away when he was five years old; his father had help from other family members and his brothers and sisters. It was still difficult for him since he was the oldest and had two other siblings to watch over. His father Jose Pena continued as a plumber through the depression and retired as one. Even though he was working times were very tough. After serving his time with the U.S navy he got married and started working for the civil service and started a family which he had five kids; Albert ,Rosemary, Sylvia, Grace and Frank Jr. He now lives in senior citizen apartments. He likes to play dominoes, checkers and cards with his friends. He claims he has a natural position when it comes to being a democrat or a republican, he says either way you still have to work. He also is a catholic and goes to church every day at the Guadalupe church. 

 

TRANSCRIPTION

What's your full name and where were you born?
"Frank Pena sr. I was born in san Antonio, Texas. Westside Colima street."

Did you have to work when you were growing up at home? If so what did you do?
"It wasn't easy growing up, my father was always working and I didn't want to stay home and do nothing. I would run the streets with my friends and find some trouble to get into. I started to shine shoes when I was 10 and when I was 15 I was a waiter at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel"

did you finish school and what school did you go to?
"yes I did. I was good in school; I just got into too much trouble. I used to liked to fight, wait I still do( laughs). I graduated from Lanear High school."

What made you join the Navy?
"because I liked the boots the national Guard would wear(laughs). No it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I wanted to serve my country.I am glad I did."

How old were you in the Navy?
"I been with the service for thirty three years. Time goes by fast."

Would you do all over again?? If so, till what grade did you stay in school?
"Damn right I would! Hey, I love to fight especially those Japanese, They were mean, but so was I(laughs)."

Frank Pena, Tokyo,Japan. Relaxing in town, on his day off.

did you ever get married? How many kids did you have?
" This is something I dont like to talk about,my wife. We divorced after 5 kids. I loved her, but she is gone from us now and I mis her. "

What did you like about visitng Hawaii?
" If I could back, I would love to visit Hawaii, The girls were beautiful. You see I was what you called a playboy back then.(laughs). I would leave ship and come back with several girls for my friends. everything was cheap. You could get anything you wanted with gum or a couple of bucks."

Where else did you go with the Navy?
" Everywhere the ship went i went with it. I went to Japan, Australia, China and lots of other places. "

Where you there when they were testing the atom boms in 1946 on Bikini Island?
"We made history that day. There was people from all over the world to see what was going to happend. The first bomb we dropped was a mis and the second one was the one that made the most damage. They made us lay down on the ship and wear these red glasses so we wouldn't go blind. We could feel the boat rock from the blast. Did you know they had animals on the ships they were bombing for testing I guess."

did you get to walk on the island before they bombed it?
" I didn't know there was people on it, they gathered the people and moved them.it was a real pretty place to be. we had to show the world what are bombs could do."

What did you do with all of your pictures?
"All the pictures you see here on the wall is all I have. I lived my life out of a duffle bag. I didn't have room for pictures. I would send some to my sister Janie, but I think she lost them in a flood. When I would send her pictures they had an atomic bomb stamp on the back"

Frank pena, Joining the Navy was the best decision I ever made.

Did your amily worry about you being in the Navy?
"Yeah they did, my girl friend at the time used to write to me everday from 6000 miles away, everyday. When I would get them they would smell like perfume, I would let the guys smell it(laughs)."

did you ever get hurt while you were in the Navy?
" No, I was healthy and ready to fight. Until I came home got old and lost both of my legs to diabetes."

In 1945 The U.S would drop it's fourth and fifth atomic bomb; This was a program called The Crossroads. The two bombs were dropped on Bikini Island; this area became one of the first radioactive disasters in the world. On the ships which were destroyed by Bomb 1 called Able and bomb 2 called baker they carried live animals which were placed on board these deserted ships to see the damage to life it would cause. This was a picture his friend gave him while on his ship. Dark red glasses were given to everyone on board to view the explosion.

This was a professional picture taken by a news crew which was placed on another ship to show the world how powerful our weapons have become

what did you do when you got out fo the Navy? I joined the Civil Service. I used to work at Lackland, Kelly air field, Fort sam and some other ones. I used to love loading ammunition. "

This was a Japanese warship that was taken down by the Massachusetts which he was on, he was in charge of loading the cannons

When did you get out of the military?
" 1949, I was 21 years old. I came back to san Antonio, the westside. Back to my old streets.(laughs)"

The Massachusetts
What religion are you? I asked why everyday?Does it work?
"Catholic!! I got to church everyday! Because to pray that i 'm still alive tomarrow.I'm here(laughs)"

How long did you live in San Antonio before moving to michigan?
"I was here for about 5 years. I was looking for work and wanted to move closer to my sister janie. it was to cold so I came back."

A pagoda in Tokyo, Japan

did any of your kids join the service? " No! my brother Carlos did , he came back a Sargent from Vietnam"

I heard you danced with Maryln Monroe?
"Yes! we docked at California for a memorial and they invited a bunch of nurses and Maryln Monroe. They warned us before she came, not to be grabbing her bottom or trying to kiss her. I danced for about ten secinds with her and then I gave her to the next guy. She was ok, the girls from Hawaii were much prettier than she was. (laughs)"

while visiting Hawaii in 1947, he loved the tattoo's which he got while on the island. On his shoulder is a tattoo of Pearl Harbor. He said he will never forget the woman.

Who do you think we wil go to war with next? Together?
" Russia and China!!! No one of them. Don't be scared it will end fast.(laughs) "

Are you a republican or Democrat?
"I'm neutral, it doesn't matter who you are, you still have to work!"

What did you do for fun while in the Navy? Did you ever beat up any Marines?
"I loved going to Tejuana, It was fun! drinking, girls and more girls. When we would go there we knew we were going to get into a fight with the Marines. Damn right I did!! we used to call them bell boys, beacuse of the white stripe they had on the pants(laughs) "

Despite his disability my great uncle is stll very young at heart and i have no doubt he will be with us for a long while. his words and his stories are amazing. I am blessed and honored to hear his stories.

 

 

This is a current picture September 27, 2010

ANALYSIS

In paragraph form, answer these questions after completing your interview. Do not include these questions in your analysis. (MINIMUM 200 WORDS)

-What did you learn from doing this oral history project? I had no Idea we had a family member which was in a major history event for our country
-What were the most important points made in this interview? Talking about his family and why he joined the Navy
-What did you learn about your interviewee that you did not know before? I didn't know his wife died.
-Did your view on this topic change due to this interview? Yes, I realised this is someones life I am getting into. I wanted it to be respectful and accurate.
-How did the interviewee express her/his feelings- not only in what was said, but how it was said? My uncle has always been the type of person that expresses himself very loud, but harmful. He is funny though. to hear him get all worked up was great..
-What did these stories teach you about the topic? I didn't know of all the testing they were doing on the ships with the live animals
-How did you attempt to verify the stories told to you? Iasked my mom and my uncle if they knnew if any of these stories were true. My mom did verify most of them and I honeslty don't think he would lie about them. The stories were very right on
-What are the benefits and drawbacks of learning about the past through the oral history process? Now it makes me wish I knew him earlier.
-Overall, is this an effective way about learning about the past? why/why not? sure it is. Imagine doing this kind of report on everyone you knew. it would be a great report. usually people don't write about somone until they are dead. We need to change that.

 

 

TIMELINE