Vincent Sedlacek

Vince Sedlacek had just graduated from New Kensington High School in 1942 and was setting up a back garage area to inspect cars. He had been learning auto mechanics from his brother and was getting ready to go out on his own. A Pennsylvania State Trooper came to inspect the garage for approval and engaged in a discussion about joining the State Police. He was interested but his love for mechanics, and particularly Gray Marine diesel engines, kept him plugging ahead. In retrospect, Vince said, “It was the greatest mistake I ever made” [not joining the State Police]. That’s when he got his draft notice.

Vince Sedlacek is not a person to cry over spilt milk. He was drafted and made the decision to join the Navy. When the Navy found out he had experience with Gray Marine diesels, his wartime career was cast in stone. After his basic training at Great Lakes he was assigned to the USS Warren P. Biddle Amphibious/Attack Transports (APA-8). He became a Motor Machinist Mate (MOMM) Third Class and assigned to the repair and rebuilding of the Gray Marine diesels in the 25 to 30 Amphibious Landing Craft on the ship.

This Attack Transport (AP-8) was designed to sail to the site of amphibious operations carrying assault troops and support equipment. APA/LPAs had the capacity to hold a full battalion of troops. The APA disembarked troops with the ships own landing craft. The APA would then stand off the beachhead ready to evacuate troops, casualties, and prisoners of war. In order to carry out its primary mission APAs had to provide all facilities for the embarked troops including, berthing, messing, medical and dental care, and recreational facilities.

Vince remembers being near Enewetak (or Eniwetok), an atoll in the Marshall Islands of the central Pacific Ocean, when one night the Japanese approached their ship and lobbed hand grenades aboard. They couldn’t hear the canoes and it made it difficult to know they were approaching. His Captain issued instructions to take the landing craft out, shut off their engines and let the landing craft drift in the dark. That did the trick. They were able to kill a number of the Japanese with a machine gun using this strategy.

Approaching islands with the landing craft and troops aboard was always a high risk. Vince tells of a time when there was a Japanese sniper in a palm tree shooting the soldiers as they came off the landing craft. They were finally able to get him when he came down the tree to relieve himself.

Although Vince was armed with a rifle and handgun, he never really directly engaged in combat. He work was to repair the landing craft diesel engines and rebuild them when necessary. When landing craft were used to transport the troops to the islands, he had to be on the landing craft for any required mechanical needs.

Another time he was out in the landing craft and near the shore, a very close buddy of his (Lloyd Thorsm, now in Minnesota) was in another landing craft near by when it was hit by a mortar shell. His buddy was seriously wounded. Vince jumped out and ran over, picked him up and carried back to his craft to get him help. His friend ended up being hospitalized for 2˝ years. They are still close friends and his buddy made a special cane out of rare Minnesota tree roots (found only in Minnesota and Alaska) for Vince. He says many people remark about this unusual cane.

Vince said they were always on “Alert”, but the ship never got hit in the three years he served. Japanese Zeros attempted many times to attack the ship. He also participated in eight troop landings on various islands in the south Pacific. Considering the magnitude of the Japanese – American war, the fierce battles and tremendous loss of lives, it is strange that the name “Pacific Ocean” [from Latin, Mare Pacificum] means "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Towards the end of Vince’s time on the ship he had the opportunity to meet the famous Fleet Admiral Nimitz who personally spoke to him.

When Vince came home he went back into the garage business. He said, “It was another big mistake”. He began working in the mill as a mechanic, got laid off, and then joined Canterbury Mines in Avonmore as a mechanic. He retired at 65 and still very active at 82 years of age. He is President of the Seventh Street Sportsman Horse Shoe League and has held that post since 1957. He also has captured two State championships in Pitching Horse Shoes.

Vince has been married to Sophie for 58 years and lives in the Aluminum City Terrace community of New Kensington.

Watch the video interview with Vince Sedlacek at: