Mickey Strand / Veteran Portrait Photographer

Kelmer E. Chapman United States Air Force Airman First Class Korean War Before enlisting, Kelmer lived in the Sacramento area and enjoyed roller skating. He had a close friend, Bob Ross. Kelmer enlisted in 1950 alongside his friend Bob Ross because he was concerned about being drafted. After basic training, he received on-the-job training for his primary role. Airman Chapman was transferred to his first duty station at Travis Air Force Base, where his primary job was aircraft crash rescue and firefighting. His duties included standing by for safety when planes arrived from Korea carrying wounded soldiers. He recalled a particularly dangerous moment when a B-36 bomber with an engine fire nearly crashed into his fire truck during an emergency landing. To help the unit practice aircraft firefighting, he was assigned to pour diesel fuel on the ground and ignite it. The crew then practiced extinguishing the fire. Airman Chapman spent his entire term of service at Travis Air Force Base. In October 1953, Kelmer chose to participate in a program that allowed members to leave early, as the Korean War appeared to be ending. He was honorably discharged. He transitioned directly into civilian firefighting roles with the military and local government. He remained a firefighter throughout his career. After leaving the Air Force, he spent five years performing the same crash-rescue work at Mather Air Force Base, then served 30 years with the Sacramento City Fire Department, retiring as an engineer (driver-operator).

William B. Salo United States Army Sergeant First Class Korean War William was drafted in October 1952 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, a base that served as a crucial reception, training, and demobilization center for Midwestern military personnel. He was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to join the 101st Airborne. He completed 16 weeks of specialized Airborne basic training. He ultimately decided not to become a paratrooper because it would have required two additional years of service. Willian was assigned to the 40th Infantry Division on Geoje Island, at the southern tip of Korea. Geoje Camp was a United Nations Command (UN) prisoner-of-war camp that held North Korean and Chinese prisoners captured by UN forces during the Korean War. He spent one month guarding North Korean prisoners. William was then assigned to the front line at Chorwon. His unit received orders to move to the front, but the truce was signed in June 1953, just one day before they were scheduled to reach the line. Bill was transferred to the 2nd Division Artillery Headquarters (Divarty) at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. In September 1953, he was assigned to the communications platoon. He was promoted to Sergeant First Class in October 1953, a promotion he attributed to his professional demeanor and his ability to keep up during marches while carrying heavy radio equipment. Bill returned to Fort Sheridan and was honorably discharged in September 1954. After his service, he became a pastor, serving in various churches in Illinois before moving to Phoenix and then San Diego. He married Katherine ("Kitty"), a registered nurse, at age 30, and they remained married for 57 years.

Joe Renteria US Army - Navy Corporal - Chief Photographers Mate World War II - Korea - Vietnam Navy Chief Photographers Mate Joe Renteria was born on July 17, 1917, and still photographs the world today. Joe is a retired Navy PHC after 20 years of active duty. Joe began his service in 1936 in the US Army, first serving for three years with a heavy machine gun unit. He talked about caring for the mule teams, the Beast of Burden in War, who helped draw the cart of equipment and ammunition for the large, heavy gun team. Joe, as a full-blooded Cherokee, was limited in his opportunities in the Army, and he felt the mule team was beneath his abilities. Unhappy with his position and opportunities in the Army, Joe walked down the hall and joined the Navy at the end of his service. Joe was still in uniform when the Navy had him raise his hand to swear in. Joe first served in aviation at Pearl Harbor, flying with a Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat unit assigned to patrol for Japanese ships. He received his transfer orders to Naval Air Station Pensacola to report to Photographers A school in historic building 1600 to become a Navy Photographer’s Mate. Here, he learned about cameras and film, processing and chemistry, light, and the art of making prints. The classes covered the basics of all facets of Naval Photography. Joe then served as Fleet Admiral William Halsey Jr.’s duty photographer throughout World War II. They hopped from island to island, where Joe, because of his flight skins (qualifications), flew aerial photo missions with his favorite Folmer Graflex K-20 Navy aerial camera, documenting the atomic bomb tests. The K-20 seen here with Joe was a lightweight, handheld World War II aerial camera. The K-20 used a 5.25-inch × 20-foot or 200-foot roll of film that produced 4x5-inch negatives. Joe lives in his San Diego home, which he and his son Michael built by hand as they gathered supplies. After the Navy, Joe served as the Department Head of the Photo Department at San Diego State University for another 33 years and also worked as a freelance photographer.

