Donald Irwin, U.S. Navy in World War II (Full Interview)

A U.S. Navy veteran, Donald Irwin was present at the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway, the Marshall Islands, and the Solomon Islands, before his ship was sunk by kamikaze off Okinawa on April 6, 1945.
Learn more about the American Veterans Center: www.americanveteranscenter.org/

[@dmaextraordinaire8205]

What a beautiful spirit this man has! Both stoic and sentimental. It was an honor to hear you recount your story. Thank you for your service Sir.

[@whitebloodism]

Exactly my thoughts

[@seegurke93]

Thanks for leaving in the part where Don had tears.... its touchung and shows the human side of war.

[@joshwise9894]

Thanks for your service!

[@timetidecm3589]

My thanks and respect to Don and his family.
My grandfather, RE Jones AMM 1/c, was a plankowner on Enterprise CV-6. These men served on the front lines in the Pacific, and carried the burden in those dismal, early days after Pearl. Brave Men, Legendary ship. My humble respect to these American Heroes.

[@whitebloodism]

Well said mate.

[@smallkrmit5717]

Thanks you for your service sir

[@shane41225]

Only three comments and one dislike! I can’t believe someone disliked this interview and so many few has watched and commented on this great video. People fail to realize this is the last few ppl left on earth that served in ww2 and when they are all gone these videos will be all that’s left to listen to “actual” experiences of the war, not the history book versions of what happened

[@MtnMig]

Thank you Donald for sharing and honoring us with your service story. Thank you for your service sir.

[@theworldwariioldtimeradioc8676]

These veteran's interviews are priceless. Thank you for preserving their stories.

[@richardthornhill4630]

Thanks to all our veterans. Semper Fi.

[@walkingmachinenick9301]

my great grandfather was a gunners mate through the pacific

[@rockymountainlifeprospecti4423]

Awesome, so was mine! On my mother's side, a true honor to be related!

[@walkingmachinenick9301]

@@rockymountainlifeprospecti4423 I was to young to hear the stories from his lips but my dad has told me some of his stories, he was most certainly a badass

[@rockymountainlifeprospecti4423]

@@walkingmachinenick9301 I only remember one, and him pointing in the air about the kamikaze attacks and how they had to keep shooting and shooting. Such a different level of honor and sacrifice.

[@RockstarBlanco]

My great grandfather was a minesweeper during world war 2 ! 🤙

[@walkingmachinenick9301]

@@RockstarBlanco mine was on a minesweeper through the war

[@booknasty7076]

Crazy.. I live in south carolina but was born and raised til 18 in eureka when I left for the marines.. i wish I would of known him and got a chance to sit and hear what this hero has to say

[@GoodmanMIke59]

Good one but "abandon ship" ... not "abandon 'the' ship." (USMMA 1982)

[@terrylyons3577]

There was a book written about the USS Enterprise and her combat actions. The name of it was the Big e. Written by William Stafford. It's a great book. I read it in high school, and as an adult I found a copy and bought it.

[@riobravo4454]

My dad was on the first destroyer in on Iwo Jima. He witnessed both Marine flag raisings. He made it to 97. He never told any stories until he was in his 80’s when I asked him. He also went right from Iwo to Okinawa.

[@haroldadkins770]

God bless you sir you my hero the greatest

[@brendanoreilly6917]

Great man. Equally his comrades were also great men.

[@krisshepherd740]

God bless you sir!!

[@Autobotmatt428]

Battle 360

[@christianmino4073]

That's straight up norm McDonald's father lmao
Norm senoir.

[@jamesmooney5348]

Go Loggers.

[@StopFear]

Instead of asking questions which the veterans are comfortable answering, ask them the question about the zoot suit riots when in 1943 hundreds of white us navy men harassed and beat Latino Americans in LA specifically targeting Latino kids and young men many of whom also joined the navy before or after.