The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L C Eaton. Eaton joined the Navy in 1937 and received basic training in Norfolk, Virginia. He was sent to San Diego, California, for hospital corps training. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Savannah (CL-42) and transferred to the USS Boise (CL-47) to complete his first enlistment. He re-enlisted in the Navy to avoid the Army draft and was assigned to the USS Republic (AP-33). On 6 December 1941 the Republic moved from Pearl Harbor to the Aloha Dock in Honolulu. The Republic left immediately after the attack and wandered aimlessly until receiving orders in Fiji to unload in Australia. He was assigned to the Normandy invasion on the USS Burnett County (USS LST-512), which sank en route. Eaton was reassigned to the USS Emmons (DMS-22) and sent to Ulithi Atoll. He gives a detailed account of a five-plane kamikaze attack at Ie Shima in which he was severely wounded. He eventually had both legs amputated as a result of his injuries. Before being fitted with prosthetics at Mare Island, he describes the challenge of navigating public places in a wheelchair. He was discharged as a …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with L C Eaton. Eaton joined the Navy in 1937 and received basic training in Norfolk, Virginia. He was sent to San Diego, California, for hospital corps training. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Savannah (CL-42) and transferred to the USS Boise (CL-47) to complete his first enlistment. He re-enlisted in the Navy to avoid the Army draft and was assigned to the USS Republic (AP-33). On 6 December 1941 the Republic moved from Pearl Harbor to the Aloha Dock in Honolulu. The Republic left immediately after the attack and wandered aimlessly until receiving orders in Fiji to unload in Australia. He was assigned to the Normandy invasion on the USS Burnett County (USS LST-512), which sank en route. Eaton was reassigned to the USS Emmons (DMS-22) and sent to Ulithi Atoll. He gives a detailed account of a five-plane kamikaze attack at Ie Shima in which he was severely wounded. He eventually had both legs amputated as a result of his injuries. Before being fitted with prosthetics at Mare Island, he describes the challenge of navigating public places in a wheelchair. He was discharged as a …