Claude Aksup US Army Air Corps Corporal World War II Claude Aksup was born on May 21st, 1926. Claude enlisted on July 1st, 1944, in the Army and was selected to serve with the Army Air Corps, the predecessor to the Air Force. He reported for Basic Training and was selected for Advanced Individual Training (AIT) as a Nose Gunner. Corporal Aksup was trained as a Nose turret gunner on a Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy bomber crew in a turret with twin 50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns. The Liberator carried a crew of up to 10 men, with various duties, including gunners. Claude received this training at March Field in Riverside, CA, followed by additional squadron qualification training at Langley Field in Virginia, before deploying with his squadron. Corporal Aksups squadron was training for the low-level bombardment campaign against Japan when the war ended after the attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, before these missions were conducted. Claude loved to fly, and this was his main reason for enlisting in the Army Air Corps. He logged hundreds of hours of flight time and was grateful for all that time in the air. Before his release from service, his Air Group was reclassified, and he was transferred to Greensboro, North Carolina. He had additional time in service and was selected for reassignment as an X-ray lab technician. He enjoyed this work and said he almost chose it as a permanent field after his service. Claude was honorably discharged on May 19th, 1946. and returned to Los Angeles, and married Margaret "Margie" Aksup 6 months after his return. They had one child, William.

Arthur Pierce US Army - Navy Staff Sargent World War II - Korea Arthur Pierce was born on January 11th, 1925, and served in the US Marine Corps (USMC). He reported for boot camp on March 22nd, 1943. In 1943, USMC basic training was rapidly expanding and intensifying to meet the urgent needs of the Pacific Campaign, with many Marines heading directly to combat after boot camp. Art attended advanced individualized training to become an Aviation Radar Technician (MOS 5948). The training was held at the Signal School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It focused on the maintenance and operation of air defense and aircraft control radar systems. Private First Class Pierce was assigned to his first duty station at Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Imperial Beach, CA. Art worked in the radio and radar shack (repair facility), where they tested and repaired aircraft radar systems for night-flight training on the F-6 Hellcat Fighter and later the F-7 Tigercat. He recalled working on the AIA radar test unit and other test and repair equipment, ensuring the equipment was ready for the training command at the air station. Arthur was honorably discharged at the conclusion of WWII, during the drawdown of force strength. He returned to active duty during the Korean War and served from February 1950 to September 1951. Staff Sergeant Pierce served with a reserve unit in Ohio until February 1950, when many members of his unit were activated. He received refresher training at Camp Pendleton, CA, and was assigned to the Radar field. He was assigned to a USMC radar beacon crew in the field and deployed to Korea. His crew operated portable radar equipment, such as the RABFAC (Radar Beacon Forward Air Control), to improve the accuracy of close air support (CAS). These specialized crews facilitated night bombing and guided air strikes. He served with this crew and was deployed to Korea for 12 months. Art was again Honorably Discharged and returned to his wife and two daughters, Mary Ann and Kathy.

Howard A. Nielson III USCG Seman Apprentice Vietnam War Seaman Apprentice Howard A. Nielson III served in the United States Coast Guard from 1969 to 1971. He completed basic training and then reported immediately to his first assignment. While stationed at Air Station Alaska (Kodiak, AK), Seaman Apprentice Nielson worked in ground support. Ground support included extensive aircraft maintenance on his favorite HC-130 Hercules and helicopter types on the base. They specialized in fire/rescue and regional logistics for isolated Arctic units, managed as part of the Base. They assisted with MEDEVAC protocols, search-and-rescue missions, fish-and-game patrol, supply outlying stations, and refueling airplanes. While stationed in Alaska, Seaman Apprentice Nielson fondly remembers that on the 4th night on duty, while running security details, those on duty would stay in the Hangar until 6 am, when the power had to be turned on. After flipping the switch, he remembers the beauty of the aircraft's lights illuminating the Alaskan wilderness. He also remembers the relative disconnect from society on the frontier, with only military radio and television as sources of information during the 20-hour winter nights. Mr. Nielson received his Associate Degree in Photography and Graphic Design and originally planned to become a Coast Guard photographer while at this duty station. After his three years of enlisted service, he received his honorable discharge and returned to school to complete a degree in Graphic Design and Marketing. He then worked with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, followed by positions at a few hospitals in the San Diego area and with a few local construction companies.

