Kenneth Berger

Kenneth Berger

MM3

I was born on February 28, 1926 at St. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, located at 12th and Magnolia Streets, in Louisville, Kentucky. When World War II started I was in the 9th grade and fifteen years old. In 1944, on the 25th of February, I enlisted in the United States Navy at the enlistment center in Louisville, Kentucky. After being processed all day with a group of draftees, I was sent home and told to be back at Union Station, located at 10th and Broadway, at 10:00 p.m. After riding the train from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., we arrived at Union Station in Chicago, Illinois and taken off the train. We were taken to Thompson's Restaurant for breakfast. After breakfast we were put on another train and sent to Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Arriving there on a Saturday, the Processing Center was closed for the weekend. We were issued a mattress cover and a blanket, restricted to barracks and told we would be processed on Monday. On Monday, after processing, we were marched to the Training Center. After spending another few days there at the Center, I was put on a muster list, along with 634 other sailors to be sent to Shoemaker, California, for amphibious training. After arriving in California, some of us we put on guard duty at the Marine Hospital. After a few days, 100 of the sailors of this group were put on buses and sent to Treasure Island Center. On May 3, 1944, we went aboard the U.S.S. Nassau at Alameda Naval Air Station.

I was interviewed in the Executive Office and assigned to M Division, which was the engine room. Since there were no openings, my rank remained seaman. After awhile, I became fireman, and later I was Machinists Mate 3rd Class. My time in the engine room was spent doing various Watch Stations, Engine Order Telegraph, Lube Oil, Condenser, Generator and Throttles. I also did repair and maintenance work. My General Quarters Station was in the Engine Room on the Throttle during the latter part of the war. I guess the most memorable event that happened to me would be the Shellback Initiation crossing the equator.

I left the U.S.S. Nassau in May of 1946 and was discharged from the United States Navy on June 1, 1946 at Great Lakes Naval Center.

I returned home and after considerable thought I went to a local Diesel School, form which I graduated. I was employed by a local public transportation company where I worked for 42-1/2 years. I retired in January of 1990 as Director of the Maintenance Department.

I was married Virginia on October 10, 1947, and we have four children: Diane was born in 1951; Beverly was born in 1954; Kenneth, jr. was born in 1955; and Stefanie was born in 1966. We have five grandchildren: Jennifer 24, Scott 21, Bradley 14, Kristin 9, and Taylor 8.

I married, again, to Helen and we will celebrate our 29th Wedding Anniversary this year (2001).