“The Good War”: An Oral History of World War II

Bill’s story is also the story of the Bremen Six, a group of undercover merchant seamen who fought Nazis on a cruise ship. When the war formally broke out, Bill joined the Navy as an engineer. He admits that, at the time, he welcomed the use of the atomic bomb, but “secretly you had these feelings that somethin’ was wrong” (102).

Another merchant seaman who later became a journalist, David discusses his experiences in the navy. In particular, he talks about the diverse nationalities and races he met during his time as a sailor, saying, “It was a microcosm of the world” (107).