Owen Wickstrand United States Army Ordnance Corps First Lieutenant Cuban Missile Crisis Owen Wickstrand was born on August 5, 1936. His great-grandparents all immigrated to the United States from Sweden. In 1961, after completing Basic Combat Training (BCT), Owen shipped off to Officer Candidate School. During this training, he received specialized marksmanship instruction. After initially failing to qualify with a .45-caliber pistol, he was coached by Captain Hut to improve his technique and eventually qualified for the core Army pistol team. His primary duty station was Fort Hood, Texas, where he served with the First Armored Division. As a shop officer, he managed a 125-man forward support maintenance shop that maintained tanks, trucks, and small arms for a third of the division. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, he oversaw a large-scale operation to replace tank gun tubes, ensuring the equipment met combat-readiness standards. The effort required coordinating crews from across the U.S. and Germany. During the escalation of the Cuban Missile Crisis, he was deployed to Fort Stewart, Georgia. His unit was one of two active divisions assigned to prepare for a potential attack on Cuba; they loaded tanks and equipment onto LSTs (Landing Ship, Tanks) and were ready to ship out before a diplomatic solution was reached. After two years of active duty in 1963, he transferred to the reserves, where he served an additional five years as a company commander for a maintenance division within an infantry division based in Maywood. His unit participated in summer training at Fort Irwin (then known as Camp Irwin).

Patricia (Pat) Coats Iowa Air National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Vietnam War Pat Coats graduated from Mercy College of Health Sciences' nursing program before joining the Air National Guard in September 1959. While she waited for a seat at the officer orientation course in June, she was mentored by two Senior Master Sergeants, Nelson and Edwards. They taught her basic military skills, such as saluting and marching, so she “would put on a sharp look as the only nurse in the unit.” Captain Coats was assigned to the 132nd TAC (Tactical Air Command) Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. She spent her entire 29-year career with this unit. Initially, the unit drilled and trained at its home base in Des Moines before deploying. Although her unit was not activated for deployment to Vietnam, she and a detachment were sent to the Royal Air Force base in Lincolnshire, England. Her unit was the first American unit assigned to the base since World War II, and it deployed there in the late 1970s. Captain Coats also served as part of a small detachment of two nurses in Panama. During this time, she had a harrowing experience when her group accidentally drove into a high-security compound belonging to Manuel Noriega and was forced to back out by the guards. She returned to England at Lakenheath Air Force Base for summer exercises with the regular Air Force. During her final deployment there, she stayed in RAF quarters in London near Green Park. She also deployed to various bases, including Biloxi (Mississippi), Mountain Home (Idaho), Alpena (Michigan), and Tomah (Wisconsin). While she waited for a seat at the officer orientation course in June, she was mentored by two Senior Master Sergeants, Nelson and Edwards. They taught her basic military skills, such as saluting and marching, so she “would put on a sharp look as the only nurse in the unit.”

