A Personal Account of WWII [ USS CHENANGO ]
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Welcome ...

I am R. Fischer, a Navy Veteran of WWII on an Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. CHENANGO. It is my hope that you discover my journals here and find them interesting as I share personal and historical accounts of
World War II.

Maybe we were on the same ship, or you were on one of those tin cans that gave us support. Or maybe you are a youngster learning about the war in school. For all of you here, I would like to welcome you to my website.

Begin by reading actual accounts of WWII  -» See WWII Journals

About R. Fischer ...

I am the same patriotic, flag-waving kind of guy I was at eighteen. The big difference now is, as I write this, I am seventy-six years old. I have a wife of more than fifty-six years, she is my life line. She gives me courage and strength, and she gave me two wonderful children. A handsome son, and a beautiful daughter. They gave us seven fun, happy, playful grandchildren. Our cup runith over, and the saucer too. If you read my journals, you know how we met. Blind dates are always rocky. You know what they say. "All is well that ends well."

When we were young, we built several houses. I loved working with wood. All through my life it was fix this and fix that. I worked in the printing industry through my working years. Started out as some printers devil. I ran small medium, and large presses, eventually worked up to management, and eventually was the director of printing for a major university. My night school at the university payed off for my family. When I retired, I took up wood carving, and they said I got quite good at it. I would not call my work masters, but I was able to sell some pieces. The birds and poetry on this site are mine. I also took up golfing and all I will say on that is I played at the game. Arthritis in my hands put an end to my wood carving and guitar playing, and old age problems put a halt to my golfing. (Just when I had it figured out.)

It was then that I purchased a computer to fill in my lonely time. Then my daughter and I discussed about writing a story of my life on an air craft carrier. What the heck I had nothing but time so I started to write.

My daughter had built a family website, and put that story on it. Then came the poems. She displayed the poems, and even featured some of my wood carvings. Soon my grand kids got into the act. Now it is our family site.

My daughter again approached me and we talked about a website complete on W.W.II. I agreed that I would write vignette’s of all my experiences. (Almost all of them) This web site is the product of that idea. All of the credit belongs to her. My wife gave me inspiration. I wrote, and my daughter put it all together. There is a "PLEASE WRITE BACK FORM" we would like you to use. Let us know how you view the site, and if you want your stories posted here. We welcome your input, and "YOUR MEMORIES."

Contact Me


R. Fischer
A Few Letters ...

May 26, 2018

My dad was Jacob Beebe Yeager. He was 16 years when he went aboard the Chenango for battle in the Pacific. He served on ship for three years as an aircraft mechanic. He died in January of last year at age 90. I appreciate so very much the effort that went into this website. Thank you.
~Jack Yeager

May 16, 2018
I'm not sure if you're still reading these or updating this site, but I wanted to reach out and thank you. I'm a 34 year old Air Force Veteran and I lost my grandfather years ago. I stumbled upon this while scouring the internet for information about his time in WWII. His name was Roger Gideon and he was an amazing grandfather and man all around, but he didn't share very much about his time in the Navy for obvious reasons we all respected. What stories he did share matched up perfectly with yours and your own added such meaningful insight into some of the things he may have experienced. I just wanted to thank you for your service and for shedding more light onto the experiences and sacrifices of that generation. Wishing you and yours the best.
~Taylor Gideon

July 28, 2011
As a high school teacher, member of the NSDAR, and the granddaughter of an aviation machinist mate who served aboard the CHENANGO from Oct. 1943 - 1946, I am most inspired by your website. Thank you for preserving this glorious history.

I was referred to your site from a family member who knew I would be interested in learning more about the kind of life my grandfather shared while aboard ship. Regrettably, he passed away before I was aged five from a cancerous condition he developed shortly after he was seriously burned during the fire aboard the ship that you mentioned. Your site gives me a way of knowing more about him. Bless you!!!

May God bless this country with more fighting men and women who value the freedoms you and my grandfather fought so hard to preserve.
~Leah Ford-Sessum


More Letters

Historical accounts of World War II, as told by a Navy Veteran of WWII on an Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. CHENANGO.