Interview with Tommy Lee Cabe

Interview with Tommy Lee Cabe

Cabe, Tommy Lee

Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941

World War, 1939-1945 -- Naval operations, American

Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philippines, 1944

World War, 1939-1945 -- Veterans

An interview with Tommy Lee Cabe conducted as part of the "After the Wars" research project of Western Carolina University. Born and raised in Macon County, Tommy Lee Cabe enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1939, intent on making it his career. His first specialty was as gunner's mate, followed by aviation electrician's mate. Mr. Cabe was aboard the USS St. Louis when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. He recounts his personal recollection of the attack and the battles immediately following, as well as a typical day aboard a ship at war. Assigned to the South Pacific Fleet for the duration of the war, he participated in eight battles prior to the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 in which he was injured. Discharged on July 4, 1945, Mr. Cabe returned home a newly married man seeking employment. Most of the returning veterans sought college educations, but did not graduate as the Veterans Administration failed to fund their tuition. Hired by the U.S. Forest Service in 1948, he spent the remainder of his working career with them until his retirement. He discusses local attitudes before and after World War II, as well as the changes he noted after returning home.

Cabe, Tommy Lee

WCU Mountain Heritage Center Oral Histories

Hunter Library Digital Collections, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723

1930s; 1940s; 1950s;

2004-04-14

Novgrod, Nathan

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

audio/mp3; application/pdf;

sound recordings

interviews

personal narratives

transcripts

eng

Sound

Text

36293

https://southernappalachiandigitalcollections.org/object/36293

2015-05-22

All rights reserved. For permissions, contact Hunter Library Digital Collections, Western Carolina U, Cullowhee, NC 28723;

Macon County (N.C.)

Leyte Gulf (Philippines)

Pearl Harbor (Hawaii)

30:10 (sound recording)(duration)

9 pages (transcript)(duration)

Oral Histories of Western North Carolina