Robert Larson Oregon National Guard - United States Navy Ship Fitter Second Class Petty Officer (SF2) Korean War Robert “Bob” Larson lived in Portland, Oregon. He first served a three-year enlistment in the Oregon National Guard’s headquarters division starting in 1949. He joined the Navy in 1952 to avoid being drafted into the Army after his Guard service ended. Bob joined the Navy in 1952 and attended boot camp at Recruit Training Command in San Diego. He then attended Ship Fitter A School at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, alongside his best friend, Robert Nissome, with whom he served throughout his four-year enlistment. Navy Ship Fitters specialize in structural ship repair and metalwork, fabrication, and repair. They learn to weld, cut, and shape metal for structural repairs and pipe fitting, as well as to maintain sewage, plumbing, and structural systems on ships. His first duty station was the USS Satyr (ARL-23), an amphibious repair ship based in San Diego. There, he worked in the repair division (R). Larson’s duties included performing arc and heliarc welding to upgrade and maintain ships. He specifically worked on LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks), repairing damage such as "messed up bow doors" after beaching operations. The ship was forward-deployed, arriving in Yokosuka, Japan, on 21 September 1953, and then operated in waters off Korea. In Korea, the USS Satyr operated at sea, pulling alongside LSTs to perform repairs. One notable task involved repairing an LST that had been rammed from the waterline up to the second deck, requiring Larson to weld raw stock plates to the hull to make it seaworthy. Robert decided to leave the military in 1956 at the end of his four-year enlistment. He was honorably discharged and settled down in San Diego.

Charles Eugene Pollock United States Army Sergeant First Class Vietnam War Charles was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on March 30, 1940, but moved to California when he was two years old. He grew up in the small farming community of Arvin, California, where he graduated from high school in 1958. Between graduation and enlistment, he worked local agricultural jobs, including driving tractors and working in grape fields. Charles enlisted in the Army in 1961 on a “buddy basic” with his nephew. He completed basic training at Fort Ord, California, and attended his second eight-week training for his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) in armored tanks at Fort Hood, Texas. His first duty station was in Baumholder, Army Base, Germany, also known as “the Rock”, which he described as a “hellhole”, it being miserably cold all the time. He served there for three years before briefly leaving the service to get married. After re-enlisting in 1965, he was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Although he had to drop rank from Sergeant to Private First Class to re-enter, he quickly regained his rank while training approximately 500 draftees through basic and advanced training. He wore “many hats” during this time, serving as an artillery mechanic, battery armorer, and range instructor. In September 1966, he was deployed to Pleiku in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with the 4th Infantry Division. For the first 6 or 7 months, he served as a gunner on an M109 Paladin, a 155mm self-propelled howitzer, firing rounds around the clock. Later, he transferred to a headquarters battery as a section chief, operating ammunition trucks to different gun sites. Charles retired from the military in 1982 after serving over 20 years. He was honorably discharged and started working for Sears. He later transferred with the company to Santa Maria, California, where he lived for 27 years.

There is still time for tickets to tonight’s GI film fest. /2026/movies/ugo-an-artist-at-war/

Darrell D. Prestridge United States Navy Non-designated Airman Vietnam War Darrell was born on September 20, 1954, in San Luis Obispo, California, and grew up in Oxnard, where he graduated from high school in 1972. He has two sisters and one brother. From a young age, he was fascinated by naval aviation and the idea of flying planes off ships. Darrell enlisted in the Navy in 1972 right after high school. He went to boot camp at the Recruiting Training Center in San Diego, then attended a two-week Fleet Preparation School at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Millington, Tennessee, where he learned about various aviation ratings. He received orders to the USS Oriskany (CV-34), and after a brief leave, he traveled to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He was then briefly stationed on the USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) to be transported to the USS Oriskany. Darrell served in the G division, where his main duties involved bomb assembly and moving munitions with “12 Charlie” skids to the flight deck elevators. During his two-year enlistment, he participated in two Westpac deployments, including combat operations off the coast of Vietnam at Yankee Station. He enjoyed visits to ports in Yokosuka, Japan, while the ship underwent repairs, as well as visits to Mombasa, Kenya, and Hong Kong. He also became a “Shellback” at the Equator. Darrell enlisted in the Navy in 1972, right after high school. He went to boot camp at the Recruiting Training Center in San Diego, then attended a two-week Fleet Preparation School at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Millington, Tennessee, where he learned about various aviation ratings.embly and moving munitions with “12 Charlie” skids to the flight deck elevators. During his two-year enlistment, he participated in two Westpac deployments, including combat operations at Yankee Station off the coast of Vietnam. He enjoyed visits to ports in Yokosuka, Japan, while the ship underwent repairs, as well as visits to Mombasa, Kenya, and Hong Kong. He also became a “Shellback” at the Equator.