Lester Charles - WWII Veteran Interview

World War II Veteran, Charles Lester, was interviewed on May 8, 2024, in Loranger, Louisiana. Chief Boatsman Lester served with the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII on the USS Alhena in the North Atlantic and the South Pacific. Chief Boatsman operated landing boats and was involved in the Guadalcanal and Bougainville Campaigns. ‪@MakingHistoryProject‬

Summary:

(00:00–01:30) Charles Lester was born May 29, 1922, near Little Chapel Creek in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, about 60 miles north of New Orleans.

(02:00–04:00) He was the eldest of five children. His family lived near his grandfather’s old place (a grist mill), and the local economy depended on timber until cars made towns more accessible.

(04:00–06:00) In youth he fished, played in creeks, and recalled seeing an alligator sunning on a log near his home.

(07:00–10:00) After some early rejections from the Navy and Marines, he joined the Coast Guard. He began service doing park/cleanup work, then manning lifeboat stations.

(25:00–33:00) During his naval service in the North Atlantic convoys, he stood lookout in the crow’s nest under harsh winter conditions. His ship wasn’t attacked, but escort vessels dropped depth charges at night.

(52:00–59:00) His ship was later torpedoed. The explosion threw bunks and cargo everywhere. He helped patch and jury-rig repairs so the ship could be towed toward Australia at slow speed.

(1:00:00–1:05:00) After emergency repairs, the ship entered a dry dock carved into a mountain. During that time he reunited with his brother, who’d also been serving in the Navy.

(1:29:00–1:35:00) His final rank was Chief Boatswain W-3. He was assigned to lighthouse duty (North Southport, North Carolina) and managed farm/garden operations later in life.

(1:17:00–1:20:00 & 1:38:00–1:42:00) After wartime, he handled dangerous cargo logistics at ports, and described early experiences with illness (pellagra) and hardships during the Depression as a child.

(Closing reflection) For many years, he did not speak of his service. Later, participation in reunions and recordings encouraged him to share his wartime memory more openly.