KEZW Inverviews Aleutian Veterans Photos & Audio

The Aleutians

The Lands of 50 mph Fog

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Rick Crandall's Breakfast Show Wellshire Inn, Denver, CO 29 December 2000

These are pictures taken during the KEZW interview. Click on any image to bring up a larger presentation. Click on your browser's "Back" button to return to this page when finished viewing the larger image. The audio and pictures on this page courtesy of Bill Harris, KOOL 105 FM, Denver.

To listen to a segment of the audio recording during this interview, please click on the PLAY button on the above widget. Included in this interview was WWII Aleutian Veterans Bill Greene and Ray Amrein, along with post- WWII veteran George Smith.

Rick Crandall Interviews Aleutian Vets

#1. The 0900 hrs segment of Rick's show began with an interview with Bill Green (on the right, Rick Crandall on the left. Bill was with the 68th and the 138th Construction Battalions (CBs) while on Attu. Bill enlisted at the age of 17, and, when required to have his mother's consent to join the service at such a young age...told the recruiter a story about his mother being dead...for which she's never forgiven him!

#2. Rick listens intently and asks questions as Bill Green shares a few of his stories.

#4. Rick interviewing Ray Amrein. Ray was on Attu from 10 May 1943 to 10 May 1944. He was with the 78th CAAA, 2nd Bat. Ray tells an interesting story about believing there was three downed American aircraft in the mountains of Attu when others thought there was only two during the Battle. [The battle for Attu began on 11 May 1943]

#5. Rick getting more information from Ray. Ray and a friend hiked up the mountain and found the plane, and the deceased pilot. Ray wonders if the plane and pilot were ever recovered.

#6. George Smith explaining to Rick about the post-WWII vet's role in the Aleutians, and expressing the concern that we must capture the stories of the men and women who served in the Aleutians...both during and after WW-II, so that this part of our history isn't lost to time and poor bookkeeping.

#7. George Smith is probably shamelessly putting in a plug for our Aleutian's Web site, and advertising the NBC Dateline/Shane Bishop production of "The Winds of War" that showed that evening.

#8. George Smith and Ray Amrein chew the fat after the interviews. Ray has a very distinctive Baltimore accent that he hasn't lost to this very day!

#9. George Smith and George Blood yak it up after the interviews. George Blood replaced George Smith in the newly formed PMEL lab on the island of Shemya, Aleutian Islands, AK in April 1976. Both were instructors at the PMEL/Metrology school located at Lowry AFB, CO at the time of their assignments. Both of them had their smiles frozen off while at Shemya.

#10. From the left, Ray Amrein (brown jacket, Attu Vet); Jim Lillard (of HLS Systems, a co- sponsor of this web site); Rick Crandall (host, KEZW); George Smith (also of HLS Systems, post-WWII Shemya vet); BG Sal Villano, USAF Ret. and former Commander of Colorado's Buckley Air National Guard Base; and George Blood (post- WWII Shemya vet).

Current update: 05 Feb 2022 Originally published: 29 Dec 2000

#11. Garneth & Bill Harris. Bill provided the copy of the interview audio as well as the majority of these photos!

#12. Jim and Carol Lillard of HLS Systems, Inc. Hardware & Software Support.

#3. Rick listens intently and asks questions as Bill Green tells a few of his stories.

#13. George Blood chowing down some breakfast.

#14. Nadine & George Smith, stuffed with an abundance of breakfast!

#15. George Smith & George Blood yukking it up after breakfast.