Living High-Level World War II Veterans

I am a high school junior in Northern California who has spent the past seven years working on a leadership studies project, for which I have conducted interviews with leaders from a variety of different fields from throughout the world, including many of the leading luminaries in politics, business, and entertainment of the past sixty years, the initial results of which was published in ebook form in January of this year.

When it comes to the wars of the twentieth century, I have interviewed a number of Medal of Honor recipients, the late Canadian World War I veteran Jack Babcock, and a few veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade which fought in the Spanish Civil War. However, I have always been very interested in interviewing Axis war veterans, and have poured through many of the World War II forums on the Internet in search of lists of living Axis World War II veterans, and even found one on this site from back in 2010. That thread provided me with more than enough information on living German war veterans, but only Luigi Gorrini is still alive from the few Italian veterans listed and the Japanese soldier listed on there has since passed away. So, I was looking for leads on any still-living high-level World War II veterans other than Luigi Gorrini from the Italian Air Corps, Hubert Meyer from the German SS, Reinhard Hardegen from the German Navy, Rochus Misch from the German SS, Otto Carius from the German Heer, Waldemar von Gazen from the German Wehrmacht, and Erich Rudorffer from the German Luftwaffe on the Axis side and King Sihanouk of Cambodia, King Michael of Romania, John Moffat of the Royal Navy, Ivan Sidorenko from the Red Army from the Allied side.

I am particularly looking for any leads on Italian or Japanese veterans. Many thanks in advance.

 

Welcome to the Forum! I also encourage you to share what ever you may wish from your studies. I wish you well on your project.

 

Hereare some of the ones that really stuck out in my mind.
Interview #1: Interview with Spanish CivilWar Veteran Mark Billings on 5/10/09
1. Howdid you first get interested in getting involved in the Spanish Civil War?
He got involved as a result of the politicalreports of the time and from his own beliefs. Also, he was a member of theYoung Communist League at UC Berkeley.
2. What was your proudest achievement as amember of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade?
He was a truck driver in the war, who hadsignificant mechanical ability.
3. Pleasetell me a little bit about your experiences in the Spanish Civil War.
The men were parked in AlMaria and the Germans bombarded the city and killed 3 fellow troops, andseverely injured him. It happened in late-1936.
4. Manyscholars argue that the Spanish Civil War was the starting point of theconflict between fascism and democracy that eventually resulted in World WarII. Do you agree with that assessment?
He agrees with that assessment,and knew at the time that if the conflict continued war was inevitable.
5. Whatwas the foremost lesson learned as a result of the Spanish Civil War?
In his mind, the present economic andpolitical situation might result in a large scale war.


Interview #2: Interview with World War IIMedal of Honor recipient Nicholas Oresko
1. He first got involved inmilitary service by being drafted in 1942.
2. His courage under firetaught him the importance of sacrifice for the country
3. The most importantlesson the world can take away from the Second World War is that freedom is notfree.
Interview #3: Interviewwith World War II Medal of Honor recipient Wilburn K. Ross
1. He was inducted in 1942,joining his brothers and his cousin.
2. In August 1943, hiscompany was pinned down by Germans in Almo Beach, Italy with 50 casualties. Hewas up front and had 9attacks on him in the first day in an onslaught thatlasted 36 hours. At night, he and 8 other soldiers were in a bomb crater notknowing where to go and almost approached the Germans. Over several days, hetried to escape back to his unit without food or water. When he finally gotback to his company, he had one night before he was back at it. He went up theboot and had his famous battle in France in September 1944. He also served inKorea, landing on July 31, 1950 and only lasting 9 days before being wounded.

Interview#4: U.S. Marine Corps Commandant James Amos

1.How did you first get interested in military affairs?
Myfather was a career Navy officer, and I grew up with a strong admiration andrespect for those who served in the military. That admiration and respectturned into a desire to serve in the Navy myself, and then eventually led me tobecome a Marine.
2.What has been your proudest professional achievement?

Mycareer as a Marine has been filled with amazing experiences, but I would haveto say my proudest moment to date was leading Marines in combat while servingas the Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in 2003. The warriorsof that unit epitomized selflessness, dedication, and
courage…itwas an honor leading young men and women who were willing to make remarkablesacrifices in defense of our nation.

3. What is your perspective on the concept of leadership?

Myperspective on leadership can be briefly summarized in four points: 1) beyourself. 2) Always work hard. 3) Listen to the ideas and opinions of those whowork for you…they are the ones in the trenches.
4)Seek wise counsel from those who have held the position before you.